PURPOSE
The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between nurses' knowledge and performance for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections (ICRI) according to the strength of recommendations in evidence based guidelines (EBG).
METHODS
The total participants were 144 nurses working for medical.surgical unit and intensive care unit. Data were collected from July 12 to July 30, 2010 and analyzed by one way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation analysis.
RESULTS
The knowledge and performance mean scores were 0.80+/-0.17 and 3.04+/-0.31 for peripheral venous catheter (PVC) management, and 0.83+/-0.17 and 3.00+/-0.30 for central venous catheter (CVC) management respectively. The items of category IA had the highest knowledge score (F=44.70, p<.001) and the items of category II had the highest performance score (F=47.09, p<.001) in PVC management, while the items of category IA had the highest knowledge (F=20.04, p<.001) and performance scores (F=18.20, p<.001) in CVC management. Knowledge and performance scores were significantly correlated in CVC management (r=.24, p=.004), but not in PVC management (r=.03, p=.753).
CONCLUSION
EBG for the prevention of ICRI was not fully implemented in clinical settings. These findings emphasize that clinical professions need to develope strategies to enhance nursing practices with evidence based guideline.

PURPOSE
In this study, symptom experience and quality of life(QoL) in patients with Bronchial asthma(BA) and Bronchiectasis(BRC) were examined to develop nursing strategies.
METHOD
Data collection was done with 61 outpatients with BA and 43 outpatients with BRC in January and February, 2001. Data analyses were performed using SPSS Win 8.0.
RESULT
The mean scores of symptom experience were 11.3 and 10.8 in patients with BA and BRC, respectively. The mean score of QoL was 18.0 in patients with BA and 19.2 in patients with BRC. There were statistically significant differences in the score of the symptom experience according to sex and occupation in patients with BA, and to the religion and occupation in patients with BRC. The mean score of QoL had significant difference according to the income in patients with BA, but had no significant differences in patients with BRC. The score of QoL had significantly correlated with the degree of symptom experience in patients with BA(p=.000) and with BRC(p=.022).
CONCLUSION
The degree of symptom experience negatively correlated with QoL. Therefore, symptoms experienced by patients should be considered in development of nursing strategies for patients with BA and BRC.