No abstract available.

The purpose of the study is to explore and describe the lived experience of family members with gastric cancer patients using the grounded theory methodology. The participants were ten spouses of gastric cancer patients who had some kind of treatment at the hospital. They were asked open-ended and descriptive questions in order for them to talk about their experiences in their owl terms. As the interview progressed the questions became more specific to discuss themes and working hypotheses that emerged from the analysis of previous interviews. All interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed for the analysis. Constant the core category that was emerged from the comparative analysis is "magmaggam" which can be described as a psychological distress due to a high level of uncertainty regarding the health of the patient and the future of the caregivers. Psychological distress includes several emotional feelings such as frustration, anxiety, fear, guilty, and self depreciation. Subcategories or strategies related to the core category are 1) managing illness, 2) using folk medicine, 3) giving the patient a reason to live, 4) being patient, 5) losing reality, 6) anticipatory experience on the patient's death and parting, and 7) changing interpersonal relationships. The results of this study would help clinical nurses to develop nursing intervention to help spouses of gastric cancer patients establish efficient coping strategies in dealing with the problems they face.

The purpose of this study was to describe how Korean nurses overcome the language barrier while working in the U.S. hospital settings. Twelve Korean nurses living in New York metropolitan area were asked open-ended, descriptive questions to collect the data. The interviews were done in Korean. All interviews were audiotaped under the permission of the participants and were transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using grounded theory analysis. The research process consisted of two phases. In the first phase 8 Korean nurses were interviewed and analyzed. In the second phase, further data were collected to verify categories and working hypotheses that were emerged from the first phase. The results of this study show that all Korean nurses experienced severe psychological stress such as confusion, anxiety, frustration, loss of self-confidence, embarrassment, guilt, depression, anger, and fear. Among the mode of communication such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing, they had the most difficulty in speaking. Speaking ability was especially important for them because of the emphasis of individualism and self-defense in the U.S. Among the verbal communication modes, non-face -to -face communications such as phone conversation and body language were the most difficult for them to overcome. It took at least 2 years for the participants to initially overcome the language barrier in U.S. hospitals. After 2-5 years they began to feel comfortable even in non-face-to-face communication. They could actively search for the better place to work after 5 years. They finally felt comfortable in English and in their job almost after 10 years. The factors that influenced the English improvement were 'the years of clinical experience in Korea,' 'the decade they came to the U.S.' 'coming to U.S. alone or with other Korean nurses,' 'racial homogeneity or heterogeneity of the working unit,' and 'the degree of social support.' The strategies Korean nurses used to overcome the language barrier included depending on the written communication, using 'nunchi,' working and studying hard, and establishing good interpersonal relationships with co-workers. They also employed assertive behavior of the U.S., such as using more explicit verbal language and employing smiles and eye contact with others during the conversation. The results of the study may help Korean nurses and nursing students who try to work in U.S. hospital settings by understanding problems other Korean nurses faced, factors that influenced their English improvement, and strategies they used. They may also help U.S. nurses and administrators in developing and implementing efficient programs for newly employed Korean nurses by understanding major problems and feelings the Korean nurses experienced and strategies they used to overcome the language barriers.

This study was designed to analyze the research methodology and the key concepts used in articles published in each nursing journal of seven branches of the Korean Academy of Nursing. The purpose of this study was for reflecting the trends of nursing research and suggesting the direction of future nursing research in Korea. One thousand three hundred seventy two articles published in seven nursing journals from the beginning year of 2000 were analyzed. The prevailing research designs for these journals were the non-experimental design ranging from 54.3% to 75.7%, the experimental design ranging from 6.2% to 30.4%, and qualitative research design ranging from 3.7% to 10.6%. Research subjects were 10.0% to 46.0% for clients with health problems, 2.1% to 42.4% for generally healthy persons, 1.4% to 43.9% for primary care-givers, 7.0% to 53.5% for nurses or nursing students, and 3.1% to 7.3% for health organizations or nursing organizations. The data collection method used most often self-report questionnaires using psychosocial measures. Interviewing methods and physiologic measures were used relatively few times. The domains of the key concepts that prevailed was personal domain and health domain. This study has the limitation of focusing on only the superficial structural analysis rather than in-depth content analysis of each article. However, this study is the first study for reflecting the trends of nursing research based on each journal of seven branches of the Korean Academy of Nursing.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of biofeedback exercise training on muscle activity and activities of daily livings (ADL) in hemiplegic patients. An experimental group consisting of 17 people, was given biofeedback exercise training for 30- 60 minutes per week for 5 weeks, while a control group consisting of 18 people, was given normal exercise with quasi-experimental design. RESULT: The results of the study show that biofeedback exercise is effective for improving muscle activity in hemiplegic patients, especially in the hemiplegic limbs. However, this study found no significant differences in ADL and IADL between the experimental and the control groups. It implies that ADL and IADL may not be improved for a short period of time, such as 5 weeks, for people with more than five years of hemiplegia. The study suggests that the effect of biofeedback exercise on ADL and IADL should be determined in hemiplegic patients in acute stage.

A phenomenological study was conducted to investigate the experiences of mothers pregnant via in vitro fertilization (IVF). Sample of nine mothers participated. Ten theme clusters emerged when the formulated meanings were organized into categories. During the infertility period, the participants were subject to self- depreciation, envy, anxiety, and depression. It changed their priorities in life from a job-oriented life to one where having a baby was the most important thing. After trying numerous alternative therapies, IVF became their last hope in having a baby. Since the success rate for IVF is low (only 20-30%), the participants for the treatment were overwhelmed with uncertainty, and it led to further anxiety, depression and despair. Success of pregnancy gave them extreme satisfaction, but they became very cautious in their day-to-day life because of their fear of abortion and early delivery. Some were even worried about the side effect of IVF during the pregnancy. Finally, the delivery of the baby gave them relief from the obligation of having a baby. Women did not have any difficulties in rearing a "test tube baby" except in the case of twins. Most women had no ethical difficulty in having a baby by IVF. However they did not wish this information to be revealed to other people. They again turned to IVF to have a son(s) when the resultory child(s) was a daughter(s). This is because of the strong preference for sons in Korean society.

The purpose of this research was to uncover the expertise of ICU nursing in Korea, and to describe nurses' practice based on the degree of skill acquisition. A total of 18 ICU nurses participated in the study. The data was collected through individual in-depth interviews and it was managed using the NUDIST 4.0 software program. The data was analyzed using interpretive phenomenology suggested by Benner. Four properties of expertise of ICU nursing were identified. These are 1) concern and love toward patients; 2) knowledge; 3) skill, and 4) abilities in interpersonal relationships. And the characterisitcs of four levels of skill acquisition, that is advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert, were described with exemplars. The results of this study might help nurse researchers clarify and elaborate on the concept of expertise in ICU nursing, and enable them to understand how the process of skill acquisition occurs in the ICU setting. They might also help nurse managers establish educational goals for ICU nursing for student or novice nurses.

The purpose of this study was to explore decision making phenomenon of living kidney donation experienced by kidney donors. Data were collected through semi-structured indepth interviews from 12 kidney donors. All interviewes were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Constant comparative analysis was used to analyze the data with NUDIST4.0 software program. The core category emerged was "wish to give (a kidney)". "Wish to give" in the deliberation process have effects on the execution of kidney donation. Based on the degree of "wish to give", three distinct patterns were identified: Voluntary, compromising, and passive. The voluntary decision making was the most frequent one, while the passive the least. The degree of "wish to give" was influenced by intimacy between the donor and the receipient, geographical locations, economical efficiency of kidney transplantation, and religion. Each pattern was explained by describing interfering and facilitating factors as well as other issues occured in the decision making process. The results of this study will help nurses make effective nursing intervention by understanding the characteristics of decision- making patterns and decision-making process to donate a living kidney.

The purpose of this study was to generated a grounded theory of how families with kidney donor or recipient copel with kidney transplantations. Interview data from twelve familes involved in didney transplants was analyzed using the grounded theory method. Data analysis revealed that "protecting the family" was the main theme that represented family member experiences. In order to maintain family function and to protect the family from breaking up, family members had to adjust the family structure from the traditional style of a husband-centered family, to one that was patient health-centered. the process of this adjustment was a very long and difficult one, taking several years from the recognition of the kidney disease to the kidney transplants. Family members, especially spouses, employed nine different strategies to deal with various problems and conflicts which occurred during the process : 1) paying attention to the patient's illness and complications ; 2) accepting the patients's illness as the family's illness as well ; 3) managing the patient's illness and complications that occurred ; 4) being thrifty ; 5) supporting the kidney donor ; 6) accepting and replacing the lost roles of the patient ; 7) keeping composure and encouraging the patient ; 8) sustaining the patient's independence ; 9) self-restraining sexual desires.

Since the introduction of Western concept of nursing to Korea in late 1880s, Korean nursing practice has evolved into Korean culture. The purpose of this study was to explore and identify similarities and differences in hospital nursing practice between Korea and the United States using the grounded theory method. The data were gathered from 15 Korean nurses working in U.S. hospitals using semi-structured, in-depth interview method. Major similarities in nursing practice between Korea and U.S. existed in the 7 domains the Benner indicated in 1984. The nursing administration system was also similar in both countries. On the other hand, differences existed in how nurses execute these domains of nursing practice. These are the roles of nurses, nurse aides and family members, and the interpersonal relationships, and problem presentation and problem-solving strategies. American family members rarely participated in the patient's bedside nursing care, while Korean family members actively participated. American nurse aide participated in direct patient care, while Korean nurse aides did not. Also Korean nurses were participated more in administering and managing the patient's diagnostic and treatment modalities, while American nurses focused on the needs and demands of the patient. In terms of interpersonal relationships, American patients were more self-centered and demanding than Korean. American nurses focused more on the right of individuals while Korean nurses were more oriented to harmony with the coworkers. With inferiors and superiors, American members were more egalitarian, while Koreans tended to be hierarchical. In ways of suggesting problems, American nurses tended to pick out the problems more frequently than Korean nurses did. As to ways to solve the problems, American nurses relied heavily on explicit verbal explanations, while Korean nurses relied more on bodily action and behaviors. The results of this comparative study contribute to nursing by adding knowledge on the theory of culture care by describing the similarities and differences in nursing practice between Korea and the United States.