The purpose of this study was to adapt, modify, and validate the Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence with Clinical Decision-Making Scale (NASC-CDM^©) for Korean nursing students.

Participants were 183 nursing students with clinical practice experience in two nursing colleges. The construct validity and reliability of the final Korean version of the NASC-CDM^© were examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and testing of internal consistency reliability. For adaptation and modification, the instrument was translated from English to Korean. Expert review and a cross-sectional survey were used to test the instrument's validity.

The Korean version of the NASC-CDM^© (KNASC-CDM) was composed of 23 items divided into four dimensions: (i) Listening fully and using resources to gather information; (ii) Using information to see the big picture; (iii) Knowing and acting; and (iv) Seeking information from clinical instructors. The instrument explained 60.1% of the total variance for self-confidence and 63.1% of the variance for anxiety; Cronbach's α was .93 for self-confidence and .95 for anxiety.

The KNASC-CDM can be used to identify anxiety and self-confidence in nursing students’ clinical decision-making in Korea. However, further research should be done to test this instrument, as it is classified differently from the original NASC-CDM^© version.

To investigate the differences in postoperative sore throat and hoarseness by adjustment of endotracheal tube cuff pressure (CP) during nitrous oxide (N₂O) and air anesthesia.

A one-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Data were collected from August 8 to October 19, 2017 and analyzed using the independent t-test and repeated measures ANOVA. Eighty-four participants were enrolled and divided into three groups: 28 in the Control Group (CP adjusted every 30 minutes using N₂O), 28 in Experimental Group 1 (CP adjusted every 10 minutes using N₂O), and 28 in Experimental Group 2 (non-adjusted CP using air), all of whom underwent urologic, gynecologic, and orthopedic surgeries at the G University hospital. Sore throat was assessed using a numeric rating scale; hoarseness was evaluate using the Stout classification at 1, 6, and 24 hours after surgery.

Scores for sore throat and hoarseness were significantly different between the groups at each measurement time, and scores were consistently higher in the control group. During subsequent measurements, sore throat and hoarseness scores were significantly lower at 6 hours. Cuff pressure changed significantly using air anesthesia (χ²=10.41, p=.015) up to 2 hours after induction. Severe sore throat and hoarseness was observed for up to 6 hours after surgery.

Cuff pressure adjustment at short time intervals would be helpful in reducing postoperative sore throat and hoarseness. Nursing intervention focused on prevention of sore throat and hoarseness should be required up to 6 hours postoperatively in patients undergoing endotracheal intubation.

This study aimed to synthesize the caring experiences of Korean family members of patients with dementia through a qualitative meta-synthesis method.

By searching through nine Korean and English databases, we compared 37 qualitative studies on caring experiences of family members of patients with dementia. The selected studies were synthesized through meta-synthesis, proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso (2007).

The meta-synthesis elicited four themes: tough life due to care for patients, changes in relationships, adaptation to caregiver's roles, and new perspectives of life through personal growth. Caregivers were shocked when a sudden diagnosis of dementia was made prior to any preparation on their part. They were tied to their patients all the time and their mind and body got exhausted. Their relationship with patients began to change and they looked at them differently. They experienced conflicts with the other non-caring family members and were alienated from them. They were also socially isolated. However, by building their own care strategies and utilizing social resources, they gradually adapted to their caregiver roles. Finally, they experienced personal growth and acquired a new perspective toward life by accepting their roles and finding meaning in their lives. Shifting the caregiver's centricity from themselves to the patient was the process of becoming human beings who actively constructed their realities while giving meaning to their painful lives and interacting with the environment.

The results of the study can be useful for nurses in understanding the experiences of caregivers of the patients with dementia and in providing them with practical interventions.

Interface pressure is a factor that contributes to the occurrence of pressure injuries. This study aimed to investigate interface pressure at common sites of pressure injury (occipital, gluteal and peritrochanteric areas), to explore the relationships among risk factors, skin condition and interface pressure, and to identify risk factors influencing interface pressure.

A total of 100 patients admitted to the intensive care unit were enrolled at a tertiary teaching hospital in Korea. Interface pressure was recorded by a scanning aid device (PalmQ). Patient data regarding age, pulmonary disease, Braden Scale score, body mass index, serum albumin, hemoglobin, mean blood pressure, body temperature, and oxygen saturation were included as risk factors. Data collected from July to September 2016 were analyzed using binary logistic regression.

