The Job Experience of Oncology Nurse Specialists

Purpose : This study explores the professional status of Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) in Korea, who, despite being legally certified, face instability in their professional standing, including their scope of practice and compensation.Method : The study uses Flexner’s professional characteristics as a framework to analyze and project the future trajectory of Korean APNs.Results : First, to ensure social accountability, professional bodies need to establish uniform nursing policies related to job roles, and healthcare institutions must adhere to these policies. Second, nursing leaders should spearhead the creation of nursing knowledge essential for the profession's advancement, aiming to establish it as the foundation for nursing practice through a consensus process within the nursing community. Third, the curriculum for APNs should enhance the quantitative and qualitative aspects of practice in response to societal needs. Fourth, professional bodies should formulate consistent nursing policies based on a thorough analysis of the healthcare environment and legal considerations, and guide their implementation in clinical practice through a consensus process within the nursing community. Lastly, guidelines should be established for professional standards suitable for the Korean context.Conclusion : Based on this review, it is recommended that all APNs adhere to the professional standards set by their respective organizations, actively participate in personal quality improvement initiatives, and fulfill their duties and roles as members of these professional bodies. Furthermore, these organizations should devise practical strategies to solidify the APN system and should spearhead a systematic consensus process that garners the agreement of all members within the nursing community.

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Reflections on the Prospects of Korean Advanced Practice Nurses : Based on Flexner’s Professional Characteristics

Kim,

Choi

2023

Mediating Effects of Role Clarity between Clinical Decision-Making Abilities and Job Stress for Advanced Practice Nurses at Tertiary Hospitals

Kim¹,

Kim²,

Choi³

2022

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify the mediating effect of role clarity in the relationship between clinical decision-making abilities and job stress among advanced practice nurses at tertiary hospitals.Methods : The participants were 137 advanced practice nurses. The assessment tools were clinical decisionmaking in nursing scale, role ambiguity scale, and Korean occupational stress scale (KOSS-26). Data were analyzed with the SPSS/24.0 program and mediation analysis was performed according to the Baron and Kenny methods.Results : There were significant relationships between clinical decision-making abilities and job stress (r=-.33, p<.001), and role clarity and job stress (r=-.29, p=.001). Role clarity showed partial mediating effects in the relationship between clinical decision-making abilities and job stress (Z=2.02, p=.043).Conclusion : Therefore, to reduce advanced practice nurses’ job stress, it is necessary to develop a program and strategies to increase their clinical decision-making abilities.

Experience of Clinical Adaptation among Nurses in Intensive Care Unit

Hong,

Sohn

2024

Purpose : This study aimed to explore and describe intensive care unit (ICU) nurses’ experience of clinical adaptation.Methods : The participants were 14 ICU nurses with more than two years of working experience in the ICU. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews conducted between July and October 2021. Theoretical sampling was used to the point of theoretical saturation. Data were analyzed using the Strauss and Corbin method.Results : A total of 79 concepts, 37 subcategories, and 16 categories were identified through open coding. Axial coding based on the paradigm model revealed that the central phenomenon was “The harsh adversity faced in the nursing field where life and death are determined” and the core category was “Enduring the adversity of caring for critically ill patients and achieving self-realization.” ICU nurses’ clinical adaptation process was explained in five phases: “confrontation period,” “turbulent period,” “seeking period,” “struggling period,” and “stabilized period.” The five phases that affect interventional conditions were “Support from reliable people,” “Recognition of administrative and financial support.”Conclusion : This study provided novel insights for a comprehensive understanding of ICU nurses’ clinical adaptation processes. Furthermore, the findings are expected to be used as basic data to develop multifaceted strategies to help ICU nurses’ adaptation to critical care.