Evaluation of the functioning of long-term at-home nursing care in Poland from the perspective of care providers: Mixed methods study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyse and evaluate the functioning of long-term at-home nursing care (LTHNC) based on the opinions of its service providers. BACKGROUND: Long-term at-home nursing care is a form of care for patients who do not need hospital treatment but need systematic nursing care because of their health problems. LTHNC in Poland involves guaranteed care services financed from universal health insurance contributions pursuant to contracts with the National Health Fund (NHF); the program has existed since 2004. DESIGN: A sequential-explanatory mixed-method design was used. The study was carried out using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed amongst 1119 care providers (the response rate was 38.2%). The qualitative research comprised semi-structured interviews with ten care providers, namely three nurses managing LTHNC facilities and seven nurses directly providing services as part of LTHNC. The STROBE checklist was used in reporting this study. RESULTS: We found that the main reasons for contracting LTHNC services were the increasing demand for this form of care, financial motives and an opportunity to introduce new organisational solutions. Our study shows that LTHNC is beneficial not only for the patients, but also for the nurses who provide the care. On the one hand, LTHNC provides positive results for patients and their caregivers (family members), and on the other hand, it affords a sense of satisfaction to the nurses and contributes to the development of their professional independence. CONCLUSIONS: According to care providers, improving accessibility through increasing the number of contracted services as well as raising the pay for 1 day of care per patient may improve the functioning of LTHNC. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results of our study are a source of information for those who organise health care and administer resources on how to improve the functioning of LTHNC.

Cultural competencies in Polish and Lithuanian nurses: A cross-sectional comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Cultural competencies are known as a multidimensionalconstruct; however, they usually refer to an individual's sensitivity orcultural attitudes, cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. AIM: The aim of the study was to compare the cultural competences of nurses in Poland and Lithuania based on an adaptation of the Nurse Cultural Competence Scale (NCCS). DESIGN: The design was a comparative cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 383 Polish nurses and 184 Lithuanian nurses took part in the study. The questionnaires of the NCCS-Polish version (NCCS-v.PL) and the NCCS-Lithuanian version (NCCS-v.L) were used after linguistic adaptation and an evaluation of psychometric properties. RESULTS: As a result of the comparative analysis, a higher general level of cultural competences (based on the NCCS) was found in the Lithuanian group M-148.09 (SD = 22.85). The results show statistically significant differences among the respondents in the subscale of Nurse Cultural Competence Scale-Cultural Knowledge (NCCS-CK; p Ë‚ 0.001); higher competences of the nurses were found in the Group LT (M = 31.05; SD = 6.75) than in the Group PL (M = 28.82; SD = 7.82). In the group of Polish nurses (Group PL), the intensity of cultural competences was found to increase along with age (NCCS-v.P r = 0.157, p < 0.05); this, however, was not observed in the Group LT (NCCS-v.LT, p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both the nurses in Poland and in Lithuania are characterised by an average level of cultural competences. Diversity in the level of cultural competences was found in both groups depending on age, education and work experience.

Impact of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue on satisfaction with life in Serbian and Polish nurses: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate demographic and occupational factors of professional life on life satisfaction among nurses in Serbia and Poland. BACKGROUND: Compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue, as aspects of a nurse's professional life, may affect their satisfaction with life in general. However, most studies on this topic have been conducted in Asian countries, and because there are differences in health care system performance across countries amid a global shortage of nurses, it is necessary to investigate professional quality of life in the European nursing context. METHODS: This multicenter, comparative, and correlational study was conducted on a sample of 669 hospital nurses in Serbia and Poland. The survey data were collected between November 2019 and February 2020 using the Demographic and Occupational Questionnaire (DOQ), Professional Quality-of-Life Scale (ProQOL-5), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). STROBE Statement guidelines for cross-sectional studies were followed. RESULTS: Most nurses from both countries reported having moderate compassion satisfaction, moderate risk for compassion fatigue, and an average life satisfaction. The predictive factors of life satisfaction that most stand out include country of origin, financial situation, education, job satisfaction, and compassion fatigue. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Quality of professional life is significantly affected by shift duration, age, work experience, and job satisfaction. Negative aspects of professional life are significant predictors of life satisfaction. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY: The findings of this study indicate a need for implementing flexible shift patterns and enhancing interventions that will improve job satisfaction and compassion satisfaction while reducing the risk of compassion fatigue.

