Eunyoung E. Suh

The model of cultural competence through an evolutionary concept analysis.

Becoming a culturally competent health professional is a demanding prerequisite in this multicultural society. Cultural competence is explored and abstracted as a conceptual framework through a concept analysis using the evolutionary method. Its model is constructed from a systemic, comprehensive literature review and analysis. Taking into account how cultural competence is viewed by other disciplines (medicine, psychology, education, and social work), a comprehensive definition, antecedents, and consequences of cultural competence in nursing are described and diagrammed. Additionally, two model cases and future implications are discussed. The broader American society is composed of a mosaic of discrete cultural groups existing within the context of their values and identities. Those distinct cultures affect each patient’s ways of thinking and his or her perceptions on health care and health behaviors. The proposed model of cultural competence provides a theoretical guide for developing strategies to achieve culturally competent care in nursing practice and research.

Cultural Competence in Qualitative Interview Methods With Asian Immigrants

The growth in Asian immigration and a diversity of Asian populations living in Western English-speaking societies pose many opportunities for qualitative research. Cultural competence is essential to credible qualitative nursing research employing interview data. The purpose of this article is to describe culturally competent qualitative research with Asian immigrants, especially in the design, interview phases, and analysis. Strategies to achieve cultural competence are synthesized within the model of cultural competence, integrating the literature review and data exemplars. Strategies for successful conduct of qualitative research in Asian immigrant populations, including preparation of the research team, techniques for the conduct of research interviews with Asian immigrants, and contextual meanings and timing of translation are offered. The article concludes with a summary of implications for future research.

The Effects of P6 Acupressure and Nurse-Provided Counseling on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Patients With Breast Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effects of pericardium 6 (P6) acupressure and nurse-provided counseling on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients with breast cancer. DESIGN Randomized, controlled trial. SETTING A university cancer center in Seoul, South Korea. SAMPLE 120 women who were beginning their second cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy after definitive surgery for breast cancer and who had more than mild levels of nausea and vomiting with the first cycle of chemotherapy. METHODS Participants were assigned randomly into four groups: control (placebo on SI3), counseling only, P6 acupressure only, and P6 acupressure plus nurse-provided counseling. The experiences of upper-gastrointestinal distress were measured by the Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching for acute (day 1) and delayed (day 2 to day 5) CINV. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Nausea, retching, vomiting, P6 acupressure, and counseling. FINDINGS No significant differences were found in the demographic and disease-related variables among the four groups. The levels of CINV were significantly different among the groups from day 2 to day 5. The CINV differences were attributed mainly to the difference between the control group and the group with P6 acupressure plus nurse-provided counseling. The effects of acupressure were proven from day 2 to day 5, and the effects of nurse-provided counseling were proven on day 4 and were close to significance level on day 5. CONCLUSIONS Synergic effects of P6 acupressure with nurse-provided counseling appeared to be effective in reducing CINV in patients with breast cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING P6 acupressure combined with counseling by nurses is a safe and easy-to-apply tool in CINV management in practice.

Analysis of Trends and Contents of Nursing Doctoral Dissertations in Korea

PURPOSE This study aimed to identify contents and trends of Korean nursing doctoral dissertations in terms of research methodology and theoretical characteristics. METHODS The design of the study was descriptive study and a total of 1,089 quantitative studies completed between 1982 and 2010 were reviewed using the analytical framework developed by the researchers. RESULTS The majority of studies utilized the experimental design (51.5%) and the others were survey design (38.8%) and methodological design (5.0%). Study subjects were shown as patients (45%), care givers (11.2%), ordinary persons (40.6%) and others (3.2%). There were growing trends in experimental design and patients as subjects. The prevailing data collection settings were hospitals (45.8%) and community (27.8%). The theoretical frameworks that studies were based on were the existing theories (37%) and a newly developed theoretical framework by a researcher (25.2%). a framework derived from other studies by the researcher (25.2%). Majority of studies (78.5%) employed a single theory as a theoretical framework. However, 31.8% of studies had no theoretical framework based on. CONCLUSION Findings of this study provided the opportunities to shed new light on the current status of Korean doctoral dissertation and to deliberate on the future direction of nursing studies in Korea.

The effects of patient participation-based dietary intervention on nutritional and functional status for patients with gastrectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Patients undergoing gastrectomy because of stomach cancer often face weight loss in the perioperational period, which can lead to malnutrition and negative treatment outcomes. Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a patient participation–based dietary intervention (PPDI) and evaluate its effects on patient outcomes. Interventions/Methods: This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial in which the patients were recruited in a cancer center in South Korea. The participants (N = 56), who underwent gastrectomy with stomach cancer stage I to III, were randomly assigned into either the experimental or the control group. The PPDI, which was given on the day before the hospital discharge, comprised 2 face-to-face and 2 telephone interventions. The outcome variables included body weight, body mass index, muscle mass, the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, Dietary Symptom Scale, Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy–General, Karnofsky Performance Status, Adherence to Dietary Guidelines Scale, Scale of Dietary Knowledge, Patient Satisfaction Scale, and a 3-day food diary. Results: Participants in the PPDI intervention demonstrated significant (P < .05) reductions in adverse dietary symptoms and significant improvements (P < .05) in functional status, performance status, dietary intake, adherence to dietary guidelines, dietary knowledge, and satisfaction with the intervention as compared with the control group over time. Conclusion: The PPDI was an effective dietary intervention for patients undergoing a gastrectomy for gastric cancer and deserves additional study in other populations of patients. Implications for Practice: Incorporating patients’ perspectives into a dietary intervention after gastrectomy for gastric cancer may contribute to improved patient outcomes and quality care.

Mammography Use and Its Demographic Correlates Among Women in South Korea

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the mammography rate and its demographic correlates among Korean women in order to provide basic understanding of factors related to the performance of mammography as a method of breast cancer screening. METHODS A descriptive secondary analysis was conducted using a national data set from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES III) in South Korea. A total number of 2,602 women over 40 years of age were chosen for the analysis. Main research variables included the use of mammography, monthly income, residential area, age, marriage, education, insurance, smoking habits, drinking habits, job type, current health status, and other cancer screening results. RESULTS Only 30.59% of women adhered to the national guidelines. Monthly income, age, education, insurance, and smoking habits had statistically significant effects on breast cancer screening performance. CONCLUSIONS The demographic correlates of the performance of mammography highlight the fact that not all Korean women, at this stage, are in a socioeconomic or societal position to undergo biannual mammography screening. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Targeted and tailored nursing intervention should be implemented in middle- and senior-aged women who lack the ability to access medical resources in South Korea. This will make it possible for marginalized women to utilize cancer screening tests and in turn promote their health.