Current Status and Vitalizing Strategies of Advanced Practice Nurses in Korea

Purpose: This study aimed to provide information on the developmental process and current status of Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) and to suggest ways for activating APN roles in Korea. Methods: We reviewed literatures to explore domestic and international trends related to the roles, practice settings, scope of practice, regulatory policies, and political environment of APN. Results: Interest in the APN role has been gaining ground worldwide. While the roles of APN in the USA, Taiwan and Japan have been changed in terms of legislation and institutional regulations, the role of APN in 12 fields except for APN in home care has not been legislated since qualification was specified in Korean Medical Law. Many problems were found in vitalizing APN roles: absence of legal regulations on the scope of practice or health insurance coverage for APN, increase the number of medical support staffs who are not qualified, and a disagreement regarding the qualification field and practical field. Conclusion: This study presents snapshots and vitalizing strategies of practice, and regulation for APN to develop their unique roles in Korea. The tasks and duties of APN should be identified specifically to fulfill their roles. In terms of national health insurance policy APNs Nursing care should be reimbursed just as nursing care of APN in home care

Effect of hand washing improving programs on the adherence of hand washing and nosocomial infections in a surgical intensive care unit

학위논문(박사)--서울대학교 대학원 :간호학과 간호학전공,2002.Docto

Lived Job Experiences as Hospital Infection Control Liaison Staff

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the in-depth experiences of infection control liaison staff (ICLS) in hospitals. Methods: This qualitative study applied Colaizzi’s phenomenological research method and targeted 12 healthcare workers in various occupations with experience as ICLS in the departments of a general tertiary hospital in Seoul and a general hospital in Gyeonggi-do. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews from February 21, 2022, to April 30, 2022, and data analysis was conducted in a circular structure based on Colaizzi’s phenomenological research method. Results: A total of 32 themes and 14 theme clusters were derived from 132 meaningful statements, resulting in six categories. The six categories are “A prepared mind to infection control”, “The initial burden weighing on one’s shoulders”, “Facing difficulties due to inadequate work support”, “Overcoming with cooperation and rewarding”, “The transformed patient and work environment in my journey of personal growth”, and “Finding support measures for ICLS”. Conclusion: The results of this study are, expected to help understand the meaning and value of ICLS in medical institution departments. Based on this, it will be possible to contribute to preparing primary interventions for education and capacity development, support measures, and system improvement for infection control personnel in medical institution departments

The Impact of Perceived Positive Nursing Organizational Culture and Organizational Communication Satisfaction on Work Engagement among Nurses in Tertiary Hospitals

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the relationships between positive nursing organizational culture, organizational communication satisfaction, and the level of work engagement among nurses working in tertiary hospitals, as well as to identify influencing factors on work engagement. Methods: This study used a descriptive research design. Data were collected from 184 general nurses working in four tertiary hospitals in Seoul using self-report questionnaires from March 13 to 30, 2023. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical regression. Results: In the hierarchical regression analysis, the variables that significantly influenced work engagement in Model 1 were marital status (β=.26, p=.002), graduate or higher degree (β=.41, p<.001), more than 1 year and less than 3years (β=.18, p=.030) and 3 years or more but less than 5 years of clinical experience in present hospital (β=.17, p=.023), and satisfaction (β=.27, p=.002) and moderate satisfaction with pay (β=.18, p=.033). In model 2, adding the subdomains of positive nursing organizational culture and organizational communication satisfaction to the Model 1, the variables that had a significant effect on work engagement were trust-based organizational relationships (β=.50, p<.001) and organizational communication satisfaction (β=.25, p=.005). Conclusion: The results suggest that education level, clinical experience, and satisfaction with pay should be considered to improve nurses' work engagement. In addition, it was identified that organizational relationship based on trust and organizational communication satisfaction are the main influencing factors for improving work engagement