Work activities of primary health care nurses in Poland: National Survey Results.

BACKGROUND: In some countries, including Poland, nurses have acquired autonomy from being a designated "ancillary staff" to "professional staff" only in recent decades. No prior published studies have examined, however, whether the actual nursing practice in primary health care (PHC) has evolved with the advancement of education and professional autonomy. The aim of this study is to assess the scope of practice of a PHC nurses and their actual work activities. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design using an investigator-developed survey was conducted in Poland, in 2018. The survey was sent to professionally active PHC nurses in Poland. Of the 225 questionnaires distributed, 202 (89.8%) were returned. RESULTS: Out of 44 work activities examined, the most often performed activity was administering medications. Less frequent activities included recognizing patients' nursing needs and health problems and monitoring, assessing, and interpreting basic vital signs. A correlation was found between the length of work experience and the following three activities: performing nursing care, issuing referrals for specific diagnostic tests, and ordering of specific treatments, medications, and nutritional supplements. The longer was the work experience, the more often the nurses performed nursing care (r = 0.15; p = 0.035) but less often issued referrals for diagnostic tests (r = - 0.24; p = 0.001) or orders within their scope of practice (r = - 0.23; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: While nurses in general are most likely to carry out physician orders, junior nurses tend to be more likely to work toward professional autonomy and pursuing new challenges. PHC nurses in Poland perform work associated more with carrying out physicians' orders and less with what they were prepared to do. Engaging nursing students in interprofessional education, dissemination of nursing research, and advocacy of nursing professional organizations on behalf of the profession may be an effective strategy to overcome the current barriers for PHC nurses to work the top of their license.

Collaboration between the family nurse and family doctor from the perspective of patients: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing focus on collaboration in primary health care, but there is insufficient patient perspective on collaboration between the family nurse and family doctor. OBJECTIVE: To explore how patients perceive collaboration between the family nurse and family doctor in primary health care in Poland. METHODS: A qualitative approach and an inductive, naturalistic inquiry strategy were used. Thirty-seven patients from eight general practice clinics in the north-eastern part of Poland participated in semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The qualitative data were examined by means of thematic analysis. The study was reported according to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. RESULTS: Four subthemes emerged in the context of nurse-doctor collaboration, namely: (i) carrying out the doctor's orders; (ii) visit preparation; (iii) the family nurse as a source of information and (iv) participants' perceptions of the status of the family nurse. Nurses performing instrumental activities connected with a doctor's orders was understood by the participants to be collaboration and prevailed in their responses. CONCLUSION: The perception of collaboration (or lack thereof) between the family nurse and family doctor results from patients' varied experiences and observations during their visits to a primary care clinic. The traditional model of nursing care and the hierarchical relationship, in which the doctor has the dominant role, are evident in the patients' remarks. The autonomy of nursing could be strengthened by expanding, and highlighting, the primary care activities that a nurse can perform on her own.

Behavioural categories of professionalism of nurses in Poland and Belarus: A comparative survey.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To compare the self-reported level of professionalism among nurses in Poland and Belarus and to indicate the areas in which differences in professional behaviours of nurses in both countries exist. BACKGROUND: Nurses constitute the largest group of healthcare providers, and the term professionalism is closely related to nursing profession. DESIGN: This investigation is a comparative survey and descriptive analysis of professional behaviours among nurses in Poland (n = 205) and Belarus (n = 236). The study was reported according to the STROBE checklist. METHODS: The Professionalism in Nursing Behaviors' Inventory Image Survey adapted from Adams and Miller (2001) was used to collect the data. The questionnaire contains 46 questions addressing the following behavioural categories: educational preparation, publications, research, professional organisation, community service, competence, code for nurses, theory and autonomy. RESULTS: The mean total score of professionalism was significantly different between the two countries (p < .0001). Significant differences, with higher scores in the group of respondents from Belarus, were also revealed in the following subscales of professionalism: "Professional organisation," "Community service," "Competence" and "Publication." Nurses from Poland had higher levels of "Educational preparation" and "Use of theory." No statistically significant differences were indicated in the "Autonomy" and "Research" subscales. CONCLUSION: Differences in the professionalism level of nurse practitioners in Poland and Belarus are related to nurses' professional position and the context in which they practice. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results of the present study can help the healthcare management and nursing leaders to support the professional development of nurses and strive for a higher level of professionalism.

