The COVID-19 pandemic has caused difficulties in the organization of clinical classes for nursing students. It is therefore important to explore students’ experiences related to participation in clinical classes during the pandemic and to draw conclusions that will allow for the introduction of innovations enabling the development of the required professional competencies as part of training during current and future pandemic restrictions. In this study, we aimed to explore the experiences of nursing students related to clinical education during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify practical implications for this education in the future. A qualitative study was performed based on individual interviews among Polish nursing students (n = 20). The study is reported using the COREQ checklist. Content analysis was applied, and five main categories were identified, including ‘the key role of clinical mentor’, ‘theory-practice gap’, ‘ambivalent emotions and ethical challenges’, ‘to be part of the team’, and ‘strengthened professional identity’. The results of our research indicate that higher education institutions should implement clear strategies to support students, both in terms of psychological support and compensation of professional skills, the development of which might be limited during the pandemic. Modern technologies, including medical simulations, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and telemedicine should be used in the practical teaching of nursing students to educate them on how to cope with difficult, new situations, build decision-making skills, and solve problems.

Background: Providing effective spiritual nursing care requires development of professional competence which, when regularly evaluated, allows one to direct undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education in order to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes of nurses in the scope of spiritual care. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse the level of spiritual competence of professionally active nurses in Poland and, additionally, to analyse the psychometric properties of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale (SCCS). Methods: A cross-sectional study among Polish nurses (n = 343) was performed in accordance with the STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Results: An exploratory factor analysis identified five factors with 27 items explaining a total variance of 64.75%. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the subscales ranged from 0.70 for ‘Attitude toward the patient’s spirituality’ to 0.92 for ‘Professionalisation and improving the quality of spiritual care’. Nurses reported a high level of spiritual competence (104.39 points) with better results in ‘Attitude toward the patient’s spirituality’ and ‘Communication, personal support and patient counselling’ than in the ‘Assessment and implementation of spiritual care’, ‘Professionalisation and improving the quality of spiritual care’, and ‘Referral, consultation and spiritual care’. Significant correlation was found between nurses’ age, job seniority and spiritual competence, and between religiosity and spiritual competence. Conclusions: The study showed satisfactory psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale, confirming its potential to measure the level of spiritual competence of nurses, both in education and research processes. SCCS-PL revealed five-factor structure with good internal consistency. The findings highlight the importance of providing professional education in respect of spiritual nursing care, especially in its practical dimension regarding skills development in which nurses obtained lower scores.

The adaptation of foreign students to a new country can be complicated due to different cultural values, language barriers and the way university courses are structured. The aim of the study was to analyze the lifestyle practices, satisfaction with life and the level of perceived stress of Polish and foreign students studying various medical disciplines in Poland with regard to chosen sociodemographic characteristics. The study included 231 foreign and 213 Polish students (n = 444) taking different medical disciplines at the medical university in eastern Poland. Three research tools were used: Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire (FLQ), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Additionally, students’ sociodemographic data was collected. Two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed and correlations between variables were also examined. Our research indicated that Polish students obtained higher results in FLQ than foreign students. It also demonstrated a significantly higher level of stress among Polish students in comparison to foreign students. The self-assessment of their health condition, lifestyle, and rank associated to being healthy correlated with FLQ, SWLS and PSS-10. The present research can aid the development of support programs for foreign students so that the cultural adaptation processes would more positively influence their lifestyle and an education environment.

Impact of Workplace Bullying on Nursing Care Quality: A Comprehensive Review - Article abstract #944815

Caring ability and professional values developed and shaped during nursing university studies are often recognised as fundamental components of education and professional nursing attitudes. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between caring ability and professional values among nursing students and their correlation with selected sociodemographic variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenience sample of 379 nursing students. During the research, the Polish versions of the Caring Ability Inventory and the Professional Values Scale were used. The overall result in the Professional Values Scale was 108.78 (SD = 16.17)—which is considered average, and in the Caring Ability Inventory 189.55 (SD = 18.77)—which is considered low. Age correlated negatively with the professional values of students in total and in the subscale “care”; in contrast, “gender”, “place of residence” and “financial situation” did not show any correlation with the level of students’ professional values and caring ability. The professional values and caring abilities of nursing students depended on the year and mode of study and the type of university. The results of the study revealed that the caring ability and professional values of nursing students undergo changes during their education.