A Study on Development of the Automated Critical Pathway for Patients with Cesarean Section

The main objectives of this study were: to provide a computerized program for Patients with Cesare an Sec tion in predicting lengths of stay, and to evaluate the model of Automated Critical Pathway in Hospital information System. ; The Results of this study had shown the accessibility to the development of Automated Critical Pathway and can be contributed to aid developing the Automated Critical Pathway for other DRGs. The application of developed Automated Critical Pathway in clinical areas will induce easiness for the users and the substantial effect.ope

Impact of Life Style Characteristics on Prevalence Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of life style characteristics on the prevalence risk of metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods: A total of 581 adults were recruited from a cardiovascular outpatient clinic. A newly developed comprehensive life style evaluation tool for MS patients was used, and patient data related to the MS diagnosis were reviewed from the hospital records. Results: The overall prevalence of MS was 53.2%, and the mean of MS score was 2.6 for patients at a cardiovascular outpatient clinic (78% of the patients had hypertension). Dietary habits among the life style characteristics had significant influence on the prevalence risk of MS and MS scores. And also interestingly, the classification and regression tree (CART) model suggested that the high prevalence risk groups for MS were older adults (61.5≤age<79.4), and adults between 48.5 and 61.5 yr of age with bad dietary habits. Conclusion: This study indicates that nurses should focus on dietary habits of patients (especially patients classified as high prevalence risk for MS) for improvement and prevention of MS prevalence riskope

Development of a Health Information Web Site Evaluation Categories with Items for Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a health information web site evaluation categories with items for diabetes mellitus in order to offer verified health information, and to propose directions for development of web sites. Methods: A preliminary evaluation categories with items was developed using domestic and foreign web site evaluation standards for health information and through a review of the literature. The evaluation categories with items was composed of ‘evaluation for web site attributes’ and ‘evaluation for content information on diabetes mellitus’. Through expert validity tests and a feasibility test of the preliminary tool, the health information Web site evaluation tool for diabetes mellitus was finalized. Results: This evaluation categories with items included ‘evaluation for web site attributes’ and ‘evaluation for content information on diabetes mellitus’. ‘Evaluation for web site attributes’ included 8 categories with 28 items. The ‘evaluation for content information on diabetes mellitus’ included 7 categories with 40 items. ‘Evaluation component for content’ and ‘evaluation of category content’ included 4 items on ‘accuracy’, 6 on ‘harmfulness’ and 3 on ‘comprehensibility’. Conclusion: From this study guidelines are propose for providing health information for diabetes mellitus, so that health information providers will be able to offer consumers verified good quality health information themselves.ope

Comparison for Risk Estimate of Aspiration between the Revised Dysphagia Assessment Tool and Videofluoroscopy in Post-Stroke Patients

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the significant factors for risk estimate of aspiration and to evaluate the efficiency of the dysphagia assessment tool. METHODS: A consecutive series of 210 stroke patients with aspiration symptoms such as cough and dysphagia who had soft or regular diet without tube feeding were examined. The dysphagia assessment tool for aspiration was compared with videofluoroscopy using Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis. RESULTS: In CART analysis, of 34 factors, the significant factors for estimating risk of aspiration were cough during swallowing, oral stasis, facial symmetry, salivary drooling, and cough after swallowing. The risk estimate error of the revised dysphagia assessment tool was 25.2%, equal to that of videofluoroscopy. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the dysphagia assessment tool developed and examined in this study was potentially useful in the clinical field and the primary risk estimating factor was cough during swallowing. Oral stasis, facial symmetry, salivary drooling, cough after swallowing were other significant factors, and based on these results, the dysphagia assessment tool for aspiration was revised and complemented.ope

Knowledge and Attitude Regard to Cord Blood of Early Postpartum Women after Donating Cord Blood or Storing Cord Blood.

PURPOSE: There is increasing necessity of using cord blood cell worldwide. In order to improve the effectiveness of cord blood's usage in Korea, the study of knowledge and attitude regarding cord blood is needed. METHODS: As descriptive correlation study, data was collected from 212 early postpartum women who stored or donated cord blood from 2007 April to July. Data was analyzed using chi-square-test, t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression. RESULTS: Total score of knowledge and attitude of early postpartum women who donated cord blood was higher than who stored. According to the source of education and the source of influence toward decision of using cord blood, early postpartum women who educated or influenced by mass media showed difference in attitude. Job status and income, and attitude of cord blood were the predictor of cord blood donation. CONCLUSION: Attitude regard to cord blood affect to usage of cord blood, and the attitude and knowledge of cord blood in early postpartum women who donated it higher than who storedope

