• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 1999

Purpose : This study was performed to investigate the satisfaction in the hospice services provided for inpatient families and bereaved families whose members had been admitted to the hospice unit at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital to improve the quality of care for the terminally ill patients and their families. Methods : This sample consisted of 33 families of hospice patients during the period of April to lune, 1998 and 30 bereaved families whose patients had died from March, 1993 to March, 1998. The data were collected through a self-report questionnaire and analyzed using t-test and ANOVA. Results : 1) The satisfaction level of inpatient families and bereaved families showed the mean value of 3.5 where the highest value is 5.0. 2) According to age, the level of satisfaction of inpatient families had significant differences in the fields of hospice philosophy, support for the family, medical management and nursing management(P=0.0001). The level of satisfaction of bereaved families showed significant differences in the field of support for the family, medical management, nursing management, and facilities of the hospice unit(P=0.0001). 3) By family relationship, the level of satisfaction of inpatient families had significant differences in the fields of hospice philosophy, support for the family, medical management and nursing management (P=0.0001). 4) According to religion, the level of satisfaction of inpatient families had significant differences in the fields of hospice philosophy, support for the family and nursing management (P=0.0001), but there was no significant difference for the bereaved families. Conclusions : The findings of this study showed that hospice services had positive influence on families with terminal disease such as cancer. To improve the level of satisfaction in the hospice services for families with hospice patients, we need to provide care by an interdisciplinary hospice team approach, and to assess needs of the families according to their socio-psychological characteristics. Further studies need to be conducted with large samples.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.4907-4921
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• 2010

The object of this descriptive survey research was to provide basic information source for building objective standards of DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) that can be clinically applied, by analyzing college students' awareness and attitude toward DNR. The participants of the study were 1,267 students from one college of Daegu, South Korea. The structured survey questionnaire was used for data collection, and the survey was conducted from 1-31 July, 2010. The error and percentage was estimated by SPSS 17.0 program, and analyzed with $x^2$-test. As a result of comparing the nursing students' and non-health care major students' awareness and attitude toward DNR, the significant differences were found in the necessity of DNR, reason for supporting DNR, reason for opposing DNR, and DNR decision-maker, among the awareness dimension; among the attitude dimension, significant differences were found in implication of family DNR and self-DNR. Comparing the nursing students' and non-health care major students' awareness toward DNR related information provision, researchers have found significant differences in the necessity of giving information on DNR, timing of the DNR information provision, result of the DNR-related information provision, and guidelines for the DNR information provision. In terms of the difference in DNR's necessity recognition by the demographic information, the significant differences existed based on the religion and the history of blood donation; in terms of the differences in attitude toward DNR decision-maker, the differences were found on the religion and the number of siblings. For the attitude toward family member's DNR, the significant differences existed for the sex, age, economic status, religion, the number of siblings, the history of familial illness and death, and experience of blood donation; the attitude toward the DNR for the self was significantly differed by the sex, economic status, the number of siblings, and the history of familial illness and death. To establish the standards for DNR based on the study, we suggest more well-designed future studies.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.294-312
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• 1996

Relatively young widows, who are left with young children by a sudden death of their husbands, will be faced with not only psychological troubles such as individual anxiety and frustration but also the dual burden of playing both father and mother roles in a family, Also, family members have difficulty in adapting themselves to new circumstances of the family system, the training and raising of family members, and management of the family economy. In this study, the realistic resources on the experience of middle-aged women who are bereaved of their husbands by accidents were explored. The purpose of this study is to help widows adapt to life in society and live a more positive life by setting a new goals and recovering from a lost and twisted life. 11 women, who have experienced the loss their husbands and live in the Seoul metropolitan area were studied. The research took 116 days from December 15, 1995 to April 8, 1996. The method of research was direct interviews. While having interviews with them, the contents were recorded with their consent. The ground theory was that used by Strauss & Corbin(1990) in