Psychosocial aspect of quality of life among working and unemployed nurses and midwives.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to explain differences in the subjective evaluation of the psychological and social aspects of quality of life in a group of working and unemployed nurses and midwives. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The survey was conducted in a group of 620 professionally-active and inactive people (315 nurses and 305 midwives), selected by random stratified-systematic sampling. The tool used to gather empirical material was the standardized questionnaire WHOQoL-100. RESULTS: Professionally-active nurses evaluated the mental domain less favourably (M=12.33), compared with unemployed nurses (M=12.73), and the difference between average values was statistically significant (p=.043). It is also worth noting that in the group of midwives there were significant differences in each discussed domain. The unemployed respondents evaluated more positively the overall quality of life (M=14.29; p=.005) and the mental domain (M=12.85; p=.009), while the social domain was evaluated less favourably by the professionally-active midwives (M=12.73; p=.022). CONCLUSIONS: Paradoxically, those who were unemployed made slightly more positive evaluations in comparison with the professionally active. Professional work is not a factor preferably affecting the quality of life and its psychosocial dimension. The higher quality of life of the unemployed respondents may result from the buffering impact of social support.

The influence of passive and active moral training on medical university on changes of students' moral competence index - results from randomized single blinded trial.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Human's life as well as medical professions consist of many moral dilemmas. The aim of our study was to evaluate moral competences of midwifery students during their whole university education (3 year course) based on their moral competences C-index. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We performed randomized single blinded 3-year follow-up trial of 72 midwifery students. Standard Moral Judgment Test (MJT) By Georg Lind was used accompanied by own questionnaire. Moral competences were calculated (C-index) according to Lind's methodology. Subjects were also divided into active and passive ethics training to search for differences. RESULTS: C-index varied during studies insignificant (p=0.14). Randomized groups were equal at the beginning point, no significant differences were noticed. Active ethics teaching did not increase C-index compared to controls in all measuring points (P1-P4, respectively p=0,41 and p=0,38). CONCLUSIONS: During 3 year studies at medical university moral competences measured by C-index varied insignificantly, but simultaneously the change in C-index was dependent on its value at the beginning of the trial. There was not statistically significant influence of active ethic's teaching compared to controls. Among social factors parents have strongest influence on students' morality, but growing role of Medical University in this hierarchy raises hopes for improvement in effectiveness of training in ethics.