Purpose
This study describes the attitudes toward Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), physical discomfort with wearing PPE, obsession with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and perceived psychosocial stress among operating room nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies factors affecting perceived psychosocial stress.
Methods
This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional design to evaluate physical discomfort experienced when wearing PPE, attitudes toward PPE, and obsession with COVID-19. We collected the data between December 2020 and January 2021. The participants were 127 nurses who worked in operating rooms at three hospitals in South Korea. Perceived psychosocial stress was assessed using the Psychosocial Well-being Index Short Form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression.
Results
Having a bachelor's degree (β=.28, p=.031), attitude toward PPE (β=-.22, p=.011), experiencing shortness of breath while wearing PPE (β=.26, p=.008), and obsession with COVID-19 (β=.23, p=.006) were identified as factors affecting the psychosocial stress of nurses who wore PPE and participated in surgery.
Conclusion
Nurses who had a negative attitude toward PPE, experienced shortness of breath while wearing it, and had a high level of obsession with COVID-19 had higher psychosocial stress. To reduce the psychosocial stress of nurses who wear PPE and participate in surgery, we suggest research on education that can reduce repetitive thinking about infectious diseases, such as obsession with COVID-19. Additionally, support is needed to improve positive attitudes toward PPE and alleviate physical discomfort.

Purpose
Pressure ulcers (PUs) are a common problem affecting the quality of life of patients and also hindering the quality of medical services. The purpose of this scoping review was to analyze Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) focusing on devices used for the prevention and treatment of PUs.
Methods
The scoping review was conducted using the scoping review process outlined by Arskey and O’ Malley and using the JBI template. The review was described by PRISMA-ScR. Studies on relevant interventional devices for PUs were searched using electronic databases. The medical databases PubMed, CINHAL, CENTRAL, and EMBASE, and several Korean databases were searched between 2010 and July 2021.
Results
Thirteen RCTs were included in the analysis. The devices used were found to be effective in the prevention and treatment of PUs by the mechanisms of either pressure relief, moisture retention, or increased blood flow. The effectiveness of the devices was measured by the incidence of PUs and the improvement in patients’ quality of life and comfort after therapy.
Conclusion
The use of devices for the prevention and treatment of PUs is helpful in clinical settings. However, more studies are needed that address the use of these devices in larger populations to improve the quality of patients’ life and medical service.

Citations

• Pressure Ulcer Management Virtual Reality Simulation (PU-VRSim) for Novice Nurses: Mixed Methods Study
  Soo Youn Jung, Kyoung Ja Moon
  JMIR Serious Games.2024; 12: e53165.     CrossRef
• Development of Pressure Ulcer Management and Fall Prevention Protocol
  Youngshin Song, Keumok Ban, Hye Young Kim, Sun Ae Kim, Seyeon Park, Myoungjin Kwon
  Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing.2023; 30(3): 391.     CrossRef
• The Novel Digital Therapeutics Sensor and Algorithm for Pressure Ulcer Care Based on Tissue Impedance
  Tae-Mi Jung, Dae-Jin Jang, Jong-Ha Lee
  Sensors.2023; 23(7): 3620.     CrossRef

Purpose
This study aimed to identify the incidence, characteristics, and risk factors associated with Medical Device-Related Pressure Injuries (MDRPIs) in neurosurgery patients. Methods: Participants were 160 adult patients who underwent neurosurgery under general anesthesia from September 17, 2019 to August 11, 2020. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 program. Descriptive statistics were used for general characteristics, clinical characteristics, surgical characteristics, MDRPIs incidence, and medical device related. Independent t-test and x² test were used for differences in general characteristics, clinical characteristics, and surgical characteristics according to the occurrence of MDRPIs.
Results
Among 160 participants, MDRPIs occurred in 72 patients (45.0%). The result of the logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors associated with MDRPIs were operation time (Odds Ratio [OR]=1.03, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=1.01~1.04, p=.003), intraoperative blood loss (OR=1.02, 95% CI=1.01~1.03, p=.043).
Conclusion
Of the 160 patients who underwent neurosurgery, 72 (45%) developed MDRPIs. Additionally, the longer the operation time and anesthesia time and the higher the amount of blood loss, the higher the incidence of MDRPIs. Therefore, strategies to increase risk assessment and preventive actions against MDRPIs should be established.

Citations

• Nurses' knowledge, attitude and practice in preventing medical device-related pressure injuries and its influencing factors: A cross-sectional study
  Pingping Fang, Wanfan Deng, Xi Zhu, Ying Cao
  Journal of Tissue Viability.2024; 33(4): 738.     CrossRef

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.