Patients with respiratory tract infections who do not want antibiotics: direct observational study of primary care in Poland.

BACKGROUND: Requests by patients for antibiotics are known to strongly affect doctors' decisions to prescribe them.Objective. The aim of this study was to establish how frequently patients presenting with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) express their expectation not to be treated with antibiotics, which symptoms and physical findings are related to their perception of antibiotics not being helpful, and to what degree their expectations influence doctors' decisions. METHODS: This was a direct observational study set in primary care practices in Bialystok, Poland. The observers completed a checklist while observing a patient with RTI visiting a family doctor. RESULTS: Overall, 80 (5.5%) out of 1456 patients with RTIs openly requested not to be prescribed antibiotics. Patients not wanting antibiotics were prescribed antibiotics significantly less frequently [25/80 (31.3%)] than the remaining patients [765/1376 (55.6%), P < 0.001]. Univariate logistic regression revealed that cough and runny nose significantly increased the odds of patients not wanting antibiotics [odds ratio (OR) 1.8, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.01-3.20 and OR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.01-2.6, respectively] while the presence of tonsillar exudates significantly decreased the odds (OR 0.3, 95% CI: 0.08-0.86). Belief in a self-limited course (20%), recent treatments with antibiotics (16.3%), suspected viral aetiology (12.5%), and concerns about possible harm (12.5%) were the principal reasons for not wanting antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: A patient's wish not to be prescribed antibiotics leads to less frequent antibiotic prescribing. Antimicrobial resistance, though important from a public health viewpoint, is not seen as a priority for individual patients with infections.

Evaluation of the delivery of long-term at-home nursing care: An example of good practice.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the influence of long-term at-home nursing care (LTHNC) on patient functional status. The specific aims were as follows: (1) to analyse the influence of LTHNC on patient functional status in terms of activities of daily living; (2) to evaluate the risk of pressure sores and pressure sore prevention in patients receiving LTHNC. BACKGROUND: LTHNC is a form of care for chronically ill persons staying at home who do not need hospitalisation, but due to their health problems they require regular nursing care that can be provided at home. DESIGN: A retrospective descriptive study. METHODS: A document research method was used. We collected data from the medical records of 1,058 patients receiving LTHNC at the Non-Public Health Care Centre OMNI-MED in Bialystok (Poland) for the years 2005-2012. RESULTS: Detailed analysis of scores on the Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index revealed significant improvement in patient functional status as a result of LTHNC. In patients aged 65-80, the Barthel score increased by 8.83 points, and in patients aged 64 years and younger, the score increased by 6.58 points (p < 0.001). In the oldest patients (>80 years), functional status improved the least, gaining a mean of 4.97 points on the Barthel scale. Overall, the demonstrated improvement of patient functional status and reduced risk of pressure sore development provide evidence that LTHNC is an effective form of care for elderly and chronically ill persons staying at home. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study represent a positive example of the way good nursing care can benefit patients while promoting the autonomous nature of nursing. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results add to our understanding of the functioning of LTHNC by providing relevant scientific evidence which may contribute to the development of community nursing.

Job satisfaction of nurses with master of nursing degrees in Poland: quantitative and qualitative analysis.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the issue of job satisfaction of nurses with master of nursing degrees may help develop organisational changes necessary for better functioning of health care institutions. This study aimed to evaluate the level of job satisfaction among holders of Masters of Nursing degrees employed at health care institutions and to ascertain its determinants. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was carried out in randomly selected health care institutions in Poland using the Misener Nurse Practitioner Job Satisfaction Survey and an original survey questionnaire with two open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and summary statistics. RESULTS: The participants gave highest satisfaction ratings to their relationships with direct superiors and other nurses, as well as their social contacts at work. The lowest ratings were given to the pension scheme and factors connected with remuneration. A highly statistically significant relationship was found between the job classification and the level of professional satisfaction (p < 0.001). Qualitative analysis of responses to the two open-ended questions supported Herzberg's Two-Factor theory: internal factors promoted satisfaction, whilst external ones caused dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Managers of nurses should strengthen the areas that contribute to higher employee satisfaction, particularly interpersonal relationships, by commendation and recognition of work effects.

