PURPOSE
This study examined the effects of a program designed to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) on VAP rate and endotracheal colonization. The program focused on aspiration prevention and oral care.
METHODS
A nonequivalent control group post-test only design was utilized. One hundred patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit (MICU) or coronary care unit (CCU) were assigned to either a experimental group (n=50) or a control group (n=50). The participants were selected 48 hours following an endotracheal intubation. VAP prevention program given to the experimental group includes keeping the head of the bed to 30°~45° high, maintaining continuous endotracheal cuff pressure at 25 cm H₂O, performing endotracheal suction before change position, and providing oral care with 0.1% chlorhexidine every four hours. The control group received usual care. Data were analyzed using t-test, x² test, Mantel-Haenszel x² and Cox proportional harzard regression model.
RESULTS
The experimental group showed a lower VAP rate than the control group although the difference was not statistically significant (x²=0.79, p=.375). The experimental group showed lower colonization in tracheal secretion than the control group (x²=14.59, p<.001).
CONCLUSION
Results showed that a VAP prevention program is effective in reducing colonization of tracheal secretion. Therefore, VAP prevention programs are recommended as an ICU nursing intervention.

Citations

• Effects of Oral Care Using Chlorhexidine Gluconate on Ventilator-associated Pneumonia and Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
  Nam Young Kim, Seang Ryu, Yun-Hee Kim
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2019; 31(2): 109.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
This study was to examine the effects of sleep promoting program on sleep and the immune response in the elderly with insomnia.
METHODS
The study was designed as a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group pre-post test design. Thirty two elders who suffered from insomnia (16 experimental and 16 control subjects) were selected among the elders who had been enrolled in two churches. The subjects in the experimental group participated in a sleep promoting program which was composed of sleep hygiene education and progressive muscle relaxation for 4 weeks. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN.
RESULTS
The experimental group showed higher sleep score than that of the control group (t = 7.86, p = .00). The experimental group showed higher sleep satisfaction score than that of the control group (t = 7.61, p = .00). The sleep promoting program was not effective in enhancing immune response.
CONCLUSION
The sleep promoting program increased the sleep score, sleep-satisfaction score and B cell in immune response of elderly people suffering from insomnia. Therefore, sleep promoting program can be applied as an effective nursing intervention to promote sleep quality and sleep satisfaction.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to collect basic data in the quality of life related to health in migrant workers.
METHODS
Data from 133 migrant workers was collected from August to December 2007 using a questionnaire from two free clinics located in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. The data was scored by mean and standard deviation. Differences were evaluated according to the subjects' general characteristics by the t-test and the ANOVA test. The relationships in the quality of life related to health between the 9 sub-scales were evaluated by the Pearson's correlation coefficient.
RESULTS
1) Total average score of migrant workers' quality of life related to overall health is 61.09 +/- 13.68. The score of the quality of life related to physical health is 64.39 +/- 15.21 and the quality of life related to mental health is 57.80 +/- 16.18. 2) With respect to the general characteristics of subjects, the quality of life related to health was significantly different in age(F=3.852, p=.013), especially in physical health(F=6.868, p=.000). 3) The relationship between physical health and mental health was significant(r=.663, p=.000).
CONCLUSION
Program development to improve quality of life related to health for migrant workers is needed.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the influencing factor to self actualization in middle-aged women.
METHOD
The subjects for this study were 191 middle-aged women selected by convenience sampling in three cities. Data collection was done using a questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient and Stepwise Multiple Regression.
RESULT
The results of this study were as follows: 1. The relationship between self-efficacy, social support, self esteem, motivation for achievement, parental satisfaction with children and self-actualization were found to have statistically significant positive correlations. But the relationship between depression and self-actualization were found to have statistically significant negative correlation. 2. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor was social support. Social support, motivation for achievement and self esteem accounted for 38.1% of the variance in self-actualization in middle aged women.
CONCLUSION
According to these results, it is recommended that in order to enhance self-actualization in middle-aged women, empowerment of social support, motivation for achievement and self esteem should be pursued.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the lived experience of the family caregivers with the demented elderly. For investigate purposes of this study, data collection was done from May 9th to October 16th 1997, by means of in-depth interviews with 6 individuals in caregiving families. The research question was "What are the lived experiences of being a family caregiver with the demented elderly? "All interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed for the analysis using Colaizzi's method. The main results of this study were as follows : 1) Family caregivers ascribed the cause of the dementia to 'environmental change' and the 'introverted personality of the elderly'. 2) Family caregivers let the demented elderly alone initially and then they restrained the elderly who was in a fit of dementia. 3) The coping response of family caregivers varied. The coping reponses were (1) having their moods go up and down, (2) enduring and praying, (3) avoiding the elderly, (4) hoping for release from responsibility, (5) enduring their conditions(obligations), (6) accepting the elderly, (7) taking an objective view, and (8) taking safety measures. 4) The long ordeal of coping with a demented elderly person resulted in the (1) loss of physical and psychological well-being, (2) ethical conflicts, (3) family conflicts, (4) become desperate, (5) rejection of the aging process, (6) sympathy and understanding for the elderly, (7) awareness that the support system is important and (8) hope of sharing their responsibility. The results of this study may help nurses to understand the lived experiences of the family caregivers with the demented elderly better, in order to provide more basic data for the development of educational programs for dementia family caregivers. It may help to make the coping process easier and more successful for the family members of the demented elderly.

In chronic illness patients, promotion and self-care are important strategies for maintaining and improving health. Self-care behavior of hypertensive patient are affected by various variables. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between three cognitive-perceptual resources-self efficacy, hardiness and perceived barriers and self-care in hypertensive patients. The subjects for the study were 102 patients who admitted to K medical center or visited to out-patient ward. The instruments used for this study included a survey of general characteristic. self-care, self efficacy, health related hardiness and perceived barriers. Analysis of data was done by use of mean, t-test, ANOVA, Person correlation coefficient and multiple regression The results of this study are summarized as follows: 1)The average score for the self-care was 56.18, for the hardiness was 120.90, for the self efficacy was 59.46 and for the perceived barriers was 34.60. 2)The relationships between the variables of self-care and cognitive-perceptual resource-self efficacy, hardiness, perceived barriers were significant. Self-care was significantly related to hardiness(r=.47, p<.001), suggesting that the person with high hardiness got higher self care scores. Self-care was significantly related to perceived barriers(r=-.41, p<.001), suggesting that the person with high perceived barriers got higher self care scores. A slight but significant correlation was also found between self-care and self efficacy(r=.26, p<.01). 3)In the relationships between general characteristics variables and self-care there were significant differences in gender(t=2.46, p<.05), job(t=3.72, p<.05), duration of illness(t=4.92, p<.05). 4)Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between self-care and independent variables(self-efficacy, hardiness, perceived barriers) and selected general characteristics variables-job, duration of illness. These variables accounted for 36% of the variance in self-care score(F=13.34, p<.000). The hardiness was the most predictive factor(R2=19%) followed by job and perceived barriers. The finding of this study have implications for education of hypertensive patients and health care providers. For chronically ill patients adhere to self-care, we should focus on determining their personal resources such as hardiness and perceived barriers.