Reliability and validity of the polish version of the vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS).

Our aim was to assess the psychometric properties and reliability of a Polish version of the VASS. This cross-sectional validation study involved 228 patients above 65 years of age. Authors-Designed Questionnaire, the Geriatric Depression Scale, and the Activities of Daily Living Scale were used to assess construct validity. Psychometric properties, reliability and repeatability were assessed. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the VASS scale was 0.89. Almost all items showed a high correlation value in relation to the others (R > 0.45). A high coefficient of repeatability and narrow limits of agreement were observed in the Bland-Altman analysis. All items analyzed had excellent intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC>0.9) and weighted kappa (κ > 0.9) scores. Very strong, significant correlations with other tools confirm the accuracy of the VASS scale. Our research shows promising validity and reliability Polish version of the VASS scale to assess the risk of elder abuse and neglect.

The Impact of Motor Disability and the Level of Fatigue on Adherence to Therapeutic Recommendations in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Treated with Immunomodulation.

Aim: The aim of the study was to clarify whether the motor disability and the fatigue-related syndrome affect the level of compliance with therapeutic recommendations. Methods: Prospective studies were conducted among 165 patients treated under the drug program - Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) at the Department of Neurology and Clinical Neuroimmunology of the Regional Specialist Hospital in Grudziadz (Poland). The research was carried out by the method of diagnostic survey, questionnaire technique with the use of standardized research tools. The Adherence in Chronic Diseases Scale (ACDS) was used to assess the level of compliance with therapeutic recommendations. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was used to assess the degree of disability, and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) was used to assess the degree of disability. The Chi-square test, Shapiro-Wilk test and Kruskal-Wallis were used. Results: The statistical analysis showed that there is a relationship (p=0.0055) between the patient's motor disability assessed in the EDSS scale and the level of compliance with therapeutic recommendations assessed in the ACDS scale. The higher the patient's disability level (EDSS 4.5-6.5), the lower the treatment adherence rate. The conducted research shows that the average score in the MFIS scale for individual levels of compliance with therapeutic recommendations expressed in the ACDS scale is, respectively: for the low level - 38.3 MFIS points, for the medium level - 34.4 MFIS points and for the high level- 33.2 MFIS points. The obtained results were not statistically significant (p=0.6098). Conclusion: It was found that the level of adherence to therapeutic recommendations in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treated with immunomodulation in the study group remained high. There is a relationship between the patient's disability and the level of adherence to therapeutic recommendations.

Are Depression and Dementia a Common Problem for Stroke Older Adults? A Review of Chosen Epidemiological Studies.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death in the world. It is often associated with various long-term physical and neuropsychological consequences. The aim of this article is to present the results of research on the occurrence of dementia and post-stroke depression. Using the keywords: post-stroke dementia, post-stroke depression, post-stroke cognitive impairment, stroke, Polish and foreign bibliographic databases were searched: PubMed, Science Direct, Wiley, Google Scholar. Documents that met the eligibility criteria were selected for inclusion in this review. After the conducted analyses, 7 Polish articles and 13 English-language articles were qualified for the review. In the group of people after stroke, there is an increased risk of depression and dementia. According to the data, up to every third person can deal with one of these neuropsychiatric disorders. The presented research analyses indicate that the results obtained by the respondents, at any time after the stroke, indicate the presence of mild cognitive impairment or slight degree dementia among the majority of respondents. It was also shown that people with a stroke in the dominant hemisphere are more likely to experience post-stroke depression. Depression and post-stroke dementia are a common and significant complication of stroke that negatively affects the functional outcome. The huge focus on neuropsychiatric disorders occurring after stroke in modern research is very important because of their negative impact on recovery, quality of life and survival after stroke.