What Do Children with Chronic Diseases and Their Parents Think About Pediatricians? A Qualitative Interview Study.

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine how pediatric patients and their parents perceive health care during hospital stays, what are their expectations of doctor behaviors, and which components of care do they consider to be the most important. Methods A qualitative descriptive study was carried out using the open interview technique. Twenty-six parents and 22 children undergoing hospital treatment participated. Results Our analysis identified two major themes: (1) doctor verbal and non-verbal behaviors, which included informing and explaining, conversations on topics other than the illness, tone of voice and other behaviors; and (2) perceived strategies used by doctors. This category included claims of doctors' intentional use of medical jargon to avoid addressing parental questions directly. Parents admitted that they did not understand medical vocabulary, but they also thought they might understand more of the medical issues if the doctor spoke using terms comprehensible to them. Conlcusions Our study shows the importance of interpersonal relationship affecting patient perception of quality of pediatric care. Parents of pediatric patients perceive that doctors behave in ways that deflect parents' questions and avoid providing them with medical information. Such behaviors include doctors excusing themselves by saying they are busy and using medical jargon. Medical students and doctors should be trained to communicate effectively with patients and their parents and develop skills to convey information in a simple and comprehensible way.

Combined assessment of clinical and patient factors on doctors' decisions to prescribe antibiotics.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic overprescription is a worldwide problem. Decisions regarding antibiotic prescription for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are influenced by medical and non-medical factors. METHODS: In family medicine practices in Bialystok, Poland, family medicine residents directly observed consultations with patients with RTI symptoms. The observing residents completed a questionnaire including patient data, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, any prescribed antibiotic, and assessment of ten patient pressure factors. RESULTS: Of 1546 consultations of patients with RTIs, 54.26 % resulted in antibiotic prescription. Antibiotic prescription was strongly associated with rales (OR 26.90, 95 % CI 9.00-80.40), tonsillar exudates (OR 13.03, 95 % CI 7.10-23.80), and wheezing (OR 14.72, 95 % CI 7.70-28.10). The likelihood of antibiotic prescription was increased by a >7-day disease duration (OR 3.94, 95 % CI 2.80-5.50), purulent nasal discharge (OR 3.87, 95 % CI 2.40-6.10), starting self-medication with antibiotics (OR 4.11, 95 % CI 2.30-7.30), and direct request for antibiotics (OR 1.87, 95 % CI 1.30-2.80). Direct request not to prescribe antibiotics decreased the likelihood of receiving antibiotics (OR 0.34, 95 % CI 0.27-0.55). CONCLUSION: While clinical signs and symptoms principally impact prescribing decisions, patient factors also contribute. The most influential patient pressure factors were starting self-medication with antibiotics, and directly requesting antibiotic prescription or no antibiotic prescription. Interventions aiming to improve clinical sign and symptom interpretation and to help doctors resist direct patient pressure could be beneficial for reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescribing.

Choice and perception of the nursing profession from the perspective of Polish nursing students: a focus group study.

BACKGROUND: Although previous quantitative studies provide important information on the factors which influence the choice of nursing as a career, qualitative analysis makes it possible to study the subject more thoroughly. The purpose of this study was to conduct an in-depth analysis of the reasons why Polish students choose nursing as a profession and their later perception of the job based on experiences acquired during the nursing course. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was designed. We organized 8 focus group discussions with third-year nursing students. A total of 76 students participated in the study. RESULTS: Several reasons why students had chosen the nursing profession were identified: desire to help others, family tradition, desire to work abroad, failure to get into another course, pure chance, and low admission requirements (relative to medical studies). The participants' views of the nursing profession were based on their own personal experiences or observations of nurses at work. Often these observations were superficial, concerning only selected fragments of nursing work. The participants also identified reasons for there being low regard for the nursing profession. CONCLUSION: The decision about choosing nursing is mainly determined by practical aspects, e.g., the opportunity for employment. Although young people are aware of the low prestige of the nursing profession in Poland, they believe it is possible to improve its image and enhance its prestige.

