Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate interpersonal competence and social support and their mediating effects on the relationship between caring efficacy and empathy in nursing students. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. Data collection was conducted from February 5 to February 12, 2019, from 254 students enrolled in the Department of Nursing in Jeollabuk-do and Chungcheongbuk-do. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. Results: As a result of verifying the mediating effects of social support and interpersonal competence on the relationship between the empathy ability and caring efficacy of nursing college students, it was found that social support and interpersonal competence partially mediated the relationship between the two variables (Z=1.68, p=.046).Conclusion: Through this study, a theoretical basis was provided that when applied to an educational program could improve nursing students' caring efficacy. Content that can improve not only empathy but also social support and interpersonal competence should be included.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of environmental enrichment (EE) on neurotrophin expression in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD was induced via intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Male mice ( N = 42) were randomly divided into 3 groups: control, MPTP + standard condition (SC), and MPTP + EE. The groups were raised separately for 28 days. On Day 21 they received 1 injection (20 mg/kg MPTP or saline for MPTP and control groups, respectively) every 2 hr for a total of 4 injections. Animals were sacrificed 7 days after the final injection and their brains were immediately removed. Neurotrophins and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression levels were measured. The BCL-2/Bax ratio significantly increased in the MPTP + EE compared to the MPTP + SC group. Nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA level was upregulated (but not significantly) in the MPTP + EE compared to the MPTP + SC group. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression significantly increased in the MPTP + EE compared to the MPTP + SC group. Finally, expressions of proNGF and p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75 ^NTR ) were significantly downregulated in the MPTP + EE compared to the MPTP + SC group. Results confirm that EE has neuroprotective effects on dopaminergic neurons via suppression of activation of the p75 ^NTR -mediated signaling pathway through the binding of proNGF and p75 ^NTR . Findings suggest that use of EE as a therapeutic intervention would promote healthy aging by facilitating recovery following brain injury and preventing neurodegenerative diseases.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to confirm the relationship between nursing students’ nursing professionalism and ethical decision-making confidence, and to clarify the mediating effect of moral sensitivity which has a mutual influence on nursing professionalism and ethical decision-making confidence.Methods: The data collection for this study was conducted from January 23 to February 1, 2021 with junior and senior nursing students enrolled in five nursing departments in two regions. The data collected in this study were analyzed using the IBM SPSS statistics version 23.0 program.Results: Through this study, it was found that nursing professionalism (β=.47) and moral sensitivity (β=.32) acted as important influencing factors on the ethical decision-making confidence of nursing students, with an explanatory power of 31.2%. In addition, it was confirmed that there was a partial mediating effect of moral sensitivity in the relationship between the nursing professionalism and ethical decision-making confidence of nursing students, and the mediating effect coefficient of moral sensitivity was .16.Conclusion: Based on the results of the study, it is suggested to prepare a plan to increase ethical decision-making confidence and moral sensitivity when planning interventions to improve nursing professionalism in nursing students.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of perception of nursing students' rights participating in clinical practice. Methods: This descriptive study carried out purposeful sampling. The participants were 17 nursing students, who had experience of participating in clinical practice for more than 12 weeks. Data were collected through focus group interviews. Twelve subjects were in their third year and five in their fourth year. All were practicing in secondary general and tertiary university hospitals. The data were analyzed using classical content analysis method. Results: The researchers extracted 23 codes representing the nursing students' rights of clinical practice, which were grouped into 4 categories and 11 subcategories. The 4 categories were 'deep disappointment as an alienated person in a clinical field', 'clinical practice experience that cannot be given up despite difficulties', 'need for a practice environment that takes care of nursing students', and 'hope for support, advocacy and respect'. Conclusion: Nursing students cannot claim rights at this time, but expressed the desire to build a support system so that these parts can be improved in the future. Therefore, nursing education institutions and clinical fields should maintain diverse efforts through reciprocal relationships.