Moderating Effect of Nurse’s Character on the Relationship between Attitudes toward Nursing Care of the Dying and Performance of Terminal Care in South Korea

This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of nurses’ characteristics on the relationship between attitudes toward nursing care and terminal care performance of hospice nurses. The participants included nurses working in hospice care units in general hospitals in South Korea. Data collected from August 1 to 31, 2020 were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson′s correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression. The performance of terminal care was positively correlated with attitudes toward nursing care of the dying (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) and nurses’ characteristics (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). There was also a positive correlation (r = 0.58, p < 0.001) between attitudes toward nursing care for dying patients and nurses′ characteristics. Nurses’ characteristics had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between attitudes toward nursing care of the dying and performance of terminal care. This means that the nurses’ character had a buffering effect on the relationship between attitudes toward nursing care of the dying and performance of terminal care in hospice care units. These findings suggest that continuous and repetitive educational programs on terminal care need to be enhanced, and strategies to strengthen attitudes toward nursing care of the dying and nurses’ character need to be included in these programs

Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ-K)

Weight self-stigma refers to negative self-prejudice due to the internalization of negative social messages about one’s weight. People with high self-stigma may have low self-esteem and decreased social activity. Weight-related self-stigma can create diet-related disorders since it is highly related to the recognition of body types. However, there are no tools available to measure the weight-related stigma of the general public in Korea. This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ-K). A methodological study was conducted with 150 Korean university students. Construct validity was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis. The WSSQ-K was correlated with body mass index and measures of self-esteem and weight concern to evaluate concurrent validity. Internal consistency reliability was evaluated with Cronbach’s alpha. In the exploratory factor analysis, two factors were proposed: “self-devaluation” (Cronbach’s α = 79) and “fear of enacted stigma” (Cronbach’s α = 82). Factor loadings for the 12 items on two factors ranged from 0.539 to 0.811, which explained 53.3% of the total variance. The WSSQ-K correlated with body mass index, self-esteem, and weight concern. The findings showed that the WSSQ-K was a reliable and valid measure that could be used for evaluating weight self-stigma in normal-weight adults in Korea

Mediating Effect of Communication Competence in the Relationship between Compassion and Patient-Centered Care in Clinical Nurses in South Korea

This study investigates the mediating effect of communication competence in the relationship between compassion and patient-centered care (PCC) in clinical nurses. We used a descriptive research approach, and our sample comprised nurses (n = 204) with more than one year of experience in patient nursing in a general hospital in South Korea. The data were collected between December 2020 and June 2021 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression using SPSS 24.0. The Sobel test and PROCESS macro in SPSS were applied to verify the mediating effect. The mean scores for communication competence, compassion, and PCC were 3.67 ± 0.42, 64.04 ± 7.71, and 3.75 ± 0.46, respectively. Communication competence was found to partially mediate the relationship between compassion and PCC (z = 6.977, p < 0.001), and its explanatory power was 63.9%. To improve nurses’ PCC, developing a step-by-step and differentiated PCC improvement program that includes communication competence and compassion is necessary

Mediating Effect of Compassion Competence on the Relationship between Caring Behaviors and Quality of Nursing Services in South Korea

This study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of compassion competence on the relationship between caring behaviors and the quality of nursing services. Participants included nurses working in South Korean hospitals. Data collected from 1 November to 31 December 2020 were analyzed using a t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression. We found that caring behavior had a positive correlation with the quality of nursing services and compassion competence. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the quality of nursing services and compassion competence. Compassion competence had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between caring behaviors and quality of nursing services. This suggests that nurses’ caring behaviors can enable high-quality nursing services influenced by compassion. Therefore, in order to improve the quality of nursing services, repeated and continuous implementation of training programs including education that can improve compassion competence is necessary

Factors Influencing the Health-Related Quality of Life of Workers According to the Type of Work

This paper describes a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted to identify and compare the factors affecting health-related quality of life (HRQoL) according to the type of work. The method involved a secondary analysis of 4131 workers who participated in the first year of the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019). In this study, a complex sample plan file was created and then weighted and analyzed. For the analyses, frequency, χ2-test, t-test, and linear regression analyses were used for complex sample analysis. Factors that significantly affected the HRQoL of daytime workers were educational background, living with a spouse, regular work, depression for two consecutive weeks, and suicidal thoughts. The explanatory power was 18.9% (p < 0.001). The factor that significantly affected the HRQoL of shift workers was whether they took dietary supplements for 2 weeks or more during the past year, and the explanatory power was 17.6% (p = 0.007). This study confirmed that the factors affecting HRQoL differ according to the type of work. Based on the results of this study, when developing a program to improve the HRQoL of workers, it is necessary to establish a differentiated strategy according to the type of work

Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Holistic Nursing Competence Scale

This methodological study aimed to verify the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Holistic Nursing Competence Scale (HNCS), which comprises five dimensions and 36 items. The English version of the HNCS was forward and backward translated and administered to 251 participants with more than a year of work experience in a general hospital. Data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 24.0(Chicago, IL, USA), and AMOS program was used for confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, the “Task Performance Evaluation Instrument for Clinical Nurses” was used for concurrent validity. Reliability assessed using Cronbach’s α was 0.969. Convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity were good. Average variance extracted and construct reliability ranged from 0.845 to 0.932 and 0.980 to 0.987, respectively. The model was suitable with the chi-square value being 1216.563 (df = 584, p < 0.001), and Q value being less than three. Goodness-of-fit index, root mean square residual, and root mean square error of approximation were 0.784, 0.066, and 0.066, respectively. Moreover, comparative fit index, Tucker–Lewis index, and incremental fit index were 0.913, 0.906, and 0.913, respectively. Thus, this study verified the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the HNCS. Our findings suggest that the scale is helpful in measuring and developing the holistic nursing competence of clinical nurses

Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-Stigma (AAQ-S-K)

This study investigated the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-Stigma (AAQ-S-K) in people with diabetes. A total of 208 patients with diabetes participated in the study. After performing forward and backward translation of the original version of the AAQ-S into Korean, its validity (construct and concurrent validity) and reliability were assessed. Construct validity measured using confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit. Concurrent validity was confirmed through the significant correlation between the AAQ-S-K, acceptance and action, diabetes self-stigma and diabetes distress. The AAQ-S-K was positively correlated with acceptance and action and had a negative correlation with diabetes self-stigma and diabetes distress. The reliability of the AAQ-S-K ranged from 0.82 to 0.88. The AAQ-S-K can be applied to assess stigma acceptance and action in Korean patients with diabetes and to compare the level of psychological flexibility of patients with diabetes internationally