Outpatient use of systemic antibiotics in Poland: 2004-2008.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to evaluate the quantity and pattern of outpatient antibiotic use in Poland between 2004 and 2008 and to determine the trends in prescribing practice. To investigate the oral and parenteral outpatient antibiotic use in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data concerning outpatient use of systemic antibiotics between 2004 and 2008 were obtained from Polish National Health Fund databases expressed as the number of defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID) according to the international Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical ATC classification system of the World Health Organization (WHO, version 2009). RESULTS: Total outpatient antibiotic use in Poland varied from the lowest 17.88DID in 2004 to the highest 21.39DID in 2007. Penicillins (J01C) represented the most frequently prescribed antibiotics constituting more than 50% of the total outpatient antibiotic use. The other most popular groups of antibiotics were tetracyclines (J01A), macrolides (J01F). On the fourth and fifth position were cephalosporins (J01D) and quinolones (J01M), respectively. The parenteral antibiotic use did not exceed 1% of the total outpatient antibiotics prescribed with cefuroxime being the most frequently prescribed drug. CONCLUSIONS: Total outpatient use of antibiotics in Poland in 2004-2008 was comparable to the median European level. The consumption of all antibiotics slightly increased from 2004 to 2007, and decreased in 2008. The most often prescribed antibiotics were penicillins, mainly amoxicillin and amoxicillin with enzyme inhibitor. During the study period the use of the older (narrow-spectrum) antibiotics decreased in favour of the newer (broad-spectrum) antibiotics. The results suggest the discrepancy between national recommendations and choice of antibiotics by physicians.

[Aggressive behaviour based on the example of secondary school youth from selected schools in Biala Podlaska district]. / Zachowania agresywne mlodziezy ponadgimnajalnej na przykladzie wybranych szkól z powiatu bialskiego.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the degree of aggressive behaviour of secondary school youth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A survey was conducted among 508 secondary school students in Biala Podlaska district. Among the examined subjects were 231 (45.5%) women and 277 (54.5%) men. The surveyed group was divided into two groups: aged 18 and 19-21 yrs. The research tool was a Buss and Perry Aggression questionnaire (Amity version) and the author's own questionnaire, which was developed for research purposes. RESULTS: It was found that the average level of aggression in all analysed categories (verbal aggression, physical, anger, hostility and aggression in general), was higher in the older group of interviewees (aged between 19 and 21). It was noticed that men are more aggressive than women. Higher level of aggression was noticed among respondents who live in block of flats in the city rather than the residents of singlefamily homes in the countryside. Significant differences were found in the level of overall aggression, physical and verbal aggression depending on the type of school the tested subjects attended to. It was noticed that higher level of aggression affects vocational school students. Having both parents did not influence the occurrence of aggressive behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Significant difference in the level of aggression among males and females requires accurate planning of preventive programmes aimed at specific groups of recipients, including sex. 2. Programmes which prevent negative outcomes of verbal and physical aggression should also influence the age of adolescents.

Nursing and midwifery students' attitudes towards addressing patient sexual health in their future profession: Polish adaptation and validation of the students' attitudes towards addressing sexual health extended questionnaire (SA-SH-Ext).

The aim of the study was to assess the success of an adaption of the Students' Attitudes Towards Addressing Sexual Health Extended Questionnaire (SA-SH-Ext) in meeting Polish linguistic and cultural norms, as well as to ascertain the nursing and midwifery students' attitudes towards addressing sexual health using the SA-SH-Ext questionnaire. The sample size of the cross-sectional validation study consisted of 570 Polish nursing and midwifery students. The collected data was used to examine the internal consistency reliability and construct validity using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Internal consistency reliability showed a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.91, and construct validity measured by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) demonstrated good results. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy (KMO) was high and amounted to 0.923, and the Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant (p = 0.000). The analysis of construct validity demonstrated five major factors: "Present feelings of comfortableness" (Factor 1), "Future working environment" (Factor 2), "Fear of negative influence on future patient relation" (Factor 3), "Educational needs-Awareness of knowledge gap" (Factor 4), "Educational needs-Awareness of the needs for competences" (Factor 5). The SA-SH-Ext v.PL questionnaire is a reliable and valuable instrument for assessing the level of perceived preparedness among nursing and midwifery students in addressing patient sexual health, a field often neglected in health and holistic care.

Understanding the experiences of PHC nurses in caring for older patients in the post-fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: an exploratory qualitative study.