Bactericidal Effect of Chlorhexiding Gluconate and Isopropyl Alcohol

A 0.5% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% isopropyl alcohol tincture(H-Tincture) has been shown to be highly efficacious for skin disinfection and is used widely in hospitals as a skin cleansing agent for patients and health-care personnel. However, the optimum and the most cost effective combination of two disinfectants is net known. we examined the bactericidal effect of chlorhexidine gluconate and isopropyl alcohol singly or in combination at various concentrations against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pure cultures of the test organisms were incubated in disinfectant solutions for up to 15 minutes and 0.01 ml aliquots were cultured in broth for viability. Chlorhexidine gluconate solutions alone at the concentration of 0.5% and 0.1% were as bactericidal as in combination with isopropyl alcohol at various concentrations. The most cost-effective combination of the two disinfectants was shown to be 0.05% chlorhexidine gluconate in 30% isopropyl alcohol. These results suggest that the concentrations of chlorhexidine gluconate and isopropyl alcohol could be reduced from the current formula of H-Tincture without compromising its antimicrobial activity and warrant further studies in clinical setting to define the most cost-effective combination of the disinfectants.A 0.5% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% isopropyl alcohol tincture(H-Tincture) has been shown to be highly efficacious for skin disinfection and is used widely in hospitals as a skin cleansing agent for patients and health-care personnel. However, the optimum and the most cost effective combination of two disinfectants is net known. we examined the bactericidal effect of chlorhexidine gluconate and isopropyl alcohol singly or in combination at various concentrations against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pure cultures of the test organisms were incubated in disinfectant solutions for up to 15 minutes and 0.01 ml aliquots were cultured in broth for viability. Chlorhexidine gluconate solutions alone at the concentration of 0.5% and 0.1% were as bactericidal as in combination with isopropyl alcohol at various concentrations. The most cost-effective combination of the two disinfectants was shown to be 0.05% chlorhexidine gluconate in 30% isopropyl alcohol. These results suggest that the concentrations of chlorhexidine gluconate and isopropyl alcohol could be reduced from the current formula of H-Tincture without compromising its antimicrobial activity and warrant further studies in clinical setting to define the most cost-effective combination of the disinfectants

Effect of Multifaceted Interventions for Ward Nurses on the Storage, Conditions, and Transportation of Specimens for Microbial Culture

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide multifaceted interventions for nurses and to confirm changes in their knowledge, perception, and actual practice on the adequate storage, conditions, and transportation of culture specimens. Methods: A one-group pretest-posttest experimental design was conducted with 41 nurses in two general wards of a tertiary acute care hospital in Seoul. Multifaceted interventions including education, feedback, posting guidelines and reminders, and improvement in specimen management accessibility were provided from May 2019 to January 2020. Outcomes were measured before and after the interventions. Knowledge and perception of the nurses were evaluated using self-reported questionnaires and actual practice by observation. Results: After the interventions, the average knowledge score on transportation time was significantly increased (Z=-4.89, p<.001). However, the knowledge score on storage methods was not significantly increased. The perception score was significantly increased (t=-3.19, p=.003). The proportion of specimen storage times, places, and conditions managed properly was significantly increased from 43.0% (46/107) to 77.1% (84/109) (p<.001). The average transportation time of blood samples to the laboratory significantly decreased from 3 hours 36 minutes (±1 hour 52 minutes) to 3 hours 1 minute (±1 hour 41 minutes) (t=2.51, p=.013). The percentage of blood culture specimens arriving within 2 hours was increased significantly from 22.9% to 39.2% (χ2=6.90, p=.009). Conclusion: The interventions were effective. However, some specimens remained in the ward longer than expected after the interventions. This requires further interventions

A Comparison of the Perception of and Adherence to the COVID-19 Social Distancing Behavior Guidelines among Health Care Workers, Patients, and General Public

Purpose: To identify the differences in perception of and adherence to the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guidelines among health care workers, patients, and the general public and to use them to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Methods: From October 16 2020 to November 30, 2020, a survey was conducted among 85 health care workers, 85 patients, and 82 general public regarding the perception of and adherence to the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guidelines. Results: Patients scored significantly higher than the general public in the adherence to the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline, and there was no difference between health care workers and general public, and patients and health care workers. In the multivariate analysis, the factors that influence the adherence of the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guide were found in women and the perception of the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline. Conclusion: In order to promote the implementation of the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline, it is necessary to increase the perception of the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline and provide additional education in men. It is necessary to investigate the reason behind why men have low adherence to the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline

Nurses’ Experience of the Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccination

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the nurses’ experience of the side effects of COVID-19 vaccination and understand its meaning. Methods: This study was a qualitative study using the content analysis method. The data collection period using a focus group was from October 26, 2021 to January 23, 2022. Results: The themes included: “Pressure from mandatory COVID-19 vaccination”, “Feeling relieved because the side effects are mild”, “Severe vaccine side effects cause negative emotions”, “Tolerating side effects and coping personally”, “Confusion and alienation about insufficient coping of side effects”, “Feeling skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccination policy”, “Thinking about how to build trust in the COVID-19 vaccine”. Conclusion: In the future, it is considered important to establish scientific evidence through continuous monitoring and data collection of the side effects of COVID-19 vaccination and to build trust in vaccines through transparent information disclosure