• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.261-269
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate occupational stress and fatigue level of neonatal nurses and to assess relationship between the two of them. Methods: Subjects were 109 neonatal nurses working at 2 university hospitals and 9 women's hospitals in D city, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis by the SPSS/WIN 15.0. Results: The mean score of nurses' occupational stress level was 3.22, and the highest was 'night shift' among the 7 subcategories, and fatigue level was 62.0, and the highest was physical fatigue in configuration field. In logistic regression analyses, 'heavy workload' and 'inadequate physical environment' led to most occupational stress. Conclusion: In addition to significantly higher levels of occupational stress of neonatal nurses, the cumulative fatigue also resulted in decreased quality of nursing, job satisfaction and nursing productivity; therefore, appropriate number of nurses and improvement of work environment is necessary. Furthermore, to reduce the occupational stress and fatigue, we should try to develop adequate clinical guidelines and intervention strategies and apply them in neonatal care unit.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.319-328
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a neonatal nursing practice program for nursing students on students' stress, self-efficacy, and confidence. Methods: A 1-group pre- and post- study design was used. The participants consisted of 64 nursing students who were in a pediatric nursing clinical practicum at a nursing college in Seoul from September 2015 to May 2016. The program consisted of 3 stages-orientation, practice, and debriefing-and was conducted for 3 hours during a 2-week period of the pediatric nursing clinical practicum. The dependent variables were neonatal nursing practice stress, self-efficacy, and confidence. Data were analyzed using the paired t-test, the Pearson correlation coefficient, the $x^2$ test, and descriptive statistics with SPSS for Windows version 22.0. Results: The neonatal nursing practice program was effective at decreasing clinical practice-related stress and increasing confidence and self-efficacy regarding neonatal nursing practice. Conclusion: The neonatal nursing practice program may effectively promote the integration of theoretical knowledge and practice. In the future, we propose to develop various educational programs that reinforce basic nursing skills for neonates as part of an effective pediatric nursing clinical practicum.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.96-111
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• 2021

Objectives The purpose of this study is to look for pathological mechanism of disease development caused by Taedok, by studying whether stress and diet in pregnant ICR mice affect the intestinal flora and IgA (Immunoglobulin A) concentration. Methods The mice were divided into 4 groups (n=5 per group) based on the concept of Taedok: the control group (G1), stress group (G2), capsaicin diet group (G3), high fat diet group (G4). We collected and analyzed intestinal flora from maternal feces and cecal flora from neonatal mice by group. Then, IgA concentration in the maternal feces and sIgA (secretory Immunoglobulin A) concentration in the cecal contents of newborn mice were analyzed. In addition, serum corticosterone was analyzed before and after stress application. Results Changes in maternal intestinal flora and neonatal mice cecal flora by stress and diet were observed. There were no significant changes in the IgA concentration in maternal feces and the sIgA concentration in the cecal contents of neonatal mice. No significant changes compared to the control group were observed between groups before and after applying stress. However, when comparing within one subject, a significant increase was confirmed after stress application in the stress group (G2). Conclusions Based on the results, we observed stress and diet in pregnant mice affect the intestinal flora of maternal and neonatal. We were able to interpret the pathological mechanism of Taedok based on the principle of interaction between mother and newborn intestinal flora.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.297-307
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• 2021

Purpose: This descriptive study compared the perceived parental stress levels between parents with very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs) and nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: In total, 83 parents of VLBWIs and 78 NICU nurses were enrolled. Data were collected with the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) and analyzed using the t-test and analysis of variance in SAS version 9.4. Results: The average PSS score was 3.31 among parents and 3.45 among nurses. The stress score was significantly higher among nurses with children (t=2.46, p=.016) and senior nurses (t=2.12, p=.037). There was a significant difference in the stress score according to parents' education (t=3.29, p=.002) and occupation (F=3.14, p=.049) in the sights and sounds subscale. Mothers had significantly higher stress scores than fathers in the parental role alterations subscale (t=2.32, p=.023). Parental stress scores were higher than those perceived by nurses in the infant's appearance and behaviors subscale for breathing patterns (t=2.95, p=.004), followed by jerky/ restless behavior (t=2.70, p=.008). Conclusion: Nurses should provide explanations to parents of VLBWIs in order to reduce parental stress about the appearances and behavior of VLBWIs. This is more important than aspect of the NICU environment and education about parental roles.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.306-311
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• 2004

