• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2021

Purpose: The relationship between the staff area and the patient's private area is the key factor in designing the structure and the environmental characteristics of ward spaces in a psychiatric hospital. Recent research has found that for the purpose of treatment and securing privacy, psychiatric patients need to be in an open space of relief rather than closed confined environment and under the watch of nursing staffs. Methods: A survey at three kinds of wards in a private psychiatric hospital in Japan was conducted in October 2002. These wards include an acute ward, a psychiatric convalescence ward, and a stress care ward. All three kinds of wards have the same structure. At each ward, spatial preferences of the 145 psychiatric inpatients were surveyed and data concerning the patient's diagnostic category, symptoms, and activities of daily living were recorded. Results: The patients in the stress care ward prefer to stay in private spaces than public spaces. On the other hand, in the acute ward the patients seem to have a preference between managed public spaces where are monitored by nursing staffs and their private rooms where the nurse station is close. In addition, the patients in the psychiatric convalescence ward spend most of their time in the public space, such as the hallways or the day room. Implications: Base on this research, the spaces at the acute ward that could be monitored by the nursing station serves effectively as a safety space for patients was concluded. However, in the stress care ward, the patients may perceive the monitoring by the nursing staff as interruption or nuisance to their relaxation. In order to design an ideal healing environment for psychiatric patients in psychiatric ward, it is important to consider how environmental characteristics of space affect the environmental sense of patients in each ward.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.333-348
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• 2020

Purpose: The present study investigated the association between nurse staffing and health outcomes among psychiatric inpatients in Korea by assessing National Health Insurance claims data. Methods: The dataset included 70,136 patients aged 19 years who were inpatients in psychiatric wards for at least two days in 2016 and treated for mental and behavioral disorders due to use of alcohol; schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders; and mood disorders across 453 hospitals. Nurse staffing levels were measured in three ways: registered nurse-to-inpatient ratio, registered nurse-to-adjusted inpatient ratio, and nursing staff-to-adjusted inpatient ratio. Patient outcomes included length of stay, readmission within 30 days, psychiatric emergency treatment, use of injected psycholeptics for chemical restraint, and hypnotics use. Relationships between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes were analyzed considering both patient and system characteristics using multilevel modeling. Results: Multilevel analyses revealed that more inpatients per registered nurse, adjusted inpatients per registered nurse, and adjusted inpatients per nursing staff were associated with longer lengths of stay as well as a higher risk of readmission. More adjusted inpatients per registered nurse and adjusted inpatients per nursing staff were also associated with increased hypnotics use but a lower risk of psychiatric emergency treatment. Nurse staffing levels were not significantly associated with the use of injected psycholeptics for chemical restraint. Conclusion: Lower nurse staffing levels are associated with negative health outcomes of psychiatric inpatients. Policies for improving nurse staffing toward an optimal level should be enacted to facilitate better outcomes for psychiatric inpatients in Korea.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 1989

The purpose of this study is to propose the baseline data for -developing the occupational stress measurement tool for Psychiatric nurses Working in the hospital. 135 staff nurses in psychiatric unit of 11. hospital were participated during the period from August 1 to August 20, 1988. Though the pretest and literature review a questionnaire was coristructed with 88 stressors which were experienced by the psychiatric nurses in the hospital. Subjects were given instruction to rate 1~6 likert type scale according to the level of stress experienced by each stressor described. Reliability of the tool was tested by Cronbach's Alpha and the reasult was ${\alpha}=0.94871$. Factor analysis was applied to organize 88 items together: As the result, 14 factors were obtained. The factors were; 1) Administration problem 2) Work overload 3) Role conflict as a profession 4) Lack of professional knowledge and skill 5) Conflict with nurses 6) Conflict with other health teams 7) Conflict in nurse-clint relationship 8) Conflict with supervisor 9) Conflict with suborinate 10) Low reward 11) Scheduling probrem 12) Inappropriate physical environment 13) Staff inadequate 14) Inadequate of equipment.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify non-psychiatric nurses' difficulties in caring for patients with mental illness. Methods: Data were collected from eighteen general medical-surgical nurses working at a university hospital in Seoul, Korea. This study involved two focus group discussions and three in-depth individual interviews. All interviews were recorded and transcribed as they were spoken, and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: General medical-surgical nurses experienced difficulties in 3 categories, 9 subcategories, 27 codes. The three categories were 'nurse' related factors, 'patient' related factors, 'resource' related factors. The nine categories were 'unpreparedness', 'nursing barriers due to stigma', 'undervaluing and avoidance of psychiatric nursing', 'eroding into the trap of a vicious cycle', 'facing unapproachable patients', 'dealing with unhelpful family members', 'burdening already overburdened staff', 'obstructive environment', and 'isolation of staff with heavy responsibilities'. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate the need to develop psychiatric mental health education programs for non-psychiatric nurses. Education about psychiatric mental health and support from institutions for non-psychiatric nurses can reduce their negative attitude toward psychiatric patients and difficulties in caring for psychiatric patients.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2017

Objectives : Psychiatric staffs may experience excessive work stress, burnout, and reduced job satisfaction in clinical settings. This can increase chances of diminishing their overall working efficiency or having difficulty managing their own mental health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy(MBCT) on job stress, burnout, self-efficacy, resilience, and job satisfaction. Methods : Twenty eight psychiatric staffs who agreed to participate in the study were included. Self-report questionnaires were used to measure job stress, burnout, resilience, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction. To examine the effects of group MBCT, the scores were compared before and after MBCT. Results : Work stress and burnout scale scores were significantly decreased after group MBCT. Resilience, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy scale scores were significantly increased after group MBCT. Conclusions : In the current study, group MBCT for psychiatric staffs helped to reduce their work stress and burnout, and, as well, helped to improve resilience, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction. This suggests that, in mental health treatment settings, psychiatric staffs can improve their mental health through group MBCT. Improving mental health of psychiatric staff may also have a positive impact on their patients.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 1998

