Interpersonal communication plays a key role in the treatment process. It affects not only the patient’s satisfaction with the course of treatment, but also allows the achievement of the best outcome in the therapeutic process. The process of patient empowerment and putting them in the role of a partner in the therapeutic process makes it possible to build a relationship based on trust, kindness and empathy. The aim of the study is to show the relationship between a patient’s sense of safety and access to health information, friendly and empathetic treatment by medical staff and a relationship based on trust. The study is conducted on patients from public hospitals in Wrocław by using the author’s questionnaire. One of the five most important factors according to respondents is the sense of safety, as reported by more than half of the patients (54.4%)—this is the opinion of more than half of the patients (54.4%). The respondents assessed the quality of patient care as an average of M = 41.1/50 points. There is a strong positive correlation between the sense of security and the access to information (rho = 0.642), kind treatment (rho = 0.623), trust in medical staff (rho = 0.758) and satisfaction with hospital stay (rho = 0.758).
Clinical nurses can encounter musculoskeletal pain episodes stemming from regular exposure to workplace risk factors that contribute to overloads. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and location of work‐related musculoskeletal pain among Polish nurses. An observational and descriptive survey study was conducted among 136 nurses working in the anesthesiology, intensive care, and surgery units. An extended version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to investigate musculoskeletal pain. Only 8% of the participating nurses experienced no musculoskeletal pain, while 85% suffered from pain in more than one location. The lower back (67%), upper back (59%), and neck (66%) were the most common pain locations. In summary, nurses experienced multiple musculoskeletal pain episodes, occurring most frequently in the spinal region (lower and upper back and neck). It is crucial to determine the real causes of musculoskeletal pain and to take appropriate preventive measures to improve workplace ergonomics.
Aims To assess the ability of older Polish nurses’ cope with nursing work. Background The ability to work is widely discussed in the literature in the context of nurses’ productivity; thus, it so necessary to identify the ability to work in the face of increasing demand for their services. Methods The observational study involved 349 professionally active nurses aged 46.9 ± 9.7 years, with a length of service of 23.5 ± 9.6 years. The Work Ability Index (WAI) was used to assess the nurses' ability to work. Results The ability to work decreases with age (rs = ‐0.324, p < 0.000) and with seniority (rs = ‐0.257; p < 0.000). Nurses with higher education presented higher WAI score. Also, the age (B = ‐ 0.25, p <0.001), work seniority (B = ‐0.19, p <0.001) and education (Masters ’degree: B = 1.41, p = 0.012; ref. Secondary) affect work ability. Conclusions The aging process and seniority of nurses negatively affect their ability to work. Lack of programs to maintain physical condition for nurses can result in a shortage of staff. Implications for nursing management: The programs can be developed to create or improve healthy working environments to increase productivity.
Background: Alarms are crucial in informing Healthcare Workers (HCWs) about critical patient needs, but unmanaged frequency and noise of alarms can de-sensitize medical staff and compromise patient safety. Alarm fatigue is identified as the major cause of the clinical alarm management problem. It occurs when the medical staff is overwhelmed by the number of clinical alarms. Methods: The survey was conducted online using Google’s form-making tools from June to July 2023. There were three parts to the survey used in the study: a socio-demographic metric, the Alarm Fatigue Assessment Questionnaire (AFAQ), and The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A significance level of 0.05 was used in the analysis. Results: The survey included 756 medical professionals from three European countries (Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland). The participants in the study were 42 years old on average, and they had 12 years of work experience. 603 out of 756 survey participants had poor sleep quality, 147 had good sleep quality, and 6 did not provide an answer. This study analyzed the alarm fatigue levels of respondents in every country. In the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, a statistically significant association ( p = 0.039, p = 0.001, p < 0.001) was found between alarm fatigue and sleep quality in medical staff. Conclusion: Based on our study, alarm fatigue and sleep quality of HCWs are correlated. Therefore, alarm fatigue and sleep hygiene should be monitored.
Background: Emotional disturbances such as anxiety and depression are common in breast cancer patients and may intensify during systemic therapy. This study aimed to assess changes in the severity of anxiety and depression among women undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and to identify factors influencing emotional outcomes. Methods: A total of 211 women with stage I–III breast cancer treated at the Podkarpackie Oncology Center in Brzozów, Poland, were included. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) one week before and three weeks after chemotherapy. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and descriptive statistics (STATISTICA v.13). Results: After chemotherapy, anxiety and depression levels increased significantly. Nearly half of the patients experienced clinically relevant anxiety, and over one-third showed symptoms of depression. The emotional burden appeared particularly high among women reporting financial difficulties. In contrast, no clear associations were found with marital status, place of residence, or cancer stage. Conclusions: Chemotherapy in breast cancer patients is associated with a significant increase in anxiety and depression severity. Routine psychological assessment and psycho-oncological support should be implemented as integral components of oncological care, with particular attention to patients in disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions.