줄기세포치료에 대한 병원간호사들의 지식 및 태도 조사*

Purpose: This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, experiences, and educational needs regarding stem cell therapy of nurses in a Korean hospital in order to develop an educational program for stem cell therapy ethics.

Method: A total of 277 nurses participated in this study. The instrument used was a self-reporting Likert-type questionnaire consisting of 35 assumptions related to knowledge and attitudes regarding stem cell therapy and 20 assumptions related to subjects’ characteristics.

Result: For the knowledge level of stem cell therapy, the average score of all subjects was 9.97±4.13. For the attitudes towards stem cell therapy, items receiving positive responses included ‘informed consent’ and ‘oversight and control of stem cell research’; items receiving negative responses included ‘xenotransplantation of hESC’ and ‘cloning of human life.’ Knowledge levels concerning stem cell therapy were influenced by several factors including the following: age, education level, working experience, and need for stem cell education. Nurses who ranked higher in any of these categories tended to have more strict views on the ethical issues associated with stem cell therapy.

Conclusion: Nurses should have the ability to make ethical decisions in clinical situations requiring stem cell therapy. There is a need for well-designed and integrative education programs regarding stem cell therapy for clinical nurses working in Korean hospitals.