The mean interface pressure of the occipital, gluteal, and right and left peritrochanteric areas were 37.96 (±14.90), 41.15 (±16.04), 53.44 (±24.67), and 54.33 (±22.80) mmHg, respectively. Predictive factors for pressure injuries in the occipital area were age ≥70 years (OR 3.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19~9.98), serum albumin deficit (OR 2.88, 95% CI: 1.00~8.26) and body temperature ≥36.5^oC (OR 3.12, 95% CI: 1.17~8.17); age ≥70 years (OR 2.81, 95% CI: 1.10~7.15) in the right peritrochanteric area; and body temperature ≥36.5^oC (OR 2.86, 95% CI: 1.17~6.98) in the left peritrochanteric area.

Our findings suggest that old age, hypoalbuminemia, and high body temperature may be contributory factors to increasing interface pressure; therefore, careful assessment and nursing care of these patients are needed to prevent pressure injury. Further studies are needed to establish cutoff values of interface pressure for patients with pressure ulcers.

This study aimed to present and test a structural model for describing and predicting the factors affecting subjective career satisfaction of nurses experiencing rotation and to develop human resources management strategies for promoting their career satisfaction related to rotation.

In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 233 nurses by convenience sampling who had over 1 year of career experience and who had experienced rotation at least once at G university hospital. Data were collected from August to September in 2016 using self-reported questionnaires. The exogenous variables consisted of rotation perception and rotation stress. Endogenous variables consisted of career growth opportunity, work engagement, and subjective career satisfaction. A hypothetical model was tested by asymptotically distribution-free estimates, and model goodness of fit was examined using absolute fit, incremental fit measures.

The final model was approved and had suitable fit. We found that subjective career satisfaction was directly affected by rotation stress (b=.20, p=.019) and work engagement (b=.58, p<.001), indirectly affected by rotation perception (b=.43, p<.001) through career growth opportunity and work engagement. However, there was no total effect of rotation stress on subjective career satisfaction (b=-.09, p=.270). Career growth opportunity directly and indirectly affected subjective career satisfaction (b=.29, p<.001; b=.28, p<.001). These variables accounted for 65% of subjective career satisfaction.

The results of this study suggest that it is necessary to establish systematic and planned criteria for rotation so that nurses can grow and develop through sustained work and become satisfied with their career.

This study aimed to investigate factors affecting frailty by age groups among vulnerable elders in Korea.

In this secondary analysis, data were collected from records for 22,868 elders registered in the Visiting Health Management program of Public Health Centers in 2012. Health behaviors, clinically diagnosed disease, frailty, depression and cognitive condition were assessed. Data were analyzed using stepwise regression to determine the associated factors of frailty by age group.

Alcohol consumption, physical activity, number of diseases, DM, CVA, arthritis, urinary incontinence, depression and cognitive condition were found to be factors significantly associated with frailty among the elders aged 65~74 (F=135.66, p<.001). Alcohol consumption, physical activity, CVA, arthritis, urinary incontinence, depression and cognitive condition were found to be factors associated with frailty in the elders aged 75~84 (F=245.40, p<.001). Physical activity, CVA, arthritis, depression and cognitive condition were factors associated with frailty in the elders over 85 years of age (F=96.48, p<.001).

The findings show that frailty of elders and associated factors were different by age group, and common factors affecting frailty were physical activity, CVA, arthritis, depression and cognitive condition. Thus, these factors should be considered in the development of intervention program for care and prevention of frailty and program should be modified according to age group.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate the experience of role adaptation from nurse to member of the nursing faculty.

Data were collected from 13 members of a nursing faculty through in-depth interviews. The main question asked was "Could you describe your experience from being a nurse to becoming a member of the nursing faculty?" Qualitative data from the field and transcribed notes were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory methodology.

The core experiential category of role adaptation from nurse to member of the nursing faculty was 'striving for survival from culture shock'. The participants used the following three interactional strategies: 'recognizing everything and entering the school environment', 'self-reflection on being a professor and integration of experiences', and 'finding a way of adapting'.

The participants tried to adapt to life as a professor and reflected on and integrated their experiences into their new life on the faculty. College faculty need to understand the impact of changes and challenges faced by new professors during role adaptation and to support this adaptation through mentorship and organized orientation programs.