Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing最新文献

Purpose: This study identified the attributes and indicators of end-of-life care competency in long-term-care hospital nurses and clarified the definition of the concept.

Methods: The Competency Outcomes Performance Assessment model was used as a conceptual framework, and conceptual analysis was performed using the hybrid model presented by Schwartz-Barcott and Kim. In the theoretical phase, the attributes of end-of-life care competencies were explored through a literature review. In the fieldwork phase, focus group interview data were analyzed to derive the attributes of nursing competency at the end of life. In the final analysis phase, the attributes and indicators of end-of-life care competency were compared, analyzed, and integrated.

Results: The attributes of end-of-life care competency among nurses in long-term care hospitals included comprehensive symptom management, effective communication, situational response, patient-centered care, information provision and education, resource management, demonstrating leadership, and professional development.

Conclusion: End-of-life care competency in long-term-care hospital nurses can be defined as a comprehensive set of competencies that includes symptom management, situational adaptation, effective communication, resource utilization, leadership, patient-centered care, meeting the needs of patients' families through adequate information provision and education, and enhancing individual nursing capabilities through professional development. These results can serve as a foundation for developing tools to measure end-of-life care competencies among nurses in long-term care hospitals.

Purpose: Globally, the issue of palliative and end-of-life care (PEOLC) in nursing homes is a common concern, and the need to measure the preparedness of nursing staff for end-of-life care is increasing. This study aimed to verify the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the self-reported scale for the Staff Preparedness for PEOLC in long-term care homes.

Methods: A total of 161 staff took part in the study; among them were nine nurses, 19 nursing assistants, 133 care workers at four nursing homes located in Wonju and Seongnam cities, South Korea. The scale was translated according to the guidelines of World Health Organization guidelines and Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments, and its reliability and validity were evaluated through assessing its internal consistency, stability, and construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis, CFA).

Results: CFA confirmed that the measurement tool had a good fit (comparative fit index=.96, Turker-Lewis index=.95, root mean-squared error of approximation=.07). The items' internal consistencies of the items were found to be reliable with Cronbach's alpha=.94; the Pearson's correlation coefficient between test and retest of the tool was .86 (p<.001); and the intraclass correlation coefficient value was .91 (95% confidence interval: .85~.96).

Conclusion: The Korean version of the Staff Preparedness for PEOLC in long-term care homes was confirmed to be a useful and reliable scale for measuring the preparedness of nursing staff in Korean long-term care facilities in Korea for PEOLC.

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the lives of recovered COVID-19 patients from the viewpoints of people over the age of 60.

Methods: The participants were 15 recovered patients aged over 60 who had been infected with COVID-19. Data were collected individually through in-depth interviews from September 12, 2022 to February 27, 2023. Contents of the transcribed interviews were analyzed using Corbin and Strauss's grounded theory approach.

Results: Analysis of the psychological recovery experience for older adults with COVID-19-resulted in six themes, 14 sub-themes, and 41 codes. The core category revealed was turning crisis into opportunities throughout making meaning of living in the time of COVID-19. The causal conditions included feeling disrupted due to unknowns during a crisis. The contextual conditions were a lack of support system for COVID-19 groups. The central phenomenon was a life shattered amidst COVID-19-related helplessness. The intervening conditions were rebound for changes for transformation. As a result, the action/interactional strategies were employed to find a breakthrough. In consequence, enhancement of resilience was achieved after overcoming obstacles.

Conclusion: The findings provide important recommendations for healthcare professionals regarding older patients who have had COVID-19. We encourage healthcare providers to improve patient care by gaining a deeper understanding of their recovery experiences.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of death anxiety and social support on the preferences for care near the end of life in older adults staying at long-term care hospitals. By understanding these relationships among the factors, we provide crucial insights for enhancing end-of-life care with respect to patients' end-of-life care preferences.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 155 older adults staying at long-term care hospitals participated in the study. Data collection was performed from January 9, 2023 to March 9, 2023. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis.

Results: The results of this study show that death anxiety (β=.23, p=.002), social support (β=.22, p=.003), intensive care transfer (β=.18, p=.022), and severity of illness (β=.16, p=.033) were significantly affecting factors to the care preferences near the end of life in older adults staying at long-term care hospitals.

Conclusion: Understanding the end-of-life care preferences of older adults with death anxiety in long-term care hospitals is important. Expressing these preferences in a timely manner requires extensive support from patients, family, and health professionals. Developing an effective program for end-of-life care preferences is continuously needed for future studies.

Purpose: This study synthesized the literature on constipation among Korean older adults in long-term care (LTC) facilities.

Methods: This scoping review utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute protocol. We conducted a literature search using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, PubMed, PsycINFO, Korean databases Research Information Sharing Service, Korean Studies Information Service System, and ScienceON. Two reviewers independently selected the studies and extracted their characteristics using pretested forms to determine the final inclusion. In total, 473 articles were identified, and eight were used for the final analysis.

Results: Quasi-experimental design was the most common research design. Sex, age, state of mobility, admission periods, LTC classification, sleep satisfaction, depressive symptoms, diet type, daily fluid intake, and history of digestion were identified as factors related to constipation. The most widely used constipation measurement method is measuring the frequency of defecation per week. Massage is the most commonly used nursing intervention to relieve constipation.

Conclusion: The diversification of research on constipation is necessary to improve the quality of life of older adults living in LTC facilities. Therefore, the use of reliable tools to determine constipation in older adults in LTC facilities should be expanded. There is a need to develop and implement diverse non-pharmacological interventions for older adults in LTC facilities. The results of this study are intended to serve as a basis for the development of constipation programs for Korean older adults in LTC facilities.