Content Analysis of Wormwood Smoke(Ssukjahun) Experiences in Women

Purpose: This Study aims to explore the Wormwood smoke(Ssukjahun) experiences of women and to provide the data to develop Korean traditional nursing intervention for women. Methods: A sample of 15 women aged between 20 to 60 years with Ssukjahun experiences was interviewed and content analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Six categories and Thirty attributes were derived for Ssukjahun experiences in women. The reason of Ssukjahun is related to illness included vaginitis, insomnia, mental depression, circulation down of hand and feet, repeat abortion, dysmenorrhea, hemorrhoids, disc, rheumatism, and asthma. The place of Ssukjahun was home, oriental hospital and Ssukjahun room. Also method of Ssukjahun included steam methods and burn the wormwood. The time-consuming of Ssukjahun was about 30 minutes. The response and effect in Ssukjahunincluded relax, decreasing rhinitis, weight reduction, feel better, increasing circulation, sleep well, reducing constipation, insomnia, hemorrhoid, back pain, asthma, and dysmenorrhea. The negative effect of Ssukjahun included vesicle, headache, itching sense, generalache, acne, and edema. However, women who did Ssukjahun believed that is the belligerent reaction because it is gone after several times. The preference of Ssukjahun than hospital treatment is related to side effect of medication, temporary method for reducing symptom. Recommends: It is recommended for nurses to understand experience of Ssukjahun in women. If Ssukjahun is to be own nursing intervention, it has to find solutions to encourage positive experiences and overcome negative experiences. Also it recommended research for experience of men.ope

Effects of Artemisia A. Smoke(Ssukjahun) on Menstrual Distress, Dysmenorrhea, and Prostaglandin F2alpha

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify effects of Artemisia A. Smoke(Ssukjahun) on primary dysmenorrhea. METHOD: This study was a pretestposttest design with a nonequivalent control group. Data were collected from May 1, 2007 to May 27, 2008. A total of 40 women with dysmenorrhea participated in the study. Among them, 20 women were assigned to an experimental group and the other 20 to a control group. Artemisia A. Smoke(Ssukjahun) was provided daily for 4 days, starting 7 days prior to next expected menses in the experimental group. The instruments used in this study included MDQ (Moos' Menstrual Distress Questionnaire) by Kim (1995), Visual Analogue Scale by Keele (1948), and PGF2alpha by urine. RESULT: The results of this study are as follows; The experimental group was lower than the control group in the degree of menstrual distress (t=5.25, p=0.000), intensity of dysmenorrhea (t=7.71, p=0.000), and prostaglandin F2alpha levels (t=4.56, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: Artemisia A. Smoke (Ssukjahun) was proved as an effective nursing intervention to reduce dysmenorrhea in young women. Its convenience and accessibility may make it a useful intervention in nursing practice and educationope

Nutritional Risk and Physical Activity on Quality of Life in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate nutritional risk, physical activity, and quality of life (QoL) and the interaction of these factors in colorectal cancer patients. Methods : Participants were colorectal cancer patients receiving follow-up treatment at the colorectal cancer outpatient clinic of Severance Hospital in Seoul. Participants were recruited from October 25 to November 30, 2010. The survey questionnaire consisted of Nutritional Risk Score (NRS), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - scales for Colorectal Cancer (FACT-C). Results : NRSs were significantly higher in patients with low BMI (F=18.63, p<.001) and those who were underwent colorectal surgery within 1 month (F=5.96, p<.001). Physical activity level of the participants was 28.96METs. Lower nutritional risk was associated with a higher QoL (r= - .34, p<.001). In a multiple regression analysis, the predictors of QoL were the age, economic status, and nutritional risk of the patient (R2=40.0%). Conclusions : Targeted tailored nursing interventions are needed to assess nutritional risks in order to improve colorectal cancer patients' QoL.ope

Raloxifene and Lipid Profiles in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of raloxifene in prevention of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted. Data sources: The existing literature from 1986 to 2009 was searched electronically using the data base of Medline with the key words of hypertension, obesity, diabetes, cholesterol, lipid, myocardial infarction, coronary events with combination of raloxifene. Study selection: The criteria for inclusion in the review were 1) an randomized clinical trial (RCT), 2) postmenopausal women, 3) English or Korean language. Finally, 15 articles were included in the review. Data extraction: Findings from the studies were organized according to the results of lipid profile changes by two authors. Results: Among 15 articles, 12 studies reported the beneficial effects of raloxifene on LDL cholesterol and 9 studies on total cholesterol in the postmenopausal women. Conclusion: The consistent results on reduction of LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol in raloxifene using postmenopausal women were confirmed. However, the effect of raloxifene on other components of lipid profile and endothelial function were still remaining controversialope

Evaluation of a Complementary Cyber Education Program for a Pathophysiology Class

PURPOSE: the goal of this study was to develop and evaluate a complementary cyber education program for a required pathophysiology class for nursing students. METHODS: the cyber education program comprised electronic bulletin boards, correspondence material storage, an announcement section, a report submission section, reference sites, and statistics on learning rates. Twelve online lectures complemented five lectures in the classroom. To evaluate the course's educational effectiveness, we performed an online objective questionnaire and an open questionnaire survey anonymously, and compared the complementary cyber education program with traditional classroom education. RESULTS: the complementary cyber education program effected significant improvements in scores for importance with regard to major, clarity of goals and education plans for courses, professor readiness, preciseness and description of lectures, amount and efficiency of assignments, and fairness in appraisal standards compared with the traditional classroom education group. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that a complementary cyber education program provides nursing students with the flexibility of time and space, the newest information through updated lectures, efficient motivational aids through intimacy between the lecturer and students, and concrete and meaningful tasks. the complementary cyber education course also increased student effort toward studying and student satisfaction with the class.ope