PURPOSE
To describe the lived experience of nursing students when faced with clinical judgment in a nursing practicum at the hospital.
METHODS
A descriptive research design was utilized. Participants were 79 students in the clinical practicum. Participant consent was obtained for ethical protection. Data were collected from August to December 2007 using a semi-structured questionnaire. Content analysis was utilized for data analysis.
RESULTS
Two categories and 5 themes were extracted from the data for 'difficult' and 'easy' clinical judgments. For the student category, the two themes were 'knowledge' and 'skill', while the three themes for the clinical education environment category were, 'judgment of clinical symptoms and signs', 'differences between theory and practice' and 'human relationships'. For coping, 2 categories and 5 themes were extracted for the difficult clinical judgment situation, while one category and one theme were found for the easy clinical judgment situation.
CONCLUSION
To develop students' clinical judgment, there is need to develop the method of clinical skills using simulation in clinical teaching. For future research, a study on factors affecting clinical judgment of nursing students in hospitals is needed.

PURPOSE
To describe the status of the laboratory facilities, equipment and expenses for practice in a four-year nursing schools and to analyze mandatory requirements for laboratory facilities and equipment.
METHOD
A descriptive survey research design was used. The participants were 49 of the 4-year nursing schools across the nation. The data were collected by e-mail. The return rate for questionnaires was 63.3% (n=31).
RESULT
In 2001 the total expenses for laboratory practice were 21,865,230 won and the average per student was 102,418 won. Types of laboratories included single and complex. The mean size for laboratories was 318.7 m2 and mean size for laboratories for fundamental nursing was 161.1 m2. The range for number of students in a laboratory class was 20-30 for eight universities (30.8%). Among required laboratory equipment, items that were deficient in 50% in the universities were mercury and aneroid sphygmomanometers for children, electronic sphygmomanometers, Bell type fetal stetho- scopes, sheepskin, beds for children, for gynecology, and electronic hilo beds. Among the elective equipment, items that were deficient in 50% of the universities were O2 tents, Blackmore tubes, retractors, hot-water supply, and incentive spirometers. The number of items that needed to add to the equipment were 10 for required equipment and 22 for elective equipment.
CONCLUSION
A standardized mandatory list of equipment for laboratory facilities and expenses for practice in 4-year nursing schools needs to be developed.