Work anxiety factors, coronavirus anxiety and job satisfaction of Polish nurses facing COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

BACKGROUND: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, as in past disasters and emergencies, nurses around the world play an important role. What is more, the unprecedented pressure exerted by the pandemic on healthcare systems in every country brings big challenges to nurses, which may affect their well-being, work efficacy and job satisfaction. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of the presented studies was to describe anxiety factors related to the work of nurses during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic; to assess the intensity of coronavirus anxiety and job satisfaction experienced by nurses at that time; to assess predictors of job satisfaction of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic; to assess the differences in the intensity of job satisfaction and coronavirus anxiety depending on the selected variables related to their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Anonymous questionnaire surveys were conducted online among the participants between 23 June 2020 and 23 March 2022 in Poland. PARTICIPANTS: 433 nurses from 15 Polish provinces were included in the studies (age range 22-68; M = 41.63). Nursing seniority M = 18.6. METHODS: The studies were based on: Satisfaction with Job Scale (SSP), Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), and a self-report structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The most respondents indicated that they were afraid of becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 (25.4 %), transmitting infection to the family (22.4 %), becoming sick with COVID-19 and experiencing health complications (6.7 %) and of excessive work responsibilities and physical fatigue (6.5 %). Based on the bivariate correlation, it can be concluded that job satisfaction of the respondents during the COVID-19 pandemic was on an average level (M = 19.9); coronavirus anxiety was on an average level (M = 4.9), and stress at work was on a high level (M = 7.1). Coronavirus anxiety did not constitute statistically significant predictors of job satisfaction of subjects studied during the pandemic (SE = 0,048; ß = 0,05; p = 0.942). CONCLUSIONS: Coronavirus anxiety wasn't associated with job satisfaction of nurses directly. Job satisfaction of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic was likely to be shaped by a range of different factors. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: In Polish nurses coronavirus anxiety was average and wasn't associated with their job satisfaction.

Profiles of Occupational Burnout in the Group of Representatives of High-Risk Professions in Poland.

(1) Background: Working in a high-risk profession is associated with taking on a large responsibility and risking loss of health or life. These professions include, among others, air traffic controllers, firefighters, and ECDs. People working in these professions are particularly vulnerable to experiencing high levels of stress and developing professional burnout syndrome. The aim of the conducted research was to assess the external and internal differences in the intensity of occupational burnout dimensions among representatives of high-risk occupations and to distinguish burnout profiles among them. (2) Methods: The total number of participants working in high-risk occupations who took part in the study was N = 1239, including the following job positions: air traffic controllers (n = 107), firefighters (n = 580), and ECDs (n = 558). The respondents completed the following self-report questionnaires: a structured survey and the Link Burnout Questionnaire. The following statistical tests were performed: cluster analysis, analysis of variance, and chi-square test of independence. (3) Results: The highest intensity of burnout dimensions was presented by representatives of ECDs. Profiles reflecting the types of occupational burnout were distinguished. The representatives of air traffic controllers demonstrated the following profiles: 1-low risk of burnout with a component of psychophysical exhaustion; 2-exhausted with a moderate tendency to disappointment; 3-burned out, ineffective, and uninvolved. The profiles of the ECDs were: 4-engaged, with a reduced sense of effectiveness; 5-with a reduced sense of effectiveness; 6-burned out with a low sense of effectiveness. However, the profiles of the firefighters were: 7-not burned out; 8-at risk of burnout; 9-exhausted with a tendency towards disappointment. Individuals representing the various burnout profiles differed in terms of the severity of the dimensions of occupational burnout as well as sociodemographic and work-related characteristics. (4) Conclusions: The process of occupational burnout varies among people in various high-risk occupations and due to sociodemographic characteristics. The internal differentiation of people representing high-risk professions requires different psychological interventions and preventive measures.

Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire: structure and psychometric properties.

BACKGROUND: Flexibility in coping relies on applying a coping strategy that is appropriate to the circumstances. Individuals who are flexible in coping exhibit sensitivity to subtle signals sent by the environment. Therefore, they are able to adjust their behaviour accordingly and function in a more adaptive manner. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: The study included N = 1535 participants. The following methods were used: the Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire (FCSQ-14) and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI). RESULTS: The Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire measures flexibility as a feature of the process of coping with which an individual applies coping strategies. The Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire is an accurate and reliable method of measuring coping flexibility and three of its subscales: the Repertoire of coping strategies, the Changeability of their use, and Reflexivity. CONCLUSIONS: The Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire examines three subscales of flexibility, namely, Repertoire of coping strategies, Changeability, and Reflexivity. This measurement is accurate and reliable. The questionnaire is applied to the study of persons exposed to severe or chronic stress at work, when we want to assess the individual's ability to change their functioning in a stressful situation. It can be used to examine healthy and somatically ill people, in the area of research and clinical diagnosis.