the analysis of the data. 81 concepts were analyzed and they were subdirided into 22 subordinate categories through the course of the analysis. These were then classified into 9 general categories. In the course of being categorized, 'absurdity' was showed as a core category. The subordinate categories 'surprise', 'gloom', 'grudge', 'helplessness', 'emptiness', and 'loss' were united in the core category 'absurdity'. Ominous presentiment, belated notice, death, surprise, gloom, grudge, helplessness, emptiness, loss, the situation of the children, lack of support from neighbors, support from neighbors, mulling over ways to live, choosing a job, strengthening, reinforcement, burden, sadness, smoldering, yearning, overcoming these 22 subordinate categories were re-composed into 9 general ones the husband's death, absurdity, presence of children, existence of support, self-support ability, preparation of countermeasures, self-reinforcement, toilsomeness, and overcoming. 'Absurdity' widows experience was shown in the results of 'toilsomeness' and 'overcoming' through reaction, confrontation, and adaptation. According to the analysis the central phenomenon was absurdity, the causal condition of the death of a husband, the presence of children and the existence of support, and the meditated situation of self-support. To solve absurdity, the preparation of countermeasures and self-reinforcements were shown resulting in toilsomeness and overcoming. Through the contrast in the data, the following statements were deduced: (1) If the death of the husband is expected, the more a widow will feel absurdity. (2) The more children she has and the younger she is, the more a widow will feel absurdity. (3) The lower support she is given, the more a widow will feel absurdity. (4) The larger self-ability she has, the more actively she will prepare countermeasures. (5) The smaller self-ability she has, the more passively she will prepare countermeasures. (6) The larger self-ability she has, the weaker self-reinforcement she will preform. (7) The smaller self-ability she has, the stronger self-reinforcement she will perform. (8) The more actively she prepares countermeasures for absurdity, the better she will overcome. (9) The more passively she prepares counter measure for absurdity, the worse she will overcome. (10) The stronger self-reinforcement for absurdity she performs, the better she will overcome. (11) The weaker self-reinforcement for absurdity she performs, the worse she will overcome. Through the results in this study, the following suggested: 1) A study whose object is all family members, and a comparative study on the case of a husband who has lost his wife should be done. These studies can be expected to develop a more refined theory. 2) Because of the collapse of the extended family system and the changes of family culture in Korea, a widow's status and position are apt to be ambiguous between her husband's home and her parent's. Therefore a new study on family culture should be made. 3) A continuous study on growing social Self Help Groups should be requested for the widows of this study to re-establish and recover from their twisted and scattered lives.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.5-33
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• 1995

The objective of the study are two-fold: one is to explore the relationship between environment, organizational structure, and organizational effectiveness of public health centers in Korea, and the other is to examine the validity of contingency theory for improving the organizational structure of public health care agencies, with special emphasis on public health nursing administration. Accordingly, the conceptual model of the study consisted of three different concepts: environment, organizational structure, and organizational effectiveness, which were built up from the contingency theory. Data were collected during the period from 1st of May through 30th of June, 1990. From the total of 249 health centers in the country, one hundred and five centers were sampled non proportionally, according to the geopolitical distribution. Out of 105, 73 health centers responded to mailed questionnaire. The health centers were the unit of the study, and a various statistical analysis techniques were used: Reliability analysis(Cronbach's Alpha) for 4 measurement tools; Shapiro-Wilk statistic for normality test of measured scores of 6 variables: ANOVA, Pearson Correlaion analysis, regressional analysis, and canonical correlation analysis for the test of the relationships and differences between the variables. The results were. as follows : 1. No significant differences between forma lization, decision-making authority and environmental complexity were found(F=1.383, P=.24 ; F=.801, P=.37). 2. Negative relationships between formalization and decision-making authority for both urban and rural health centers were found(r=-.470, P=.002 ; r=-.348, P=.46). 3. No significant relationship between formalization and job satisfaction for both urban and rural health centers were found (r=-.242, P=.132, r=-.060, P=.739). 4. Significant positive relationship between decision - making authority and job satisfaction were found in urban health centers (r=.504, P=.0009), but no such relationship was observed in rural health centers. Regression coefficient between them was statistically significant($\beta=1.535$, P=.0002), and accuracy of regression line was accepted (W=.975, P= .420). 5. No significant relationships among formalization and family planning services, maternal health services, and tuberculosis control services for both urban and rural health centers were found. 