The purpose of this study was to test a model of nursing competencies of nursing simulation learners. The conceptual model was based on the theory of Jeffries's simulaton theory.

Data collection was conducted in October 2017 for 310 students from two nursing universities in Kyungbuk area for 20 days. Data analysis methods were covariance structure analysis using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 22.0 statistical programs.

The hypothetical model was a good fit for the data. The model fit indices were comparative fit index=.97, normed fit index=.94, Tucker-Lewis Index=.97, root mean square error of approximation=.44, and standardized root mean square residual=.04. Teacher factors were directly related to simulation design characteristics, and it was confirmed that the curriculum, classroom operation and teaching method of the instructors were important factors. Learner factors were found to have a direct effect on nursing competence, self-confidence, and clinical performance that belong to nursing capacity. In particular, the results of this study indicate that the simulation design characteristics have a partial mediating effect on learner factors and clinical performance, and a complete mediating effect on learner factors and clinical judgment ability.

In order to improve the learner's clinical performance and clinical judgment ability, it is necessary to conduct practical training through nursing simulation besides preparing the learner and the educator.

This paper reports the results of a hospital centered follow-up program on parenting stress, parenting efficacy and coping for mothers with very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

The follow-up program consisted of home visiting by an expert group and self-help program for 1 year. A non-equivalent control group pre-post quasi-experimental design was used. Participants were 70 mothers with low birth weight infants and were assigned to one of two groups, an experimental groups (n=28), which received the family support program; and a control group (n=27), which received the usual discharge education. Data were analyzed using χ²-test, t-test, and ANCOVA with IBM SPSS statistics 20.0.

Mothers' parenting stress (F=5.66, p=.004) was significantly decreased in the experimental group. There were also significant increases in parenting efficacy (F=13.05, p<.001) and coping (F=8.91, p=.002) in the experimental group.

The study findings suggest that a follow-up program for mothers with VLBW infants is an effective intervention to decrease mothers' parenting stress and to enhance parenting efficacy and coping.

This study was done to identify the parenting experience of mothers of premature infants in order to provide basic data for educational solutions and desirable directions.

Q-methodology was used as it provides a method of analyzing the subjectivity of each item. The participants were 33 mothers of premature infants who sorted 34 selected Q-statements which were then classified into the shape of a normal distribution using a 9-point scale. Subjectivity on parenting experience among the mothers was analyzed using the pc-QUANAL program.

Four types of parenting experience were identified. Type I was named 'struggling', type II, 'self blame', type III, 'information collecting', and type IV, 'self-introspection'.

The results of this study indicate that different approaches to educational programs are needed for mothers of premature infants based on the four types of parenting experience.

The purposes of this study were to identify the factors influencing service quality in nursing homes, and to develop an evaluation instrument for service quality.

A three-phase process was employed for the study. 1) The important factors to evaluate the service quality in nursing homes were identified through a literature review, panel discussion and focus group interview, 2) the evaluation instrument was developed, and 3) validity and reliability of the study instrument were tested by factor analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient, Cronbach's α and Cohen's Kappa.

Factor analysis showed that the factors influencing service quality in nursing homes were healthcare, diet/assistance, therapy, environment and staff. To improve objectivity of the instrument, quantitative as well as qualitative evaluation approaches were adopted. The study instrument was developed with 30 items and showed acceptable construct validity. The criterion-related validity was a Pearson correlation coefficient of .85 in 151 care facilities. The internal consistency was Cronbach's α=.95.

The instrument has acceptable validity and a high degree of reliability. Staff in nursing homes can continuously improve and manage their services using the results of the evaluation instrument.

This study was done to examine the effect of an integrated care service which included a combination of oriental and western care on health outcomes in elderly patients with degenerative arthritis.

A prospective comparative design was used. Data were collected from May 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009 from 85 elderly patients with degenerative arthritis in the lower extremities who were followed in a hospital out-patient department for 8 weeks. The integrated care service group (n=36) received a combination of physical therapy, acupuncture, western medicines or herbal medicines, and the western care group (n=49) received physical therapy or western medicines. Functional independence, walking speed, rotation balance, pain intensity, service satisfaction and total medical costs for the two groups were compared at 8 weeks.

Functional independence (t=2.14, p=.036) and walking speed (t=2.51, p=.014) improved significantly in the integrated care group while pain intensity improved significantly in the western care group (t=3.35, p=.002). The integrated care group reported higher scores for service satisfaction (t=2.09, p=.041) and higher medical costs than the western care group (t=2.15, p=.035).

The results suggest that integrated care services are effective modalities to improve mobility and quality of life for elders with degenerative arthritis.

This study was done to explore the relationship between aggression and internet over-use, depression-anxiety, self-esteem, all of which are known to be behavior and psychological characteristics linked to "at-risk" children for aggression.

Korean-Child Behavior Check List (K-CBCL), Korean-Internet Addiction Self-Test Scale, and Self-Esteem Scale by Rosenberg (1965) were used as measurement tools with a sample of 743, 5th-6th grade students from 3 elementary schools in Jecheon city. Chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/Win 13.0 version were used to analyze the collected data.

Aggression for the elementary school students was positively correlated with internet over-use and depression-anxiety, whereas self-esteem was negatively correlated with aggression. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that 68.4% of the variance for aggression was significantly accounted for by internet over-use, depression-anxiety, and self-esteem. The most significant factor influencing aggression was depression-anxiety.

These results suggest that earlier screening and intervention programs for depression-anxiety and internet over-use for elementary student will be helpful in preventing aggression.