PURPOSE
Regarding the respiratory function of patients with an artificial airway, this study compared the effects between normal saline with chest vibration and normal saline with expectorant mixture, administered before endotracheal suction.
METHODS
The study was conducted in the ICUs of one university hospital located in Incheon. The experimental group I received normal saline with chest vibration administered before endotracheal suction while the experimental group II received normal saline with expectorant mixture administered before endotracheal suction. For respiratory function, PaO2, PaCO2, and O2 saturation were measured by ABGA at 3 minutes after endotracheal suction for both pre-test and post-test.
RESULTS
The two groups were not different significantly regarding PaO2 level and O2 saturation after the treatments, while, the experimental group II had lower PaCO2 level than the experimental group I after the treatments (t = 2.075, p = .042). For experimental group II, post-test score of PaCO2 level was significantly lower than that of the pre-test score (t = 1.842, p = .075).
CONCLUSION
The administration of normal saline with expectorant mixture before endotracheal suction reduced PaCO2 level and improved the respiratory function.

PURPOSE
This cross-sectional survey research was undertaken to identify the factors influencing time from onset to hospital arrival of stroke patients and to provide basic information for the development of intervention programs for stroke patients.
METHODS
The data were collected using a convenient sampling method from three hospitals in Inchon. The subjects were 78 patients who were diagnosed as stroke by doctor and they voluntarily participated in the study.
RESULTS
On the average, subjects arrived at the hospitals by 16.72 hours after the onset of stroke events with the range from 0.17 hours to 72 hours. Thirty-four(43.6%) subjects arrived within 3 hours which can maximize treatment effects. There was significant difference in hospital presentation time according to the level of knowledge(chi-square=18.629, p=.0003). A negative correlation was found between the hospital presentation time and self-efficacy (r= -.320, p=.004). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor was self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, the level of knowledge and physical symptoms were significant factors and accounted for 21.7% of the variance of hospital presentation time in stroke patients.
CONCLUSION
According to the results, self-efficacy is a useful concept for reducing the hospital presentation time from onset of attack in stroke patients. Therefore, nurses should consider educational programs which include not only a knowledge of stroke and recurrence prevention but also the concept of self-efficacy.