Background : The roles of antioxidants in the placenta and genetic susceptibility to oxidant chemicals in relation to neonatal birth weight have not been elucidated. We determined whether the level of placental manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and its genetic polymorphism plays any role in oxidative stress and neonatal birth weight. Methods : We measured placental MnSOD and determined MnSOD genetic polymorphism among 108 pregnant women who were hospitalized for delivery and their singleton live births in Korea. Main outcome measurements are maternal urinary malondialdehyde (MDA) and birth weight. Results : Maternal urinary concentrations of MDA were significantly associated with neonatal birth weight (P=0.04). The enzyme level of placental MnSOD was also significantly associated with MDA concentration (P=0.04) and neonatal birth weight (p<0.01). We observed dose-response relationships between placental MnSOD and maternal urinary MDA, and neonatal birth weight after adjusting for maternal weight, height, age, and neonatal sex. After controlling for covariates, MnSOD variant genotype increased maternal urinary MDA concentrations (p<0.01) and reduced birth weight by 149 gm (P=0.08). Conclusions : This study demonstrates that the placental level of MnSOD during pregnancy significantly affects fetal growth by reducing oxidative stress, and that genetic polymorphism of MnSOD probably modulate the effects of oxidants on fetal growth.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was done to define nursing behavior in neonatal intensive care units so as to estimate resource-based relative value-. Method: Participating in this study were 292 nurses in neonatal intensive care units. The study surveyed physical and mental labor, stress and time involved in nursing work. Tool used in this study was a nursing labor per relative value tool. For analyzes, the relative value of each nursing behavior was calculated, where the mean value of the three components, labor intensity and component-by-component explanatory power were in percentage terms. Results: 1. Nursing behaviors in neonatal intensive care unit were classified and defined at three levels: 5 main domains, 17 mid-domains, and 42 small domains. 2. The per component explanatory power of intensity involved in nursing labor showed physical effort to be 32.45%, mental 32.86%, and stress 34.69%. 3. The reliability of nursing labor factors was very strong, Cronbach's alpha value of 0.96. Conclusion: In this research, which is a first in defining nursing behavior in neonatal intensive care units, individual nursing behavior were broken down using resource-based relative value for nursing cost, and each nursing behavior was successfully translated to a numerical value.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.115-126
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was done to identify differences in work environment, work stress, turnover intention and burnout and investigate the relationship among these variables in nurses in Korean Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Method: Participants were 242 nurses working in 13 general hospitals. Burnout was measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), work stress with the instrument by Gu & Kim (1994), and turnover intention with the scale by Kim & Lee (2001). Size of the NICU, nurse to patient ratio, and communication satisfaction were included in work environment. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis with SPSS WIN program. Results: The mean score for work stress in NICU nurses was 3.43 points, for burnout, 2.72 points, and for turnover intention, 4.64 points. Burnout and turnover intention level of participants were moderate-high. Work stress, communication dissatisfaction with physician, and clinical career accounted for 33% of variance in burnout. Significant differences were found between size of NICU and staffing related to environmental characteristics in turnover intention and burnout. Conclusions: Results indicate that effective communication with coworkers and institutional support for appropriate staffing according to number of beds will help to prevent work stress, burnout, and ultimately, nurses' resignations.

• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.2
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• pp.30-52
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to clarify that neonatal massage is a nursing intervention which is desirable to LBW by making nurses provide such massage service to LBW hospitalized at NICU and confirming effects of the service on weight gain, vital signs and stress hormones(cortisol, norepinephrine, epinephrine). The data were collected from Dec. 14, 1998 to Oct. 4, 1999. The subjects were 28 LBW infants. The data were analyzed with the SAS program with T-test, Chi-square test and ANOVA. 1. The Experimental group that received neonatal massage showed a higher daily gain of weight than the comparative group. Weight gain for 10 days and weight gain of seven days after the massage were also higher in the former group than in the latter, indicating that there are statistically significant differences between the two groups.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.475-483
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to identify stress levels due to end-of-life care, coping strategies, and psychological well-being among nurses in neonatal intensive care unit, and to investigate the effect of stress levels and coping strategies on their well-being. Methods: A total of 128 nurses in the neonatal intensive care units of general hospitals in B city participated. The data were collected using a self-report questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, ANOVA, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression with SPSS version 22.0. Results: The coping strategy that nurses most often used was seeking social support. The factors affecting the well-being of the participants were wishful thinking, problem-focused coping and seeking social support, in order. Those 3 variables explained 21 % of the total variance in psychological well-being. Problem-focused coping and seeking social support were positively associated with psychological well-being, while wishful thinking showed a negative association. Conclusion: In order to improve the psychological well-being of nurses in neonatal intensive care units, it is necessary to provide nurses with a program to build a social support system and to improve their problem-based coping skills.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.97-109
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• 2021

Neonatal hypoxia/ischemia (H/I), injures white matter, results in neuronal loss, disturbs myelin formation, and neural network development. Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress have been reported in neonatal hypoxic brain injuries. We investigated whether Paeoniflorin treatment reduced H/I-induced inflammation and oxidative stress and improved white matter integrity in a neonatal rodent model. Seven-day old Sprague-Dawley pups were exposed to H/I. Paeoniflorin (6.25, 12.5, or 25 mg/kg body weight) was administered every day via oral gavage from postpartum day 3 (P3) to P14, and an hour before induction of H/I. Pups were sacrificed 24 h (P8) and 72 h (P10) following H/I. Paeoniflorin reduced the apoptosis of neurons and attenuated cerebral infarct volume. Elevated expression of cleaved caspase-3 and Bad were regulated. Paeoniflorin decreased oxidative stress by lowering levels of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species generation and while, and it enhanced glutathione content. Microglial activation and the TLR4/NF-κB signaling were significantly down-regulated. The degree of inflammatory mediators (interleukin 1β and tumor necrosis factor-α) were reduced. Paeoniflorin markedly prevented white matter injury via improving expression of myelin binding protein and increasing O1-positive olidgodendrocyte and O4-positive oligodendrocyte counts. The present investigation demonstrates the potent protective efficiency of paeoniflorin supplementation against H/I-induced brain injury by effectually preventing neuronal loss, microglial activation, and white matter injury via reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways.