PURPOSE This study developed and evaluated a systematic intervention among medical ICU nurses for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia (hereafter VAP). METHODS A VAP prevention program was proposed based on a literature review, revised to fit the target situation, and validated. It was composed of one-time interventions including education, pamphlets, hand cultures, and a quiz event, as well as repeated interventions such as posters, reminders, posting hand culture results, and performance feedback. A simulated control group pretest-posttest design was used to verify the effectiveness of the VAP control program. The incidence of VAP among ICU patients was measured both during 3 months before (n = 80) and during 3 months after (n = 75) intervention. RESULTS The VAP prevention program's effectiveness, with a pre-intervention VAP rate of 17.38 and post-intervention rate of 11.04 per 1,000 ventilator days, showed a clinical tendency to decrease, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = .750). CONCLUSION A VAP prevention program of multiple interventions can be useful in decreasing the VAP rate. Given that the monthly decrease in the VAP rate was not considered statistically significant, long-term research needs to be done. Additionally, since this study targeted only nurses, it is suggested that future research targets other health care workers who can influence VAP rates.
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of a simulated disability program on attitude and stereotyping by nursing students toward people with disabilities. METHODS A total of 107 undergraduate nursing students attended and completed pre-and post-questionnaires on attitude and stereotyping. The experimental group participated in a simulation exercise program which was composed of wheel-chair mobility and vision modification in Nam-won Rehabilitation Center. The data were analyzed by the SPSS 12.0 program including frequency, percentage, chi-square test and t-test. RESULTS There was no significant difference in attitude toward people with disabilities between the two groups (t=-.743, p=.459). But there was a significant difference in stereotyping between the experimental and the control group(t=-4.097, p=.000). CONCLUSION As the result of this study, we can conclude that the program was effective to improve stereotyping toward people with disabilities.