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Purpose: The purpose was to investigate the literature on depression among South Korean nurses in order to identify overall trends regarding depression. Methods: Forty-five papers published between 1998 and 2017 in three Korean databases-RISS4U, DBPIA, and KISS-were analyzed. Results: Depression showed significant positive associations with job stress, burnout, intent to leave, and somatic symptoms such as fatigue and trouble sleeping. Poor work environments such as staff shortage, work overload, and shift work were also positively associated with depression. Higher job satisfaction, resilience, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and social support were negatively correlated with and acted as significant buffers against depression. Conclusion: These results indicate that healthcare policymakers must pay more attention to the management and prevention of nurses’ depression. In order to effectively do so, poor work conditions, which involve long working hours, high patient-to-nurse ratios, and extreme workloads, should be improved. Simultaneously, nursing managers should implement initiatives such as counseling and competency improvement programs, and stress management to reduce and prevent depression among nurses and strengthen their positive competency. Also, further research is required to clarify the prevalence of depression in South Korean nurses, with more meta-analyses also required to identify variations in depression rates owing to various factors.

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the degree of career plateau in general hospital nurses, to examine the affects of career plateau on nurses’ job satisfaction and nursing competency. Methods: The sample consisted of 234 general hospital nurses. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s Correlation and Hierarchical Multiple Regression. Results: Nurses’ career plateau was associated with their job satisfaction, nursing competency. A statistically significant difference in job satisfaction was career plateau, charge nurse or higher in position and resilience predicted 41% of variance in job satisfaction of general hospital nurses. A statistically significant difference in nursing competency was total clinical experience, career plateau, preceptorship experience, charge nurse or higher in position and resilience predicted 43% of variance in nursing competency of general hospital nurses. Conclusion: These results of this study as presented above show that general hospital nurses’ career plateau is associated with their job satisfaction and nursing competency. Career plateau is the most important variable in nursing competency. Based on the findings, general hospital nurses’ career plateau management is empirically verified as a useful and effective method to increase their job satisfaction and nursing competency.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify health problems in clinical nurses through an examination of their auricular acupuncture points. Methods: Data were collected from 90 nurses working in D city. Participants’ ears were photographed and their auricular points were analyzed. Data analysis was performed by descriptive statistics and the x2 test. Results: Musculoskeletal problems were the most severe, followed by problems of the digestive, nervous, and reproductive systems, in that order. Furthermore, the average number of health problems was 5.22, with a range of 4 to 6. Leg/foot pain was the highest reported musculoskeletal problem, followed by shoulder and lumbar/back pain. Gastric ptosis was the highest reported digestive problem, followed by indigestion and hypersensitive colitis. Additionally, among participants with gastric ptosis, lumbar pain was significantly high. Conclusion: The results suggest that further research using an auricular points as a diagnosis and treatment point is necessary to improve the health of nurses.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare working condition and health status between parcel delivery workers (PDW) and food delivery workers (FDW) and to examine the factors influencing their health status. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data collected from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS). Based on existing literature, a set of variables was chosen from the KWCS. Results: The proportion of PDW who carryied/moved heavy loads and experienced high job stress and lack of rest time was significantly higher than that of FDW. However, more FDW than their counterparts worked atypical hours. The differences in fatigue and well-being between PDW and FDW were not statistically significant. The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed low temperature, tobacco smoke, standing for long periods, and job stress were significant predictors of fatigue or well-being of FDW. Among PDW, noise, tobacco smoke, sitting for long periods, quantitative demands, hiding emotions, support from colleagues, job stress, no recovery period, and night work were significant predictors of fatigue or well-being. Conclusion: The findings of this study may be useful in developing nursing interventions for disease protection health promotion of delivery workers.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify factors affecting the innovative behavior of military hospital personnel. Methods: The study involved the analysis of 146 structured questionnaires received from military hospital personnel in D city and S city. Data were collected from January 10 to February 9, 2019. The SPSS/WIN 24.0 program was used for data analysis, which included the t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The multiple regression analysis showed that factors affecting innovative behavior of military hospital staff were the natural reward strategies of self-leadership, behavior-focused strategies of self-leadership, and organization-based psychological ownership (R2=.30). Conclusion: The results suggest that to promote innovative behavior in military hospital staff, it is necessary to implement strategies that inspire self-leadership and psychological ownership.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of job stress, emotional labor, and positive psychological capital on the job satisfaction of physician assistants (PAs). Methods: The sample consisted of 166 PAs working in general hospitals in B city, Y city, and C city. Data were analyzed through the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program using t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. Results: The factors of job stress (β=-.488, p<.001), positive psychological capital (β=.188, p=.004), and total clinical career (β=-.147, p=.014) had the greatest influence on the level of job satisfaction experienced by the PAs. The total explanatory power was 49.9%. Conclusion: It was found that job stress, positive psychological capital, and total clinical career were influencing factors in the job satisfaction of PAs. Therefore, to improve their job satisfaction, it is necessary to develop strategies to manage the job stress experienced by PAs, and to strengthen and develop positive psychological capital.