Objective: To ensure the best possible care, the perspective of PHC nurse work experience during the COVID-19 pandemic should be considered when developing nursing care protocols for older patients who receive PHC services. Method: This exploratory qualitative study was conducted with 18 nurses working continuously in PHC between the first and fifth waves of the pandemic. Semi-structured thematic interviews were undertaken. Qualitative thematic content analysis was conducted to identify and group the themes that emerged from the discourse. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The first topic describes the nurses' experiences of physical and mental suffering in caring for older patients in response to the pandemic. The second topic covers the experience of reorganizing PHC work. The third topic focuses on the difficulties of caring for older patients. The final topic includes issues of support needs for nurses in PHC work. Conclusion: The experience and understanding of PHC nurses in caring for older people during the COVID pandemic should lead to significant changes in the system of nursing care for geriatric patients and in the cooperative role within geriatric care specialist teams. Drawing on the experience of COVID-19, it is necessary to work on the weak points of PHC exposed by the pandemic in order to improve the quality of care and life for geriatric patients.

Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Technology: Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The growing presence of digital technologies in health care requires the health workforce to have proficiency in subjects such as informatics. This has implications in the education of nursing students, as their preparedness to use these technologies in clinical situations is something that course administrators need to consider. Thus, students' attitudes toward technology could be investigated to assess their needs regarding this proficiency. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate attitudes (enthusiasm and anxiety) toward technology among nursing students and to identify factors associated with those attitudes. METHODS: Nursing students at 2 universities in Sweden and 1 university in Poland were invited to answer a questionnaire. Data about attitudes (anxiety and enthusiasm) toward technology, eHealth literacy, electronic device skills, and frequency of using electronic devices and sociodemographic data were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the data. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical inferences. RESULTS: In total, 646 students answered the questionnaire-342 (52.9%) from the Swedish sites and 304 (47.1%) from the Polish site. It was observed that the students' technology enthusiasm (techEnthusiasm) was on the higher end of the Technophilia instrument (score range 1-5): 3.83 (SD 0.90), 3.62 (SD 0.94), and 4.04 (SD 0.78) for the whole sample, Swedish students, and Polish students, respectively. Technology anxiety (techAnxiety) was on the midrange of the Technophilia instrument: 2.48 (SD 0.96), 2.37 (SD 1), and 2.60 (SD 0.89) for the whole sample, Swedish students, and Polish students, respectively. Regarding techEnthusiasm among the nursing students, a negative correlation with age was found for the Swedish sample (P<.001; ρSwedish=-0.201) who were generally older than the Polish sample, and positive correlations with the eHealth Literacy Scale score (P<.001; ρall=0.265; ρSwedish=0.190; ρPolish=0.352) and with the perceived skill in using computer devices (P<.001; ρall=0.360; ρSwedish=0.341; ρPolish=0.309) were found for the Swedish, Polish, and total samples. Regarding techAnxiety among the nursing students, a positive correlation with age was found in the Swedish sample (P<.001; ρSwedish=0.184), and negative correlations with eHealth Literacy Scale score (P<.001; ρall=-0.196; ρSwedish=-0.262; ρPolish=-0.133) and with the perceived skill in using computer devices (P<.001; ρall=-0.209; ρSwedish=-0.347; ρPolish=-0.134) were found for the Swedish, Polish, and total samples and with the semester only for the Swedish sample (P<.001; ρSwedish=-0.124). Gender differences were found regarding techAnxiety in the Swedish sample, with women exhibiting a higher mean score than men (2.451, SD 1.014 and 1.987, SD 0.854, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights nursing students' techEnthusiasm and techAnxiety, emphasizing correlations with various factors. With health care's increasing reliance on technology, integrating health technology-related topics into education is crucial for future professionals to address health care challenges effectively. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/14643.

