This study was conducted to identify the attitude of ethical dilemmas in hospital nurses. Ethical dilemmas were categorized into four areas: human life area, clients area, nursing practice area, and nurses-co-worker area. 354 nurses working in clinical settings were selected in Seoul and Kangwon area. Data were gathered from 26, June to 10, July, 1994 by structured guestionnaires. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the data. The results obtained from data were as follows: 1) In human life area mean score was 3.03. This area showed remarkabale individual differences between utilitarian and deonto-logical position. 2) In clients area mean score was 3.94. It means that nurses tend to take a deonto-logical position. 3) In nursing practice area mean score was 3.41. It means that nurses tend to take a slightly deontological position. 4) In nurses-co-worker area mean score was 3. It means that nurses tend to take a deont-ological position. To conclude, clinents area, nursing practice area, and nurses-co-worker area taken deontological position. Most nurse's primary concern was the 'welfare of the patients' which is to fundamental ethical professional practice. But nurses experienced more ethical dilemmas in human life area than others. Therefore, nurses should be prepared to make independent decision that based on bio-ethics and professional ethics.
This study was conducted to assess the amount of nursing services for psychiatric inpatients and to estimate psychiatric nursing costs by using the RBRVS. Full details of medical services, including physician and nursing services, for psychiatric inpatients were surveyed and data of general characteristics of hospitals and patients were also collected. The cost of nursing activities was estimated by the multiple conversion factor which was drawn from the Korean RBRVS Development Project to the RBRVS score of each nursing activities, which was drawn from the results of Korean Nurses Association (KNA)'s projects about nursing RBRVS development and cost of nursing activities. The data about 89 inpatients from 3 general hospitals with psychiatric departments were analyzed. The total cost of nursing activities for each patient per admission day was from KRW 22,185 to KRW 27,954 by hospital, and KRW 25,220 in average. The percent of nursing cost to the total cost of medical services was from 36% to 48% by characteristics of patients and 41.4% in average. The cost of nursing activities estimated in this study was between the existing NHI fee schedule and the one suggested by KNA. It is considered as appropriate and acceptable level compared to the total amount of medical services. In the process of KNA's activities to get nursing fee in NHI fee schedule, results of additional studies to estimate the cost of nursing activities balanced with total cost of medical services in every departments should be found and utilized.
This study was done to compare clinical nurses’ knowledge and visual differentiation diagnostic ability for the pressure ulcer classification system (PUCS) and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD).
A convenience sample of 602 nurses took the pressure ulcer classification system and incontinence-associated dermatitis knowledge test (PUCS & IAD KT) and completed the visual differentiation tool (VDT), consisting of 21 photographs with clinical information.
The overall mean score for correct answers was 14.5 (± 3.2) in PUCS & IAD KT and 11.15 (± 4.9) in PUCS & IAD VDT. Incorrect responses were most common for statements related to stage III, IAD for PUCS & IAD KT, and suspected deep tissue injury (SDTI), un-stageable, and stage III for PUCS & IAD VDT. Significant correlations were found between PUCS & IAD KT and VDT (r= .48,
Results indicate that nurses have an overall understanding of PUCS & IAD, but low visual differentiation ability regarding stage III, SDTI, and unstageable ulcers. Continuing education is needed to further improve knowledge and visual differentiation ability for PUCS & IAD.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between characteristics of severe ALS patient-caregiver couples and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in family caregivers.
The participants in this study were 89 pairs of ALS patients using ventilators and a family caregiver. The characteristics of the ALS patients and caregivers, Korean-Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised, Zarit Burden Interview and SF-36 were measured in this study. The data were collected from August 2008 to April 2009. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and canonical correlation were used for data analysis.
The physical component summary and mental component summary of the HRQoL score for family caregivers were 147.49±31.63 and 129.09±35.83, respectively. HRQoL for caregivers was related to characteristics of the ALS patient-caregiver couples, such as patient's gender, caregiver's age, gender, marital status, daily time spent in caregiving and burden with one significant canonical variable. The significant variate showed that the lower the age, the time spent in caregiving and the burden of caregivers, the higher the HRQoL of caregivers.
The support systems for caregivers considering caregiver characteristics such as demographics and burden should be implemented to improve the HRQoL of caregivers.