6. Among decision-making authority and family planning services, maternal health services, and tuberculosis control services, significant positive relationship was found between de cision-making authority and family planning services(r=.286, P=.73). 7. A significant difference was found in maternal health services by the type of health centers (F=5.13, P=.026) but no difference was found in tuberculosis control services by the type of health centers, formalization, and decision-making authority. 8. A significant positive relationships were found between family planning services and maternal health services and tuberculosis control services, and between maternal health services and tuberculosis control services (r=-.499, P=.001 ; r=.457, P=.004 ; r=.495, P=.002) in case of urban health centers. In case of rural health centers, relationships between family planning services and tuberculosis control services, and between maternal health services and tuberculosis control services were statistically significant (r=.534, P=.002 ; r=.389, P=.027). No significant relationship was found between family planning and maternal health services. 9. A significant positive canonical correlation was found between the group of independent variables consisted of formalization and de cision-making authority and the group of dependent variables consisted of family planning services, maternal health services and tuberculosis control services(Rc=.455, P=.02). In case of urban health centers, no significant canonical correlation was found between them, but significant canoncial correlation was found in rural health centers(Rc=.578, P=.069), 10. Relationships between job satisfaction and health care productivity was not found significant. Through these results, the assumed relationship between environment and organizational structure was not supported in health centers. Therefore, the relationship between the organizational effectiveness and the congruence between environment and organizational structure that contingency theory proposes to exist was not able to be tested. However decision-making authority was found as an important variable of organizational structure affecting family planning services and job satisfaction in urban health centers. Thus it was suggested that decentralized decision making among health professionals would be a valuable strategy for improvement of organizational effectiveness in public health centers. It is also recommended that further studies to test contingency theory would use variability and uncertainty to define environment of public health centers instead of complexity.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.55-73
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• 1995

An Effect of Muscle Strength Training Program on Muscle Strength, Muscle Endurance, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and Quality of Life in the Institutionalized Elderly Recent statistics shows that the aged are the fastest growing segment of our population by increasing life span. The age group of over 60 shows multiple health problems and the most serious handicapping problem of these. are related to the changes in muscular skeletal system. With aging, people lose. their muscle mass and muscle strength resulting from biological changes and physical inactivity. Studies documented a 30-50% loss of muscle mass in an advanced age and thus, ordinary life activities can be seriously affected due to weakened muscle strength. Preservation of muscle strength of lower limb is especially important in the aged. Since it is readily affected from reduced physical activity in old age, sometimes to the detriment of moving or walking. So muscle strength exercise program designed for the elderly to improve leg muscle strength and leg muscle endurance. The research design used was nonequivalent control group pretest - protest design. The purposes of this study were to test the effect of muscle strength exercise program utilizing Leg Press on muscle strength, muscle endurance, instrumental activities of daily living(IADL), cognitive perceptual variables and quality of life. Forty nine subjects participating in this study consisted of twenty four male and twenty five female. Twenty four experimental group subjects were selected from C-institution in Chung Buk province, and twenty five control group subjects were selected from O-institution in Chung Nam province. The mean age of subjects was 72.8 years. Muscle strength training program utilizing Leg Press for the experimental group was carried out three times a week for 9 weeks. The data was collected from August, 1993 to October, 1993. Data were analyzed with $X^2-test$, t-test, ANCOVA test, Kruskal Wallis 1-Way ANOVA test using SPSS PC program. Results were obtained as follows : 1) The experimental group showed significantly higher scores on muscle strength (leg lift strength, back lift strength and grip strength) and muscle endurance than control group after the experiment $\ulcorner$F=52.35(p=.001), F=54.07(p=.001), F=6.97(p=.011), F=18.17(p=.001)$\lrcorner$ 2) Experimental group were significantly higher scores on IADL than control group(F=7.51, p=.009). 3) Experimental group showed significantly higher scores on economical state and self esteem aspects of the quality of life scale than control group $\ulcorner$F=10.59(p=.002), F=6.97(p=.011)$\lrcorner$. But there were no differences in emotional state, physical and functional state and relationship with reatives in the quality of life between groups. 