PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence the functional status of chronic lung disease patients. METHOD: A descriptive, correlational study design was used. The study was conducted at the outpatient respiratory clinic of the large university hospital in Korea. A convenience sample of 128 chronic lung patients (age = 64.2 yrs; 106 COPD, 17 bronchiectasis, 5 DILD) with mean FEV1 64.4 % predicted. Functional status was measured with SIP. Physical variables (FEV1% predicted, dyspnea, fatigue, pulmonary symptom distress), psychological variables (mood, stress), and situational variable (sleep quality) were examined. Dyspnea was measured by the BDI, fatigue was measured with the MFI. Mood was measured with the modified Korean version of POMS. Sleep quality was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Potential independent variables for the regression were age, gender, years since diagnosis, FEV1% predicted, dyspnea, fatigue, pulmonary symptom distress, stress, and sleep quality. RESULT: In general, functional status was relatively good. In regression analysis, functional status were significantly influenced by dyspnea, mood, age and fatigue. These variables explained 70 % of the variances in functional status. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that psychophysiologic symptom management should be a focus to enhance the functional status in this group.

The purpose of this study was to develop and to evaluate the Computerized Nursing Diagnosis/ Intervention System for Nutritional and Eliminative Problems for clinical application. Each stage was processed based on the System Development Life Cycle. At the Strategy Planning Stage, valid nursing diagnoses and interventions were chosen. At the System Analysis Stage, a nursing diagnosis and intervention flowchart was drawn up. At the System Design Stage, a system was developed based on the flowchart and named the Nursing Diagnosis/Intervention System. The Nursing Diagnosis/Intervention System consisted of the Patient's Basic Information, Patient's Nursing Process, Nursing Process, and Code Registration. Each element in flowchart was coded and made into a database. The System was used and evaluated. A total of 30 cases were collected. After the application, the nurses evaluated the System using a 5 point Likert scale. Every item was scored at three points or more and 13 out of 17 items were scored at four points or more, thus the Nursing Diagnosis/Intervention System that was developed in this study was regarded as a useful one.