Factors Affecting Professional Self-Concept among Psychiatric Nurses in South Korea.

Background: We aimed to investigate factors affecting ego-resilience, emotional labor, and job satisfaction and their relationship with professional self-concept among psychiatric nurses. Methods: The study was conducted among nurses working in four psychiatric wards: Sung Eun Medical Foundation Reference Hospital (Medical Corporation) in Jeongeup City, Korea; Dasarang Hospital in Gwangju, Korea; Saemirae Hospital in Gwangju (metropolitan city), Korea; and Jangseong Hospital in Jangseong-eup City, Korea. All nurses fully understood the purpose of the study and voluntarily agreed to participate. From August 14 to September 24, 2020, direct survey data were collected by a researcher using a structured questionnaire. Of the 136 questionnaires retrieved, 129 were used for analysis, while 7 were excluded due to incomplete or missing responses. Results: Significantly different effects on professional self-concept were noted for the following general characteristics: age (P<0.001), religion (P=0.024), duration of nursing career (P=0.041), position (P=0.021), salary (P=0.016), nursing job satisfaction (P=0.022), and psychiatric nursing job satisfaction (P=0.010). Moreover, professional self-concept was correlated with ego-resilience (r=0.62, P<0.001) and job satisfaction (r=0.41, P<0.001). In the multiple regression analysis, factors affecting professional self-concept included no religious preference (ß=0.25, P<0.001), employment as a charge nurse (ß= -0.20, P=0.034), and ego-resilience (ß=0.58, P<0.001). The explanatory power was 42.1%. Conclusion: Ego-resilience is the factor most strongly influencing professional self-concept. Furthermore, professional self-concept was stronger among those without religious preferences and those who held senior positions (charge nurse).

Factors Affecting Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis.

Background: We aimed to identify the factors affecting the quality of life in patients with hematologic disorders. Methods: The sample group of 150 participants was randomly selected from among those who received hemodialysis at three public hospitals in Jeonju and Gwangju provinces and two private hospitals in Seoul, Korea. Among the 150 questionnaires retrieved, 143 were used for analysis, while 7 incomplete questionnaires were excluded. An independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis were performed to verify the effect on quality of life according to general characteristics such as implementing self-care, stress, and depression in patients receiving hemodialysis. Results: General characteristics of participants accounting for differences in the quality of life were residential area (P<0.001), sex (P=0.031), monthly income (P=0.007), and frequency of dialysis (P=0.023). Moreover, quality of life was significantly and positively correlated with implementing self-care (P<0.001) and significantly and negatively correlated with stress (P<0.001) and depression (P<0.001). The variables affecting quality of life were depression (P<0.001), frequency of dialysis (two times a week) (P=0.008), monthly income (USD $2,000) (P=0.007), implementing self-care (P=0.004), and stress (P=0.010). The explanatory power (R2) of quality of life was 51.3%. Conclusion: This study suggests providing self-nursing education to improve the quality of life of patients receiving hemodialysis. It also seeks ways to improve the patient's self-efficacy and reduce stress and depression among hemodialysis patients.

Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) from the rising sun (Far East Asia): phylogeny, systematics, and distribution.

Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) is a diverse family with around 700 species being widespread in the Northern Hemisphere and Africa. These animals fulfill key ecological functions and provide important services to humans. Unfortunately, populations have declined dramatically over the last century, rendering Unionidae one of the world's most imperiled taxonomic groups. In Far East Asia (comprising Japan, Korea, and Eastern Russia), conservation actions have been hindered by a lack of basic information on the number, identity, distribution and phylogenetic relationships of species. Available knowledge is restricted to studies on national and sub-national levels. The present study aims to resolve the diversity, biogeography and evolutionary relationships of the Far East Asian Unionidae in a globally comprehensive phylogenetic and systematic context. We reassessed the systematics of all Unionidae species in the region, including newly collected specimens from across Japan, South Korea, and Russia, based on molecular (including molecular species delineation and a COI + 28S phylogeny) and comparative morphological analyses. Biogeographical patterns were then assessed based on available species distribution data from the authors and previous reference works. We revealed that Unionidae species richness in Far East Asia is 30% higher than previously assumed, counting 43 species (41 native + 2 alien) within two Unionidae subfamilies, the Unioninae (32 + 1) and Gonideinae (9 + 1). Four of these species are new to science, i.e. Beringiana gosannensissp. nov., Beringiana fukuharaisp. nov., Buldowskia kamiyaisp. nov., and Koreosolenaia sitgyensisgen. & sp. nov. We also propose a replacement name for Nodularia sinulata, i.e. Nodularia breviconchanom. nov. and describe a new tribe (Middendorffinaiini tribe nov.) within the Unioninae subfamily. Biogeographical patterns indicate that this fauna is related to that from China south to Vietnam until the Mekong River basin. The Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Hokkaido, and the Korean Peninsula were identified as areas of particularly high conservation value, owing to high rates of endemism, diversity and habitat loss. The genetically unique species within the genera Amuranodonta, Obovalis, Koreosolenaiagen. nov., and Middendorffinaia are of high conservation concern.