4) Scores on IADL showed a significant difference with the level of muscle strength and muscle endurance $\ulcornerx^2=7.73(p=.025),\;x^2=8.86\;(p=.011)\lrcorner$ 5) Scores on self esteem and physical and functional state aspects of the quality of life scale showed a significant difference with the level of IADL $\ulcornerx^2=11.39(p=.003),\;x^2=9.02(p=.011)\lrcorner$. 6) Scores of experimental group after the experiment in cognitive perceptual variables (perceived benefit on exercise, perceived health status, self efficacy, emotion on exercise) were significantly higher than those of control group $\ulcorner$F=32.09(p=.001), F=5.07(p=.029), F=20.63 (p=.001), F=30.38(p=.001)$\lrcorner$. As a result of this study, the effect of strength training exercise program with Leg. Press had improved muscle strength, muscle endurance, IADL, and the perception of self esteem, physical and funtional state, and economical state. Thus strength training program could be beneficially applied for the prevention of disablity and promotion of health and wellbeing in the aged easily and safely. The subjects in the experimental group have maintained their exercises till six months after the cessation of the experiment. This seem to illustrate that changes in cognitive perceptual variables and the improvement in health status have reinforced motivation for the continuation of voluntary exercises. A further study is necessary to determine the factors affecting maintainance of muscle strength exercise and to assess the effect of weight training program on bone density.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.69-84
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to develope and test the structural model for depression in middle-aged women. A hypothetical model was constructed on the basis of previous studies and a review of literatures. The conceptual framework was built around eight constructs. Exogenous variables included in this model were volunteer activity, health status & economic status. Endogenous variables were meaning of life, self-esteem, perceived life stress & depression. Empirical data for testing the hypothetical model was collected using a self-report questionnaire from 216 middle-aged women in Pusan City. The Data was collected from May to June, 1999. Reliability of the seven instruments tested with Cronbach's alpha was ranged from .86-.94. For the data analysis, SPSS 7.5 WIN Program and LISREL 8.12 WIN Program were used for descriptive statistics and covariance structural analysis. The results of covariance structure analysis were as follows: 1. The hypothetical model showed a good fit with the empirical data. [$x^2$/df=2.87(p=.72), GFI=1.00, AGFI=.98, RMSR=.025, NFI=.99, standardized residuals ($-1.44{\sim}1.44$)]. 2. To heighten for the parsimony and fitness of the model, a modified model was constructed by deleting according to the criteria of statistical significance and meaning. 3. The modified model also showed a good fit with the data. [$x^2$=5.26(01=7,p=.63), GFI=.99, AGFl=.97, RMSR=.025, NFI=.99, standardized reslduals ($-1.50{\sim}1.45$)] Results of the testing of the hypothesis were as follows : 1. Self-esteem(${\beta}_{42}$=-.48, t=-5.64) had a negative and perceived life stress(${\beta}_{43}$=.20, t=3.21)had a positive direct effect on depression. Meaning of life had a negative direct(${\beta}_{41}$=-.17, t=-2.19) and a negative indirect effect through self-esteem on depression. Volunteer activity had a negative indirect effect through meaning of life, meaning of life and self-esteem on depression. Health status had a negative direct and a negative indirect effect through meaning of life, meaning of life and self-esteem on depression. Economic status had a negative indirect effect through perceived life stress on depression. Self-esteem was the most significant variable. 2. Volunteer activity(${\gamma}_{11}$=.43, t=6.78) and health status(${\gamma}_{12}$=.35, t=4.88) had positive direct effect on meaning of life. 3. Meaning of life(${\beta}_{21}$=.50, t=6.53) had a positive direct effect on self-esteem. Volunteer activity had a positive indirect effect through meaning of life on self-esteem. Health status had a positive direct(${\gamma}_{22}$=.18, t=2.23) and a indirect effect through meaning of life on self-esteem. Meaning of life was the most significant variable. 4. Economic status (${\gamma}_{33}$=-.44, t값=-6.01) had a positive direct effect on perceived life stress. The results of this study showed that self-esteem had the most significant direct effect on depression. Meaning of life and health status had significant direct effect on this self-esteem. Volunteer activity and health status had direct effect on meaning of life. The results of this study suggested that there is a need to develope intervention to promote degree of self-esteem and alleviate degree of depression in middle-aged women.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.1047-1059
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• 1998

