This study aimed to clarify the relationship between ethical actions and individual factors in psychiatric nurses. Anonymous self-administered questionnaires regarding individual factors and ethical actions as a nurse were conducted on 503 psychiatric nurses. Analysis was performed on 413 valid responses by calculating basic statistics and testing each item. Items that differed significantly were position, qualifications, experience in ethical education at, and after graduating from, a basic nursing education institution, code of and knowledge about ethics, consideration of ethical problems at the hospital ward, and a work atmosphere that enables speaking freely. When nursing administrators hold meetings to review ethical problems and speak about feelings and ethical values in nursing care situations on behalf of nurses who cannot speak freely because of the influence of group values, it leads to the development of workplaces that prioritize ethical actions and is useful for fostering personnel who can perform ethical actions.

The collection, organization, and analysis of data in health and welfare administration requires an enormous amount of manual work. To reduce such unproductive work, automation through computation is desirable. In our previous studies, we applied the logistic regression model to improve efficiency of the care-need assessment by assessment review boards.

In our present study, the authors analyzed the same data applying a different model: a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) model. The MLP model can improve the accuracy of the model through a trial-and-error approach once the model structure is determined.

In the results, the present study yielded the same results with the MLP model as the logistic regression model applied in the previous studies. In conclusion, the authors successfully replicated the results of the previous study using an MLP model, confirming that similar outcomes can be achieved through two different methods. The authors were also able to demonstrate that a GUI program can be used to build an MLP model, simplifying the process of model creation and use.

In order to clarify the relationship between nurses' perceived role as day shift leaders and the work environment, a quantitative cross-sectional study using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire was conducted on nurses working in wards of special function hospitals, and 583 nurses were analyzed. There was a weak correlation between "recognition of the role of day shift leaders" and "work environment." As a result of multiple regression analysis of factors affecting the recognition of the role of day shift leaders, it was found that they were related to nine items: "rewarding leaders," "burden on leaders," "leadership training," "freedom to make decisions on care," "opportunities to discuss care," "utilization of nursing diagnoses," "documentation and renewal of nursing plans," "existence of specialized and certified nurses," and "number of leaders per month." The importance of experience and educational opportunities for leadership roles was suggested, and the importance of a nursing care provision system and support from nurse managers that ensure opportunities for free decision-making and discussion about patient care were important.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the materials management in healthcare institutions. In particular, we focused on the SPD service which is called in case of outsourcing. For this purpose, a systematic review was conducted in November 2021 using the two literature databases, and finally 219 sources were analyzed.

First of all, SPD services in medical supplies became popular in the late 2000s, and SPD services in pharmaceuticals have increased rapidly from the early 2010s. Next, SPD services in outsourcing were generalized in the early 2000s. Typically, SPD in medical supplies consist of three aspects; first is purchasing, conveyance and inventory control, second is the handling of medical materials, general consumables and sterile product, and third is the locations in consultation room, ward and operating room. In addition, SPD in pharmaceuticals is conducted through purchasing, receipt inspection, inventory control, picking in patient unit and conveyance.

The following results were obtained from a comparative analysis of the day shift leader's role recognition and work environment among ward nurses working at a special functioning hospital, from the viewpoint of nursing delivery methods.

The age structure of nurses was as young as 20s at Hospital A and in their 30s at Hospital B.

The role of day shift leader started in the third year of Hospital A. Hospital B had been in its fourth year since the 4th year. There was a significant difference in the experience status of the day shift leader role, depending on the number of day shift leaders, the presence or absence of leader training, the motivation of the leader, and the burden on the leader. There was a significant difference in the recognition of the role of day shift leader in all 10 items, and Hospital A was highly evaluated. There was a significant difference in the work environment in three factors, and a significant difference was observed in the characteristic items of fixed team nursing and modular nursing.