Jun WH, et al. J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2015 Jun;24(2):136-144. http://dx.doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2015.24.2.136

When the treatment process of cancer patients changes to outpatient treatment, the burden on family members increases and they often experience burnout. Burnout not only effects the family members themselves but may also have a negative effect on the health of the cancer patient. Therefore, healthcare providers should evaluate burnout in the family members of cancer patients and actively make efforts towards their burnout management. This study investigated the mediating effect of depression on the relationship between social support, spirituality, and burnout in family members of patients with cancer. Participants were 151 family members of patients with cancer who were receiving chemotherapy as outpatients at a single university hospital in Korea. Data was collected from 2 March to 31 May 2016, using self-reported questionnaires. Collected data was analyzed with t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson’s correlations, Baron and Kenny’s three-step regression method, and the Sobel test. The participants’ mean burnout was below the median. The participants’ depression partially mediated the relationship of both social support and spirituality on burnout. Strategies to assess depression and strengthen social support and spirituality should be developed to manage burnout in family members’.

This study developed and evaluated a tabletop program for training nurses working in small- to medium-sized hospitals in areas with poor healthcare access for emerging a tabletop program for training emerging infectious disease responses in nurses working at small- to medium-sized hospitals in areas with poor healthcare access and evaluated infectious disease responses. A tabletop program for training responses to emerging infectious diseases was provided to 29 nurses at a general hospital with <300 beds in a region without a tertiary general hospital or healthcare institution with nationally designated inpatient wards for patients with infectious diseases. The 180 min program consisted of an online theoretical lecture (Phase 1), one-on-one drills (Phase 2), and a scenario-based tabletop exercise (Phase 3). To evaluate the program’s effect, pre- and post-knowledge, awareness, and competencies related to responses to emerging infectious diseases were assessed. The mean knowledge score significantly improved from 11.41 ± 2.33 before the training to 16.69 ± 2.48 after the training (z = −4.529, p < 0.001). The mean awareness score significantly improved from 80.83 ± 11.94 before the training to 85.45 ± 7.08 after the training (z = −2.335, p = 0.020). The mean competence score significantly increased from 67.31 ± 14.75 before the training to 79.38 ± 10.39 after the training (t = −6.187, p < 0.001). The tabletop exercise program effectively enhanced the nurses’ competencies in responding to emerging infectious diseases. The training program developed in this study may be utilized in addition to a simplified theoretical lecture to train nurses to improve their competency in responding to emerging infectious diseases.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify changes in sub-areas of empathy over the 4 years from admission to graduation of nursing college students.Methods: This descriptive survey study was conducted using a longitudinal cohort design. The participants in this study were 158 South Korean nursing students attending a university in Chungcheongbuk Province or Gyeonggi Province, all of whom passed the certification evaluation for the 4-year nursing educational institute. Data from 126 participants were analyzed. The level of empathy was measured five times from March 2012 to December 2015. Empathy was identified using a multi-dimensional measurement tool consisting of four sub-constructs of cognitive and emotional aspects: (1) perspective taking, (2) fantasy, (3) empathic concern, and (4) personal distress. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 to provide descriptive statistics of the participants’ general characteristics and empathy level and to perform repeated-measures analysis of variance for the sub-constructs empathy.Results: Perspective taking (F=13.08, p<.001) and personal distress (F=5.24, p=.001), but not fantasy or empathic concern, showed significant differences over time.Conclusion: Cognitive empathy (perspective taking) and emotional empathy (personal distress) improved. Intervention programs should be developed to maintain and strengthen changes in empathy in nursing education.

Lee K, et al. J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2018 Dec;27(4):370-379. https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2018.27.4.370

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the mediating effects of social networks on the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation among older adults residing in the community. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 161 older adults aged 65 years and above living in Region C. Data were collected between November 2020 and February 2021. The analysis involved the use of descriptive statistics, calculation of Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and conducting multiple regression analyses following the Baron and Kenny criterion. Results: The study reported average scores of 7.56±3.85 for depression, 18.94±7.49 for social network, and 3.72±4.05 for suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation was positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with social networks. Social networks were found to partially mediate the connection between depression and suicidal ideation among the aged. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of nursing interventions to reduce depression and enhance social networks, aiming to prevent social isolation among community-dwelling older adults with suicidal ideation.