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The purpose of this study was to identify the perception of nurse experts on the contribution of nursing interventions to Nursing Outcomes Classification NOC nursing outcomes. A nursing outcome is a nursing-sensitive patient outcome primarily affected by nursing interventions. As one of the standardized language systems of nursing outcomes, the NOC must be examined for applicability before it is used in Korea. Data were collected in February and March 2003 using a 5-point Likert scale. For data collection, 230 quality improvement (QI) or quality assurance (QA) nurses from general hospitals in Korea were asked to rate the extent that nursing interventions contribute to each of the NOC nursing outcomes (2,000) in their hospitals. Ninety-six nurses from 63 hospitals responded and the response rate was 41.7%. Mean scores for perception of contribution of nursing interventions to each of the NOC nursing outcomes ranged from 2.18 to 4.54. Vital Signs Status had the highest score (M=4.54), and Abuse Recovery: Financial, the lowest score (M=2.18). Of the seven NOC domains, the mean score was highest for Physiologic Health (M=3.91) and lowest for Community Health (M=2.92). Of the 29 NOC classes, the mean score for perceived contribution was highest for Metabolic Regulation (M=4.32) and lowest for Community Well-Being (M=2.92). Participants perceived that nursing interventions in general hospitals in Korea contributed, at least to a certain extent, to most of the NOC nursing outcomes. Based on these results, NOC should have relatively good applicability in Korea.

Purpose: This study was performed to identify the key elements for the improvement of healthcare services for foreigners in Korea. Method: Delphi technique was used for this study. As the members of an expert panel for this study, 32 healthcare professionals, who were physicians, nurses, administrators, and care coordinators, with at least 6 months of experiences in international clinics and healthcare services in five metropolitan areas in Korea participated. Data collections were conducted three times from August to October, 2009. The priority and the importance were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS Win 15.0. Result: The key element selected most frequently by the experts was the 'Healthcare providers' abilities for foreign languages' followed by 'Guidelines for facing medical accidences and disputes', 'Information and guide for healthcare services written in English', 'Informed consent preventing medical disputes', 'System of healthcare service fees for foreigners'. Conclusions: The key elements for the improvement of healthcare services for foreigners in Korea were mostly the requirements for effective communication with the foreign clients and the systemic support. The key elements identified in this study can be applied usefully for the development of strategies to improve the quality of healthcare services for foreigners.

Purpose: This study was done to identify the experience of health care services by foreign residents in Korea. Method: Participants were 12 foreigners from China, North America, and Japan. Qualitative data were collected using three focus group interviews and analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Results: The participants' experience of health services was categorized as 21 sub-categories, 11 catego ries and three main categories. The main categories were 'Quality of health care', 'Health care personnel', and 'Health care system and infrastructure'. The main category of 'Quality of health care' included three categories, 'Health care personnel' included another four categories, and 'Health care system and infrastructure' included the remaining four categories. The participants reported positive experiences such as favorable feelings and satisfaction particularly, with the high quality of health care but also negative experiences such as apprehension, distrust, difficulties, and inconvenience in the health care service in Korea. Conclusions: The results of this study can be helpful in the development of strategies to improve health care services for foreigners by providing fundamental information about the foreign residents' experience of health care services in Ko rea from their perspectives.