Cognitive flexibility and flexibility in coping in nurses - the moderating role of age, seniority and the sense of stress.

OBJECTIVES: The nursing profession entails many stressful situations and challenges, such as heavy workload, shift work, emotional demands and professional conflicts. In the light of the results of the research conducted so far, flexible coping has occurred to be highly adaptive, as its association with adaptive struggle with the disease, fewer depressive symptoms and both greater mental well-being and better health have been proven. In connection with the above, the aim of this study was to determine the nature of the relationship between cognitive flexibility and flexibility in coping in nurses, taking into account the moderating role of age of the respondents, seniority and the sense of stress. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study sample consisted of 280 persons working as nurses (age range: 21-66). The number of women and men reflected their percentage distribution in this profession, as it is highly feminized. The following methods were used in the study: the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) by Dennis and Vander Wal, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) by Cohen et al., the Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire (FCSQ-14) by Basinska et al., and a self-developed survey. RESULTS: As the obtained research results show, cognitive flexibility in both the Control and Alternatives subscales was a predictor of flexible coping and their subscales. The analysis revealed that the model of the relationship between cognitive flexibility and flexibility in coping was moderated by age, seniority and the sense of stress. CONCLUSIONS: Coping skills and flexibility are positively correlated with the psychological adjustment of nurses. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(4):507-21.

[Teachers' humor and its relationships with chronic fatigue - the mediating role of the sense of stress at work]. / Humor nauczycieli i jego zwiazki z przewleklym zmeczeniem ­ mediacyjna rola poczucia stresu w pracy.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, many scientific studies, both in Poland and in the world, have proven that teaching is considered a profession with a high level of stress. The experience of prolonged stress and a lack of abilities to meet challenges can lead to the occurrence of chronic fatigue in teachers. Of key importance in coping with stress are personal resources, which include humor described by humor styles and coping humor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 166 teachers (145 women and 21 men) aged 23-67 (M = 43.02, SD = 9.98). The following tools were used in the research: the Coping Humor Scale (CHS), the Humor Style Questionnaire (HSQ), the Sense of Stress at Work (PSS-10P) (the Polish modification of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale - PSS-10), the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS20R) and a personal questionnaire. RESULTS: In the light of the research, teachers were characterized by a medium level of the sense of stress at work, coping humor and chronic fatigue. Affiliative and self-enhancing styles dominated in this group. The more often teachers used the affiliative and self-enhancing styles, the less likely they were to experience chronic fatigue. The sense of stress at work mediated the relationship between the positive dimensions of humor and chronic fatigue and its dimensions. In contrast, aggressive and self-deprecating humor styles were not associated with chronic fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: It can be hypothesized that positive humor protects against chronic fatigue. The sense of stress at work plays an important role in explaining this relationship. Med Pr. 2019;70(3):343-61.

[Coping humor for the relationship between a sense of stress at work and job satisfaction]. / Radzenie sobie przez humor dla relacji miedzy stresem w pracy a satysfakcja zawodowa.

BACKGROUND: Humor is considered as a personal resource that allows individuals to effectively deal with stressful situations at work by reducing tension and perceiving the situation as less threatening. By reducing stress, humor contributes to increased job satisfaction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 201 professionally active participants (113 women and 88 men) aged 19-60 years old were qualified for the study - the average age in the study group was 37.76 years (SD = 12.04). The study was conducted for 1 month (at the turn of February and March 2017). The following methods were used in the research: Coping Humor Scale (CHS), Satisfaction with Job Scale (SSP), Sense of Stress at Work Scale (PSS-10-P) and own survey. RESULTS: Humor coping with stress partially mediates the relationship between a sense of stress at work and job satisfaction. It is associated with less tension at work and greater job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Coping humor with stress increases the individual adaptation capacity in the face of stress at work, by shifting the perspective, distancing from problems at work and changing stressors appraisal as less threatening. Med Pr 2018;69(6):621-631.