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Objectives: In general, fetal cfDNA is shorter than maternal cfDNA, and accuracy of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) results can be improved by selecting shorter cfDNA fragments to enrich fetal‐derived cfDNA. This study investigated potential improvements in the accuracy of NIPT by performing classification and analysis based on differences in cfDNA size. Methods: We performed paired‐end sequencing to identify size ranges of fetal and maternal cfDNA from 62,374 pregnant women. We then developed a size‐selection method to isolate and analyze both fetal and maternal cfDNA, defining fetal‐derived cfDNA as less than 150 bp and maternal‐derived cfDNA as greater than 180 bp. Results: By implementing size‐selection method, the accuracy of NIPT was improved, resulting in an increase in the overall positive predictive value for all aneuploidies from 89.57% to 97.1%. This was achieved by enriching both fetal and maternal‐derived cfDNA, which increased fetal DNA fraction while the number of false positives for all aneuploidies was reduced by more than 70%. Conclusions: We identified the differences in read length between fetal and maternal‐derived cfDNA, and selectively enriched both shorter and longer cfDNA fragments for subsequent analysis. Our approach can increase the detection accuracy of NIPT for detecting fetal aneuploidies and reduce the number of false positives caused by maternal chromosomal abnormalities. Key points: What's already known about this topic?Typically, cell‐free DNA fragments are <200 bp in size, with fetal‐derived cfDNA being comparatively shorter in length than maternal‐derived cfDNA.Selective analysis of short‐sized cfDNA increases the fetal fraction. What does this study add?Based on the difference in cfDNA size, fetal‐derived cfDNA as well as maternal‐derived cfDNA were enriched.By separating fetal‐derived cfDNA and maternal‐derived cfDNA, it was possible to predict the origin of the chromosomal abnormality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the incidence of post‐intensive care unit (ICU) depression and its risk factors among critical care survivors. Methods: The study data were extracted from the database of the National Health Insurance Service of Korea. We retrospectively analyzed data from 161,977 adult patients who were admitted to the ICU for more than 24 hr from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014 and survived for more than 1 year after discharge. Risk factors for newly diagnosed depression (Code F32) were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The incidence of post‐ICU depression was 18.5%. The major risk factors were enteral nutrition (odds ratio [OR] = 2.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.19–2.36), cerebrovascular disease (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.54–1.64), and hemi/paraplegia (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.41–1.56). It was observed that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.50–0.61) and myocardial infarction (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.71–0.79) lowered depression. Conclusions: The incidence of post‐ICU depression was high and influenced by ICU treatment and physical impairments. Healthcare providers must pay attention to the psychological changes in survivors with major risk factors in the recovery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing workplace bullying among Korean hospital nurses. Methods: Subjects in this study included 178 hospital nurses who attended two nationwide nursing educational conferences in 2013. The data was collected using self-report questionnaires which were used to identify the subjects’ characteristics, self-esteem, perception of nursing organizational culture, and workplace bullying experience. Results: The results showed that 19.1% of study subjects reported being victims of workplace bullying and mostly experienced person-related and work-related bullying. Multiple regression analysis was done to identify factors affecting workplace bullying. The perception of relation-oriented culture, task-oriented culture and self-esteem turned out to be variables that explained nurses’ workplace bullying, and these factors accounted for 32.0% of the variance. Conclusion: The findings suggest that nurses experience more workplace bullying in task-oriented cultures. However, they experience less bullying and report higher self-esteem and awareness in relation-oriented cultures. Interventions focused on the characteristics of the organization need to be developed to prevent workplace bullying in hospital nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to analyze the nursing activities related to continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in the intensive care units (ICU). Methods: We developed a list of 31 CRRT related nursing activities based on literature review and reviewed by expert group. A total of 109 direct time measurement records by 43 ICU nurses were collected and analyzed in terms of total time per shift, frequency, standard time, difficulty and performance levels of each CRRT nursing activity. Results: The mean time for CRRT nursing activity was 85.60 minutes per 8 hour shift. Nurses have spent average 9.46±6.98 minutes in a shift for "waste fluid bag change" activity. In addition, "check catheter location" was the most time consuming single activity. The most difficult activity was "counseling-answer" and the most competent one was "dialysis solutions change". Conclusion: The CRRT nursing activities accounted for a significant portion of total nursing workload. Practical allocation of nursing staff for CRRT patient along with development of a new nursing cost system need to be