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Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to validate a silencing response scale (SRS) for the initial screening of compassion fatigue in hospice palliative care teams (HPCT) members. Background: The silencing response is a defense mechanism that diverts caregivers' attention from painful and difficult situations. This is an early stage of compassion fatigue. During the silencing response stage, the ability of HPCTs to listen to patients' requests for assistance decreases, and their professional performance related to tasks and care provision weakens. Design: This study with psychometric evaluation was designed to validate the SRS for the initial screening of compassion fatigue among HPCTs. Methods: After translation-back translation and content validity indexing, 236 HPCT members working in hospice agencies designated by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare participated in this survey. The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. Results: The SRS developed in this study is a self-evaluation tool that employs a five-point Likert scale with 16 items: eight for disinterest, four for situation avoidance, and four for fear. The SRS met the criteria for construct, convergent, and criterion validity. The Cronbach's α for the full SRS was.87. Conclusions: To ensure HPCT well-being, prevention rather than burnout recovery should be prioritized. The SRS developed in this study can be used to screen for compassion fatigue at an early stage to prevent burnout and severe compassion fatigue among HPCT members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ureaplasma spp. in the maternal genitourinary tract has come to attention as a cause of preterm labor, spontaneous abortion, chorioamnionitis and adverse outcomes. A few controversies, however, still remain, namely, whether it should be treated aggressively or not. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal azithromycin (AZ) treatment for Ureaplasma colonization on neonatal morbidities including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Methods: A retrospective case–control study of preterm babies delivered at ≤30 weeks of gestational age (GA) from 2012 to 2016 was conducted. Infants whose mothers had confirmed Ureaplasma colonization and treatment with AZ (m‐AZ, cases) were matched by GA to control subjects whose mothers did not have Ureaplasma colonization. A subgroup analysis (nUU(+), infants with neonatal respiratory Ureaplasma colonization; nUU(–), infants without colonization) was also performed. Results: Fifty‐five control subjects were matched to 110 m‐AZ subjects. The incidence of preterm premature rupture of membranes (P = 0.003) and of moderate–severe BPD (P = 0.010) was significantly higher in the m‐AZ group. On subgroup analysis with post‐hoc analysis (m‐AZ + nUU(+) [I, n = 55] vs m‐AZ + nUU(–) [II, n = 55] vs controls [n = 55]), the incidence of moderate–severe BPD was significantly different: 26% (I) vs 22% (II) vs 7% (controls), P = 0.033. Conclusions: Maternal Ureaplasma colonization was associated with moderate–severe BPD despite the use of AZ treatment. In addition, if the neonatal respiratory tract was colonized, then moderate–severe BPD developed even with maternal AZ treatment. Hence, selective antenatal and postnatal treatment of Ureaplasma colonization would be needed to control BPD development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When provided with opportunities to view the world from the patients' perspective, nursing students can experience the same practical occurrences and feelings that patients encounter, consequently becoming more aware of their discomfort and pain. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the patient experience virtual reality blended learning program developed for nursing students. This study is significant in that it presents a program that enables nursing students to not only experience being perioperative patients themselves but also experience their conditions in places other than hospitals, which are generally used as training locations. The analytical results of this study indicated that nursing students who virtually experienced the conditions of perioperative patients through virtual reality blended learning showed increased levels of empathy, positive attitudes toward patient safety treatment, confidence in nursing care, and clinical skill performance. The developed program in this study blended various teaching methods with a virtual reality platform to help junior nursing students with practical and effective perioperative training increase their levels of empathy by simulating the experiences and perspectives of perioperative patients., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare differences in spiritual needs (SNs) and factors influencing SNs between patients with progressive terminal kidney disease and their family caregivers., Methods: An explorative comparative survey was used to identify the SNs of patients (N=102) with progressive terminal kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis and their family caregivers (N=88) at a general hospital located in Seoul, South Korea. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, the independent t-test, one way analysis of variance, the Scheffé test, and multiple regression with dummy variables., Results: The SNs among family caregivers were higher than in the patient group. SNs were higher among those who were religious in both groups. Loving others was the highest-ranked sub-dimension in the patient group, followed in descending order by maintaining positive perspective, finding meaning, Reevaluating beliefs and life, asking "why?", receiving love and spiritual support, preparing for death, and relating to God. In the family group, the corresponding order was maintaining positive perspective, loving others, finding meaning, receiving love and spiritual support, preparing for death, relating to God, and asking "why?". The factors that had a negative influence on the level of SNs were not being religious in the patient group and having only a middle school level of education in the family group., Conclusion: The results of this study may serve as evidence that spiritual care for non-cancer patients' family caregivers should be considered as an important part of hospice and palliative care., (Copyright © 2020 by Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care.)