Senile Dementia is one of the dispositional mental disorder which has been known to the world since Hippocratic age. It has become a wide-spread social problem all over the world because of chronic disease processes and the demands of dependent care for several years as well as improbability of treatment of it at the causal level. Essentially, life styles of the older generation differ from those of the younger generation. While the fomer is used to the patriarchal system and the spirit of filial piet and respect, the latter is pragmatized and individualized under the effects of the Western material civilization. These differences between the two generations cause conflict between family members. In particular, the pain and conflict of care-givers who take care of a totally dependent dementia patient not only is inciting to the collapse of the family union, but is expanding into a serious social problem. According to this practical difficulty, this study has tried to compare dementia care-givers' experiences inter-culturally and to help set up more proper nursing interventions, describing and explaining them through ethnographies by participant observation and in-depth interviews that enable seeing them in a more close, honest and certain way. It also tries to provide a theoetical model of nusing care for dementia patients which is proper to Korean culture. This study is composed of 12 participants (4 males, 8 females) whose ages range from 37-71 years. The relations of patients are 5 spouses(3 husbands, 2 wives), 4 daughters-in-law, 2 daughters, and 1 son-in-law. The following are the care-givers' meaning of experiences that results of the study shows. The first is "psychological conflict". It contains the minds of getting angry, reproaching, being driven to dispair, blaming oneself, giving up lives, and being afraid, hopeless, and resigned. The second is "physical, social and psychological pressure" . At this stage, care-givers are shown to be under stress of both body and soul for the lack of freedom and tiredness. They also feel constraint because they hardly cope with the care and live through others' eyes. The third is "isolation". It makes the relationship of patient care-giver to be estranged, without understanding each other. They, also, experience indifference such as being upset and left alone. The forth is "acceptance" They gradually have compassion, bear up and then adapt themselves to the circumstances they are in. The fifth is "love". Now they learn to reward the other with love. It is also shown that this stage contains the process of winning others' recognition. The final is "hope". In this stage they really want situations to go smoothly and hope everything will be O.K. These consequences enable us to summarize the principles of cue experience such as, in the early stage, negative response such as physical·psychological confusion, pain and conflict are primary. Then the stage of acceptance emerges. It is an initial positive response phase when care-givers may admit their situations. As time passes by a positive response stage emerges. At last they have love and hope. Three stages we noted above : however, there are never consistent situations. Rather it gradually comes into the stage of acceptance, repeating continuous conflict, pressure and isolation. If any interest and understanding of families or the support of surrounding society lack, it will again be converted to negative responses sooner or later. Otherwise, positive responses like hope and love can be encouraged if the family and the surroundings give active aids and understanding. After all, the principles of dementia care experiences neither stay at any stage, nor develop from negative stages to positive stages steadily. They are cycling systems in which negative responses and positive responses are constantly being converted. I would like to suggest the following based on the above conclusions : First, the systematic and planned education of dementia should be performed in order to enhance public relations. Second, a special medical treatment center which deals with dementia, under government's charge, should be managed. Third, the various studies approaching dementia care experiences result in the development of more reasonable and useful nursing guidelines.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.631-648
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• 1993

This study is a descriptive study to provide basic data related to types of uniforms worn by nurses. Nurses, other medical center personnel, patients and their famillies were asked for their opinion on changing nurses’ uniforms and how the image of nurses is 1 elated to the type of uniform worn by the nurses. The data for this study were collected during the period from Feb. 25, 1993 to Mar. 26, 1993 at Y-University Medical Center from 132 nurses, 137 other medical center personnel, 117 patients and their families. The instruments used for this study were the Nurses’ Image Scale(NIS) developed by Bown(1986), and an instrument to measure opinions of uniform and cap using photographs of nurses’ uniforms that was developed by the researcher through a literture review. Data were analyzed using the SPPS / PC package, Statistics used for analysis were frequencies, percentages, paired t -test, and oneway ANOVA The results of this study are summarized as follows ; 1. Of the nurses, 84.3%, along with, 51.5% of the medical center personnel, 39.1% of the patients and their families agreed to a change in the color of nurses uniforms. 2. Similarly, 87.4% of the nurses,27.7% of the medical center personnel, 19.3% of the patients and their families were in favor of nurses not wearing caps. 3. Only 11.8% of nurses answered that a white uniform was important to the professional image of nursing. Only 2.4% of the nurses answered that a cap was very important to the professional image of nursing. 4. Only 1.6% of the nurses answered that a white uniform and cap were important to show the role of nurses in the twenty first century. 5. About 1/3, 36.5%, of the medical center personnel, the patient and their families answered that changing the color of the nurses' uniform will make a change in the image of nurses. 6. A White uniform and cap were seen as being im-portant in distinguishing nurses from other medical personnel in the hospital by 76.5% of the medical personnel, the patients and their families. 