"What kind of general practitioner do I need for smoking cessation?" Results from a qualitative study in Poland.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease. Thus, all activities aiming to reduce smoking play an important role in improving population health. The positive role of the general practitioner (GP) in smoking cessation could increase the success rate for quitting smoking, if compared with unassisted cessation. The aim of this study was to determine what kind of general practitioner smokers need in order to stop smoking. METHODS: Four focus groups with 12 current and 12 former smokers (aged 20-59, 11 women and 13 men), were arranged in the city of Torun, Poland, with a view to describe their opinions on the GP's role in smoking cessation. The data were subjected to descriptive qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Two major themes emerged in the analysis: the smokers' positive and negative experiences of the GP in smoking cessation and their expectations regarding the role of the GP in smoking cessation. The first theme embraced the following subthemes: (1) GP's passivity, (2) routine questions about the patient's smoking during the visit, (3) lack of time during the visit, and (4) the role model of the GP in smoking cessation. Within the second theme, the respondents identified the following subthemes: (1) bringing up the topic of smoking cessation, even in situations when the patient is unprepared for this; (2) the necessity of a tailored approach to the patient; (3) access to information and evidence confirming the harms of smoking tobacco; (4) prescription of pharmacological and other treatment; and (5) referral to specialists in smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients expect their GP to actively participate in smoking cessation through a more tailored approach to the patient's needs. The patients' experiences did not match their expectations: the smokers rarely got advice on smoking cessation from their GPs. Finally, they emphasized the importance of the GP as a role model in smoking cessation.

Understanding satisfaction and dissatisfaction of patients with telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory qualitative study in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare organizations had to face challenging circumstances and modify the usual modality of service provision, introducing telehealth services in their routine patient care to lessen the risk of direct human-to-human exposure. Patients expressed concerns about personal visits to healthcare units and the possibility of accessing telemedicine turned out to be an effective tool for the continuity of care. Due to the limited experience with telemedicine before the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, we sought to fill this gap by studying the experiences of Polish patients. Our study aimed to understand how patients define satisfaction and dissatisfaction with telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic in primary care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty semi-structured interviews with primary care patients in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland were conducted to understand satisfaction with telemedicine. Interview transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The qualitative content analysis process involved familiarizing ourselves with the data, extracting text regarding satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the teleconsultation, condensing it into meaningful units assigning codes to them, and organizing codes into subcategories and categories. The entire analysis process was done through reflection and discussion until a consensus was reached between the researchers. RESULTS: From the participants' perspective, satisfaction with telemedicine was associated with receiving enough space to express their concerns. It was reported that they trusted their primary care physicians and felt comfortable during telemedicine consultations. Participants noted that connecting with a known, trusted doctor was more important than having a face-to-face visit with an unfamiliar physician. In our study, the participants equated satisfaction with treatment effectiveness. It was emphasized that in the event of unknown or unstable conditions, patients would prefer to be seen in person and receive a physical examination. CONCLUSION: In our research telemedicine met with a positive reception and was recognized by the majority of patients who made use of it as a valuable channel of contact with a primary care physician. In order to increase the level of patient satisfaction, the focus should be on improving aspects such as physician engagement and showing empathy during telemedicine, as well as providing complete, exhaustive information on the treatment process. Respecting patient needs and preferences during performing telemedicine visits is the goal of patient-centered care.

A Qualitative Study of Primary Care Physicians' Experiences with Telemedicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic in North-Eastern Poland.

(1) Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, primary care clinics quickly moved to provide medical consultations via telemedicine, however, information about primary care professionals' perspectives is limited. (2) Methods: Thirty semi-structured interviews with primary care professionals working in north-eastern Poland were conducted to assess their perspectives regarding the benefits and challenges of telemedicine. (3) Results: Primary care professionals highlighted that telemedicine increases access to medical services and reduces travel inconvenience. Remote consultation is not as time-consuming as in-person visits, which enables the provision of medical services to a greater number of patients which is particularly important in primary care. The inability to see patients and loss of non-verbal communication represent a significant difficulty in providing remote care. Primary care professionals indicated patients are not always able to express themselves sufficiently in a telephone call, which leads to performing medical consultations inefficiently. Physicians also pointed out that in particular medical cases, physical contact is still necessary to reach an accurate diagnosis and give the necessary treatment. Statements of the study participants also show that primary care professionals are satisfied with providing medical advice with telemedicine and show their interest in continuing remote consultation in the post-COVID era. (4) Conclusions: Primary care professionals have moved towards incorporating telemedicine into their daily routines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the many difficulties encountered, healthcare professionals have also noticed the benefits of telemedicine, especially during challenging circumstances. The study shows telemedicine to be a valuable tool in caring for patients, although it should be emphasized that face-to-face consultations cannot be fully replaced by remote consultations.