The purpose of this study was to investigate mental health problems among international students in South Korean universities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to identify the factors that affect their mental health. A total of 488 international students living in South Korea participated in a web-based survey. The questionnaire was created using the Google Forms platform, and a link to the questionnaire was shared through social media. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the data. The prevalence rates of sleep problems, anxiety, and depression among international students were 47.1%, 39.6%, and 49%, respectively. The prevalence of mental health problems was higher among participants who were male, living with someone, residents of a rural area, and earning a higher income. The following variables were found to contribute to the prevalence of mental health problems: undergraduate student status, good understanding of the Korean language, longer hours of media usage, and experiences related to COVID-19 infection. A collaborative effort between the government and universities to manage the mental health of international students could promote the mental health of these students.

Na BJ, et al. J Korean Acad Nurs Adm. 2016 Jun;22(3):260-269. http://dx.doi.org/10.11111/jkana.2016.22.3.260

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the necessity of standard precautions to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Nursing students, due to limited experience and close patient contact, are at high risk of exposure. This study examined the effects of nursing professionalism, knowledge of standard precautions, and moral courage on nursing students’ performance of standard precautions in South Korea. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 204 nursing students from 10 universities in Gwangju, South Korea. Validated instruments measured professionalism, knowledge, moral courage, and performance. Data were analyzed using t-tests, ANOVA, correlations, and regression. Results: Standard precautions performance averaged 4.62/5. It was positively correlated with professionalism (r = 0.306), knowledge (r = 0.190), and moral courage (r = 0.399). Regression identified moral courage (β = 0.38, p < 0.001) and academic performance (β = 0.18, p = 0.007) as significant predictors, explaining 18.1% of variance. Conclusions: Moral courage and academic performance significantly influence nursing students’ adherence to standard precautions. Strengthening ethical competence and professional identity in education may enhance safe clinical practice.

Gratitude journaling is a simple and effective way to improve emotional well-being. However, its impact on people with breast cancer in South Korea has not been clearly understood. This study explored how writing a gratitude journal can help patients with breast cancer feel more grateful, resilient, and satisfied with life. Sixty patients from a university hospital in Jeollanam-do were randomly assigned to either a gratitude journaling group or a control group. The journaling group received guidance and wrote at least ten journal entries over three weeks, with weekly phone check-ins. The control group received no intervention. Before and after the program, the participants completed surveys. The results showed that those who kept gratitude journals had higher levels of gratitude, resilience, and quality of life than those who did not. These findings suggest that gratitude journaling can be a valuable and easy-to-use nursing strategy to support the emotional health of breast cancer patients.

Pediatric end-of-life (EOL) care imposes a significant emotional burden on nurses, often leading to elevated stress. Psychological factors, such as perception, attitude, and self-efficacy, are known to play critical roles in stress responses during EOL care in clinical settings. This study examined the effect of South Korean pediatric nurses’ perceptions, attitudes, and self-efficacy regarding EOL care on their stress levels. A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 150 pediatric nurses working at two university hospitals in South Korea. Structured, self-administered questionnaires were used to assess their perceptions of EOL care (supportive and obstacle factors), attitudes, and self-efficacy. Data were analyzed using t-tests, ANOVA, Scheffé’s post hoc test, and Pearson’s correlation analysis. The mean pediatric EOL care stress score was 3.60 out of 5, indicating a moderate to high level of stress. Significant differences in stress were observed based on whether participants had experienced the death of a patient in their care within the previous year and whether they had received education related to EOL care. Specifically, nurses without such experiences reported significantly higher levels of stress. Correlation analysis further revealed that pediatric EOL care stress was positively associated with supportive care perception factors and obstacle perception factors, while showing a significant negative correlation with self-efficacy. No significant relationship was found between attitudes toward EOL care and stress. This study identified the major psychological and experiential factors influencing pediatric nurses’ stress related to pediatric EOL care within two tertiary hospitals in South Korea. These findings highlight the need for structured educational interventions and institutional support systems to strengthen nurses’ coping abilities and enhance the overall quality of pediatric EOL care. In particular, integrating structured EOL training into undergraduate nursing curricula and continuing professional development programs may help reduce stress, improve self-efficacy, and ultimately ensure higher-quality pediatric EOL care.

Background: Nursing students are exposed to diverse occupational risks during clinical practicum, which may threaten both their safety and patient safety. Despite the increasing emphasis on safety education following the Patient Safety Act in South Korea, few studies have examined their performance and perceived importance of safe nursing behaviors. This study addresses this gap to provide evidence for improving nursing safety education. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 160 nursing students from two universities in South Korea who had completed their clinical practicums. Data were collected using a self-administered 29-item questionnaire developed through a literature review and expert validation. It comprises four domains: infection prevention, musculoskeletal injury prevention, chemical hazard prevention, and psychological injury prevention. Data analysis was performed using SPSS/WIN 28.0, including descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-tests, independent t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. Priority analysis was conducted using Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), the Borich Needs Assessment model, and the Locus for Focus model. Results: Importance scores were significantly higher than performance scores across most items, except for “Dispose used ampoules/needles without recapping” and “Dispose sharps into puncture-resistant containers.” IPA identified 14 items in the “Keep up the good work” quadrant and four items in the “Concentrate here” quadrant. The Borich Needs Assessment model ranked “Know the location of spill kits,” “Use devices to reduce musculoskeletal load” and “Use of goggles when biological exposure is possible” as having the highest priorities. The Locus for Focus model classified five items, including personal protective equipment (PPE) use during biological exposure, maintain posture during ergonomic risks, chemical education, and respect for personal dignity, as the top priority (HH quadrant) for educational intervention. Conclusions: The assessment tool effectively evaluated nursing students’ safe nursing behaviors during clinical practicums. Four domain-specific priorities were identified: personal protective equipment (PPE) use in infection prevention, ergonomic safety practices, chemical safety knowledge, and psychological safety measures. These findings provide evidence-based guidance for designing targeted and practical nursing safety education programs to improve nursing students’ preparedness, safety, and patient safety.