7. Nurses gave high marks to the idea of no cap regardless of the color of the uniform which would still portray the symbol of the nurses’ role, identity and would differentiate the role from other jobs. The patients and their families gave high marks to a white uniform with cap. 8. Generally, nurses, medical center personnel and patients and their families thought that a colored uniform with cap presented a good image of nurses. 9. There was a significant difference in the response among the three groups(F=24.65, P〈.001) to the figure in a white uniform with a cap, and the patients and their families thought it was the best portrayal of the image of nurses. There was a significant difference among the three groups(F=9.03, P〈.001) to the figure in a white uniform with no cap and the nurses indicated that it was the beat portrayed of the image of nurses. There was no significant difference among the three groups to the figure in a colored uniform with cap. There was a significant difference(F=17.50, P〈. 001) to the figure in a colored uniform with no cap, and the nurses indicated that it was the best portrayal of the image of nurses. In summary, the nurses wanted to change the color of uniform and not to wear a cap. But many of the medical center personnel, patients and their families indicated they did not agree with this idea. Therefore, changing the type of uniform worn by nurses should be done only after consideration has been given to the relation of the change to the professional role of nurses and the image of nurses held people in general. Suggestions arising from this study are as follows : 1. The relation between the role of nurses and their uniform was surveyed, and these results can be used as data when considering a change in uniforms. 2. A change in uniforms should be tried based on the norm established about uniforms. 3. The nurses did not want to wear a cap, but before a decision is definitely made it is necessary to study the philosophy related to the symbol of the cap because the figure of a nurse with a cap portrayed a positive image of the nurses. If the cap is kept, the symbol of the cap should be redefined. 4. In this study, only the image related to the uniform was examined, but in future studies it will be necessary to examine the practicality of various types of uniforms.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.8-19
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• 2011

Purpose: This study identifies research trends and provides fundamental data related to curative power of aromatherapy to relieve pain in Korea. Methods: The study analyzed 44 experimental studies on humans that were published in Korea before the end of December, 2009. The key words used for searching were: aroma, aromatherapy, hyang-yobeob, hyanggi-yobeob, hyanggichilyo, aromatherapy and pain, headache, scapulodynia, omodynia, feeling uncomfortable in the perineal region, sense of pain, labor pains, arm pain, menstrual pain, aches, and dysmenorrheal. Those words were found on websites, including those for Korea Education & Research Information Service, the National Assembly Library, KISS, KoreaMed, and NDSL. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The results showed that most of essential oils to relieve pain is composed of three to four kinds of oils, including Lavender, Roman chamomile, Rosemary, and Clarysage. Aromatherapy is applied usually by means of massage (50%), inhalation (13.6%), or a combination of the above two (13.6%). Measuring instruments as a dependent variable include VAS, questionnaire, GRS, blood pressure, pulse, and Algometer. Aromatherapy plays an important role in soothing headaches and arthralgia. However, when it comes to labor and menstrual pain, it doesn't seem to be effective. Conclusion: The study found that different kinds of oil, frequencies, and periods of time are used for the same symptoms. Further research should employ standardized oil blending, application, duration, and measuring instruments, and more systematically analyze the effects of aromatherapy to establish the effects on relieving pain.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.83-94
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• 2014

Purpose : This study assessed the improvement of competency levels for participants, as well as their satisfaction from completion of the special international disaster response program. Methods : The program structure followed an intensive two-week course that included a combination of lectures, discussions, case studies, and field trips. "ICN Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies" was used for designing the program. A pre-post survey was done to measure the change in the competencies of students and assess their satisfaction after finishing the program. Focus group interviews were also performed to further understand the attitudes of participants toward the disaster issues. Results : The overall pre-program test score for disaster competency was $2.18{\pm}0.68$ and the post-program test score was $6.30{\pm}0.84$, which showed statistically significant gains in all competency items (p <.001). The general satisfaction of participants with the program was quite high, demonstrated by a mean score of $4.5{\pm}0.51$. The benefits for students from program participation included increased knowledge and better understanding of the important roles of international organizations and NGOs. Conclusion : The international disaster education programs are necessary to provide an opportunity for students to increase their disaster competency. In addition, future development of a unified educational competency framework is also necessary.