Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the liver in people without excessive alcohol use, affects approximately one fourth of the global and South Korean populations (Araujo et al., 2018;Bellentani, 2017;Kwak & Kim, 2018). Once NAFLD has progressed, it is irreversible and can lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (European Association for the Study of the Liver, 2016). The progression of NAFLD not only imposes a clinical burden on patients but also affects their survival rate and quality of life (Perumpail et al., 2017;Younossi & Henry, 2015). A recent study reported NAFLD-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma as the second leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States (Bellentani, 2017).Further, studies have demonstrated that people with NAFLD have a higher mortality rate than the general population (Bellentani, 2017;European Association for the Study of the Liver, 2016).Unlike alcoholic fatty liver disease, for which the main risk factor is excessive alcohol consumption, risk factors for NAFLD include obesity, dyslipidaemia and type 2 diabetes. However, in the absence of a pharmacological therapy, NAFLD treatment is focused on metabolic profile improvement (Araujo et al., 2018;Bellentani, 2017).Clinical guidelines for managing NAFLD emphasize lifestyle modification, which includes a low-calorie diet; lower intake of refined carbohydrates, fat and sugar; and increased physical activity (European Association for the Study of the Liver, 2016;Katsagoni et al., 2017). This suggests that patients with NAFLD require lifetime disease monitoring and management.

Uncertainty and unmet care needs constantly change in patients with cancer. However, there is a lack of information regarding the changing pattern of these variables. This study aimed to examine the changes in uncertainty and unmet care needs at diagnosis and after surgery among patients with gastric cancer. In total, 86 individuals completed a self‐reported questionnaire. Data were collected twice – to measure uncertainty and unmet care needs at cancer diagnosis (T1), and after surgery (T2) – and analyzed using descriptive analysis and a dependent t‐test. Uncertainty was moderate at both periods but significantly higher at T1. Unmet care needs were highest in the information domain and lowest in the sexuality domain at both T1 and T2. Only the physical/daily living domain were significantly higher at T2, whereas the information, psychological, and patient care/support domains were significantly higher at T1. Different levels of uncertainty and unmet needs were identified at T1 and T2. Healthcare providers should assess changing unmet care needs at each stage of the cancer trajectory and provide related nursing care and information to this population, even immediately after diagnosis.

Aim This study seeks to gain a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of frontline nurses who provided direct care for COVID‐19 patients. Background Due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, the demands on healthcare systems have been higher than before. Although previous studies have explored the experiences of frontline nurses, these experiences could vary depending on each country's social, cultural, and historical contexts. Introduction In the midst of the global pandemic, sharing the experiences of COVID‐19 frontline nurses could have implications for both nursing and nursing policies that could be applied to future pandemics. Methods This descriptive qualitative study comprised 14 South Korean nurses with a minimum of one month of experience working within a COVID‐19 department. Individual interviews were conducted on a virtual platform, and a thematic analysis was employed. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies were used to ensure a detailed reporting of the study. Results Four themes and 12 subthemes were developed. The themes included: (1) feeling forced into a world of uncertainty; (2) providing unique care for COVID‐19 patients; (3) perceiving barriers to providing quality care; and (4) seeking meaning in caring for COVID‐19 patients. Discussion Nurses recognized their unique roles in caring for COVID‐19 patients and sought new meanings within their profession. However, the poor work environment exacerbated the physical and emotional burden among the nurses and compromised the provision of quality care. Conclusion This study highlighted the nursing policy issues that need to be improved to ensure better quality care and a stronger healthcare system. Implications for nursing policy Governmental action is essential to ensure that nurses can maintain the quality of care they have provided during COVID‐19 and any future pandemics.

Background A cancer diagnosis is a life-threatening event, but studies on psychological distress in patients with cancer after diagnosis are relatively limited, particularly those in early-stage cancer. Objectives On the basis of Leventhal's common-sense model of self-regulation, this study examined the mediating effects of illness perception on psychological distress and identified the factors influencing illness perception in patients with newly diagnosed gastric cancer. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted, and a mediation analysis was performed to determine the role of illness perception in the relationship between social support, the presence of physical symptoms, satisfaction with patient education, and psychological distress. Results Participants were 184 patients with recently diagnosed early gastric cancer who are waiting for surgery in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea. The population had a moderate level of psychological distress. Social support, physical symptoms, and satisfaction with patient education significantly influenced illness perception (β = −0.14, P = .048; β = 0.18, P = .015; β = −0.17, P = .019, respectively), and illness perception had a full mediation effect between these 3 variables and psychological distress (β = 0.66, P < .001). Conclusion Healthcare providers need to focus on patients' psychological distress following a diagnosis of cancer because this distress could be easily overlooked in clinical settings, even in patients with early-stage cancer. Implication for Practice Healthcare providers might alleviate patients' psychological distress by improving unrealistic illness perceptions, alleviating physical symptoms, and providing clear and sufficient patient education in patients with cancer after diagnosis.

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