PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to understand clinical nurses' level of information retrieval skill and its influence on evidence based practice (EBP).
METHODS
A cross-sectional design was used. Data were collected from a convenient sample of 492 nurses working at 5 university hospitals in Korea. The Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and hierarchical multiple linear regression.
RESULTS
The mean score for information retrieval skill and EBP competency were respectively 2.81+/-0.64 and 3.98+/-0.86. Two step hierarchical regression analysis showed that attendance at academic conference (p=.036) and information retrieval skill (p<.001) were significant factors of EBP competency, information retrieval skill explained about 19% of total variance of EBP competency.
CONCLUSION
Nurse need to increased fundamental information retrieval skill for EBP competency. Therefore, it is important to increase nurses' information retrieval skills by tailoring continuing EBP education modules. It would be also advisable to develop centralized systems for the internal dissemination of research findings for the use of nursing staff.

PURPOSE
The objective of this study was to evaluate adherence to self-care and identify associated factors in outpatients with Heart Failure (HF).
METHODS
Using a cross-sectional design, a convenience sample of 249 outpatient clinic patients were recruited at S university hospital. Between October 2009 and December 2009, data were collected through questionnaires and medical record review.
RESULTS
The total mean score of adherence to self-care was 18.07+/-3.56 out of a possible 45 points. Among self-care dimensions, adherence to medication and low salt diet was high, while lower adherence was reported in contact with health professionals if symptoms such as weight gain, edema and fatigue were presented. Multivariate analysis adjusted for other socio-demographic and clinical factors showed that disease knowledge related to heart failure (p<.001) and left ventricular ejection fraction (p=.027) were independent predictors of adherence to self-care. These factors explained 23% of total variance in the adherence to self-care.
CONCLUSION
Heart failure patients with higher disease knowledge and those who have good systolic function may be more likely to engage in adherence to self-care than those with lack of disease knowledge and low contractility. Further research is needed to confirm these results and identify other predictors of adherence to self-care.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the research trends and instruments for assessment of sleep quality in Korea.
METHODS
66 quantitative research reports published from 2000 to March 2009 in Korea were selected from 5 databases: RISS4U, KISS, KISTI, DBpia, and the National Assembly Library and were analyzed according to criteria such as publication years, type of journal, participants, study fields, research design, participants, key words and instruments for assessment.
RESULTS
Research in sleep quality has been rapidly increasing in recent years. More than half of the research analyzed was conducted in nursing. The majority of research methods were survey and correlational research. Patients with chronic illness and the elderly were the major subjects in those researches. Most research was performed based on hospitals and communities. The types of variables tested for their relation and influence on sleep quality were quite limited. With respect to the instrument used for assessing sleep quality, most studies did not consider whether or not the validity of their instrument had been established.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended to conduct clinically applicable interventional research with an experimental design and to develop a reliability and validity established sleep quality instrument for Koreans.

PURPOSE
The purpose of the present study was to explore the meaning of quality of life in patients with chronic cardiovascular disease.
METHODS
A grounded theory method guided data collection and analysis. A total of 16 adult outpatients with chronic cardiovascular disease was participated. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews. All interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Coding was used to establish different concepts and categories. A theoretical sampling technique was used to obtain diverse data from many relevant categories.
RESULTS
Seven categories were extracted, and they divided into constructing and intervening factors of quality of life. Constructing factors were uncertainty, recovery in the sense of control and maintaining social life. Intervening factors were symptom experiences, social support, taking care of themselves, and reflecting life. 'Keeping restrictive conditions under control' was emerged as a core category. The meaning of quality of life in patients with cardiovascular was explained according to the levels of keeping restrictive conditions under control.
CONCLUSION
The result of this study may contribute for health professionals to understand the quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to analyze the trend of research on the use of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation.
METHOD
Using Medline and CINAHL search engine, experiemental research, titled as 'home-based pulmonary rehabilitation' and 'chronic lung disease', statistics were collected. The total 29 experimental studies published between 1981 to 2000 were selected and analyzed according to the ATS guidelines.
RESULT
1) The study samples in research were mostly of men, whose lung function was moderate to severe. 2) The total period of the intervention program varied from 5 to 12 week. The program included excercise intervention and educational intervention. Psychosocial intervention was minimal. 3) The outcome of the home-based pulmonary rehabilitation had been measured mostly by physical aspects. Quality of life and cost were less frequently measured. 4) In terms of effectiveness of the home based pulmonary rehabilitation program, physiologic outcome, such as lung function and hematologic markers, there was more 'no effect' than 'positive effect', whereas there was more 'positive effect' in decreasing dyspnea, improving excercise capacity, and improving quality of life.
CONCLUSION
Based on these findings, future research on home-based pulmonary rehabilitation should be emphasized and provide standardized protocol, including psychosocial intervention, and analyses on cost and quality of life.