The purpose of the study was to examine nonpsychiatric physicians' attitudes toward psychiatry. 129 physicians responded to the questionnaire regarding attitudes toward psychiatry. A majority were favorable about psychiatric education, psychiatric consultation, psychoanalysis, students' choice of psychiatry as a career, and psychiatrists. Staff were more positive toward psychiatry than residents, and senior staff were more positive about psychiatry than junior staff. Overall, however, no significant differences were found in attitudes toward psychiatry between nonsurgical physicians and surgeons, although staff or residents in nonsurgical departments were more favorable about some aspects of psychiatry than staff or residents in surgical departments. The physicians with more interest in psychiatry as a career in the past were more likely to to be positive about psychiatry as a comprehensive science and a rapidly expanding field of medicine. Physicians with older age were more likely to be positive about status and efficacy of psychiatry, role and functioning of psychiatrists than those with. younger age. The results suggest that previous interest in psychiatry, age and clinical experience favorably influenced physicians' attitude toward psychiatry. In addition, development of models for psychiatric education will be needed to enhance physicians' attitude toward psychiatry.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.246-255
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• 2009

Objectives : The aims of this study are to estimate the prevalence of polydipsia and water intoxication and to identify risk factors of polydipsia and water intoxication in psychiatric inpatient. Methods : 1,108 Psychiatric inpatients at 2 mental hospitals in Yongin city were studied from September, 2008 to January, 2009. We diagnosed 'polydipsia' using staff reports(fluid intake>3L/day) or by specific gravity of urine(SPGU<1.008) and diagnosed 'at risk for water intoxication' using normalized diurnal weight gain (NDWG>4%). We attempted to identify clinical characteristics of patients by reviewing their medical records. Results : Two hundred forty seven patients(22.3%) were polydipsic. Sixty eight patients(6.1%) were at risk for water intoxication. The factors associated with polydipsia were lithium, smoking, younger age and increased smoking amounts. The factors associated with risk for water intoxication were valproic acid and polydipsia. Conclusion : Polydipsia and water intoxication in psychiatric inpatients are not rare conditions. Therefore, clinicians' attention should be paid to these conditions.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.229-239
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• 2010

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of nursing professionalism on the nursing performance and retention intention among psychiatric mental health nurses. Methods: As a descriptive correlational study, this study sampled 206 psychiatric mental health nurses in six hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi area through convenience sampling. Data were collected from March 2 to 31, 2009 using a self-report questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 16.0. Results: In the subscales of professionalism, the 'Sense of calling' had the highest mean score while the 'Professional organization' had the lowest mean score. A significant positive correlation was observed in nursing professionalism, nursing performance and retention intention. According to an analysis on the impact of each subscale of nursing professionalism on nursing performance and retention intention, the 'Sense of calling' and 'Autonomy' were the most significant predictor variable. Conclusion: The results confirmed that the improvement of psychiatric mental health nurses' professionalism increases their nursing performance and retention intention and the 'Sense of calling' and 'Autonomy' are critical prediction factors. It is necessary to come up with a strategy which strengthens nursing professionalism in order to improve psychiatric mental health nurses' performance and retention intention.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.7-16
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• 2023

Purpose: Seclusion room in a psychiatric facility limit the body and space for treatment or protection, so controversy over human rights violations arises despite their necessity. The seclusion room should be created as an environment that can promote the recovery and healing of patients, not the purpose of managing patients. while ensuring the safety of medical staff. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the standards of overseas guidelines for the seclusion room in psychiatric facility, and through this, it is intended to contribute to the improvement of facility standards for seclusion rooms in Korea, which are at a very insufficient level. Method: This study takes the method of comparative analysis through literature review. We analyze the facility standards of seclusion room in Korea, and compare and analyze guidelines for seclusion rooms in Australia, US, UK, and Canada. Result: As a result, the elements of the guideline for seclusion room were classified into size, space, opening, furniture and equipment, and etc. The results of comparative analysis of details are presented. Implications: Korea should also prepare guidelines for psychiatric institutions, and among them, the standards for seclusion room, which are at the center of controversy over human rights violations, should be reviewed in depth.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.337-342
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• 2017

Background: Workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare workers (HCWs) employed in psychiatric inpatient wards is a serious occupational issue that involves both staff and patients; the consequences of WPV may include increased service costs and lower standards of care. The purpose of this review was to evaluate which topics have been focused on in the literature and which are new in approaching the concern of patient violence against HCWs employed in psychiatric inpatient wards, in the past 20 years. Methods: We searched for publications in PubMed and Web of Science using selected keywords. Each article was reviewed and categorized into one or more of the following four categories based on its subject matter: risk assessment, risk management, occurrence rates, and physical/nonphysical consequences. Results: Our search resulted in a total of 64 publications that matched our inclusion criteria. The topics discussed, in order of frequency (from highest to lowest), were as follows: "risk assessment," "risk management," "occurrence rates," and "physical/nonphysical consequences." Schizophrenia, young age, alcohol use, drug misuse, a history of violence, and hostile-dominant interpersonal styles were found to be the predictors of patients' violence. Conclusion: Risk assessment of violence by patients appeared the way to effectively minimize the occurrence of WPV and, consequently, to better protect mental HCWs. We found paucity of data regarding psychologic sequelae of WPV. According to these findings, we suggest the need to better investigate the psychologic consequences of WPV, with the aim of checking the effective interventions to assist HCW victims of violence and to prevent psychologic illness.