The purpose of this study was to conceptualize and clarify a concept of “preparatory grief” in terminal cancer patients.

A hybrid model of concept development was applied to develop a concept of preparatory grief, which included a field study carried out in Busan, Korea. Participants of this study were 8 cancer patients.

On the basis of our literature, research and clinical experience, the concept of preparatory grief emerged as a complex phenomenon playing an important role in five areas; physical, emotional, interpersonal, religious, and transcendental dimensions. Two new attributes were defined through a field phase; trust of the post-mortal world and a serene state of mind. Indicators reflected attitudes of sadness, worry, regret, capability to adapt and hope. The results of preparatory grief were loss of energy and interest, emotional chaos, contemplation, taciturnity and restoration.

Differentiating among preparatory grief and other symptoms in cancer patients is essential because of therapeutic implications. Understanding preparatory grief is necessary in order to manage cancer patients for promoting quality of life so that its application may have a positive impact on the patient's life.

This study was to examine the effects of deep breathing exercises with Incentive Spirometer on the pulmonary ventilatory function of pnemothorax patients undergoing a thoracotomy.

This experiment used anonequivalent control group non-synchronized design which compared pre-experimental measures with post-experimental ones. The subjects of this study were 34 inpatients who were scheduled for a thoracotomy and classified into the experimental group (17 patients) or control group (17 patients) by using an Incentive Spirometer or not. The collected data was analyzed by a SPSS Win / PC (percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, t-test, repeated measured two-way ANOVA).

The Pulmonary Ventilatory Function of the experimental and control group were significantly increased on the first day, third day, and fifth day after the thoracotomy, but the group interaction period was not significant.

This study showed that the deep breathing exercises with an Incentive Spirometer and deep breathing exercise without an Incentive Spirometer were both effective for recovering the pulmonary ventilatory function after a thoracotomy.

To examine the effects of body position and time after feeding on gastric residuals in low birth weight infants(LBW).

A repeated measures design was conducted. Twenty LBW infants being fed via indwelling nasogastric tubes were randomly assigned to one of 5 different position orderings. In each position, gastric residuals were measured at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after feeding.

In comparisons of gastric residuals with position and time, the main effects of position and time were statistically significant (F = 5.038, p = 0.001; F = 429.763, p < 0.001, respectively), but the interaction between position and time was found not to be significant. In pairwise comparisons, the gastric residuals were more reduced in the right anterior oblique and prone positions compared with the left lateral position (P < 0.05) and the differences across time periods were significant (p < 0.001).

The body position after feeding has a significant affect on gastric residuals over time in LBW infants. The right anterior oblique or prone position is recommended rather than left lateral position after feeding. Knowledge of the proper position and the pattern of gastric emptying over time after feeding may lead to the development of evidence-based nursing care.