considered. Continuous nursing educational and training programs on CRRT should be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of horizontal violence in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses. Methods: This is a methodological triangulation study consists of quantitative and qualitative research methods. A total of 134 ICU nurses from 5 hospitals participated in a survey on nurse to nurse horizontal violence, and the qualitative data were collected through 3 focus group interviews. Results: 94.0% of the participants have experienced horizontal violence within the past 6 months. The question with the highest mean score was "dominating senior nurses mood", and the question with the lowest mean score was "physical assaults". The qualitative data analysis revealed 17 themes on the backgrounds, types, and influence of horizontal violence. Conclusion: The survey result shows that the problem of horizontal violence in ICU nurses is serious, and the focus group interview extracts additional types of horizontal violence such as "scolding in a wrong way", "pressing to resign", "leaving out in the cold", and "burning". Further research needs to be done to build a multidimensional model of horizontal violence in the nursing workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure person-centered critical care nursing and verify its reliability and validity., Methods: A total of 38 preliminary items on person-centered critical care nursing were selected using content validity analysis of and expert opinion on 72 candidate items derived through literature review and qualitative interviews. We conducted a questionnaire survey with 477 nurses who worked in intensive care units. The collected data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmative factor analysis (CFA) with SPSS and AMOS 24.0 program., Results: EFA was performed with principal axis factor analysis and Varimax rotation. The 15 items in 4 factors that accounted for 50.8% of the total variance were identified by deleting the items that were not meet the condition that the commonality should be .30 or more and the factor loading over .40. We named the factors as compassion, individuality, respect, and comfort, respectively. The correlation coefficient between this scale and the Caring Perception Scale was r=.57 (p<.001), which determined concurrent validity. The item-total correlation values ranged from .39 to .63, and the internal consistency for the scale was Cronbach's α=.84., Conclusion: The reliability and validity of the 15 item person-centered critical care nursing scale were verified. It is expected that the use of this scale would expand person-centered care in critical care nursing., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest., (© 2018 Korean Society of Nursing Science.)

Purpose: This research aimed to investigate the effects of a cognitive rehearsal program (CRP) on workplace bullying among nurses., Methods: A randomized controlled trial was performed. Participants were 40 nurses working in different university hospitals in B city, South Korea. The experimental group was provided with a 20-hour CRP comprising scenarios on bullying situations, standard communication, and role-playing. To evaluate effects of the CRP, we measured interpersonal relationships, workplace bullying, symptom experience, and turnover intention at preand post-intervention. Follow-up effect was measured in the experimental group only at 4 weeks after the intervention., Results: After the intervention, there were significant differences in interpersonal relationships (F=6.21, p=.022) and turnover intention (F=5.55, p=.024) between experimental and wait-list groups. However, there was no significant difference in workplace bullying or symptom experience between the 2 groups. The beneficial effects on interpersonal relationships and turnover intention lasted at least up to 4 weeks after CRP., Conclusion: The CRP for workplace bullying improves interpersonal relationships and decreases turnover intention. So it can be utilized as one of the personal coping strategies to reduce the the turnover among nurses. Further studies on the effects of unit- or hospital-based CRP and on the long-term effects of CRP are necessary., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest., (© 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science)

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the workplace bullying experience of Korean nurses., Methods: Participants were twenty current or former hospital nurses who had experienced workplace bullying. Data were collected through focus group and individual in-depth interviews from February to May, 2015. Theoretical sampling method was applied to the point of theoretical saturation. Transcribed interview contents were analyzed using Corbin and Strauss's grounded theory method., Results: A total of 110 concepts, 48 sub-categories, and 17 categories were identified through the open coding process. As a result of axial coding based on the paradigm model, the central phenomenon of nurses' workplace bullying experience was revealed as 'teaching that has become bullying', and the core category was extracted as 'surviving in love-hate teaching' consisting of a four-step process: confronting reality, trial and error, relationship formation, and settlement. The relationship formation was considered to be the key phase to proceed to the positive settlement phase, and the participants utilized various strategies such as having an open mind, developing human relationships, understanding each other in this phase., Conclusion: The in-depth understanding of the workplace bullying experience has highlighted the importance of effective communication for cultivating desirable human relationships between nurses.