VEGF-A, sVEGFR-1, and sVEGFR-2 in BCR-ABL negative myeloproliferative neoplasms.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Data from the literature indicate the relationship between the bone marrow microvessel density and the blood parameters of angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate selected parameters of angiogenesis (VEGF-A, sVEGFR-1, and sVEGFR-2) and their correlations with white blood cells, platelets, and red blood cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 72 patients (mean age, 61.84 years) with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs): essential thrombocythemia (ET) (n=46), polycythemia vera (PV) (n=19), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF) (n=7). Serum VEGF-A, sVEGFR-1, and sVEGFR-2 were determined using the ELISA assay. RESULTS: We observed a significantly higher level of VEGF-A and reduced concentrations of sVEGFR-1 and sVEGFR-2 in the whole group of patients with MPNs as compared to controls. Detailed analysis confirmed significantly higher level of VEGF-A and lower concentration of sVEGFR-2 in each subgroups of MPNs patients. However, sVEGFR-1 concentrations were significantly lower only in PV and ET patients. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed an increased level of VEGF-A, which may indicate the intensity of neoangiogenesis in the bone marrow. Decreased sVEGFR-1 and sVEGFR-2 in the blood of patients with MPNs may reflect consumption of these soluble receptors.

Influence of ulceration etiology on the global quality of life and its specific dimensions, including the control of pain, in patients with lower limb vascular insufficiency.

INTRODUCTION: The results of previous studies suggest that the quality of life in patients with lower limb ulcerations is markedly poorer than in the general population - with regard to physical, mental and social spheres. This complex character of that parameter necessitates comprehensive analyses of its specific aspects, including the level of the acceptance of illness and associated pain symptoms. AIM: To compare the quality of life and its specific dimensions in patients with lower limb ulcerations of various etiology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with the ulcerations resulting from venous (n = 101) or arterial pathologies (n = 98), or having mixed etiology (n = 99) were examined with the: 1) Skindex-29 instrument, 2) Acceptance of Illness Scale, 3) Beliefs about Pain Control Questionnaire, and 4) Coping Strategy Questionnaire. RESULTS: The average quality of life related to physical symptoms was significantly higher in patients with venous ulcerations. Patients with ulcerations of arterial etiology more frequently used catastrophizing, and less often ignored pain sensations, used coping self-statements, and increased their activity levels; they were characterized by lower levels of control and poorer ability to decrease the pain. The internal locus of pain control increased proportionally to the global quality of life scores and levels of illness acceptance. Control over pain and ability to decrease the pain were more effective in individuals who used ignoring pain sensations, increasing the activity level, coping self-statements, and reinterpreting pain than in those using catastrophizing or praying and hoping strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Physical complaints seem to be the basic determinant of the quality of life in patients with the lower limb ulceration, irrespective of its etiology.

Assessment and Determinants of Spinal Pain in the Course of Disc Disorders Treated Surgically.

BACKGROUND Intervertebral disc disease is defined as a complex of structural changes in the aftermath of disorders of mutual elements, the structure of which form the discus intervertebralis and the spinal canal. The present work assessed pain in patients who were surgically treated due to spinal discopathy and analyzed factors that determine the condition. MATERIAL AND METHODS The research was carried on a group of 187 patients diagnosed with discopathy of the lumbosacral and cervical segment. The data are discussed in the context of medical records and the Visual Analogue Scale used for pain assessment. We used a prospective study plan with a 3-time assessment. RESULTS The pain level observed among patients prior to the procedure (M=6.52) was higher than after 7 days (M=3.15) and 6 months from the operation (M= 3.45). The highest level of pain (M=6.88), with a relatively high consistency among the patients (SD=2.25), was observed in the case of left-side hernia (H=7.31; p=0.023). The influence of the analyzed factors on pain experience markedly increased by the third assessment (R2=0.14), and was strongly associated with the type of work performed by the patient. CONCLUSIONS Surgical operation significantly reduces pain in patients with disc disorders. The level of pain is predominantly affected by the location of the hernia and the type of work performed by the patient.

Health behaviour of miners.

BACKGROUND: What significantly affects the health of an individual health behaviour. It is of particular importance in the case of people working in very harsh environmental conditions. The aim of this study is to examine health behaviour among miners. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research data was collected with the use of the diagnostic survey method based on the Health Behaviour Inventory questionnaire developed by Juczynski. Two hundred coal miners were surveyed. The results obtained were subjected to a statistical analysis. A significance level of p < 0.05 was assumed, which indicates the occurrence of statistically significant differences or relations. RESULTS: The level of health behaviour among miners may be determined as medium and low. The research group obtained the best results with regard to their mental attitude, while their preventive behaviour received the worst evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: The research confirms the necessity of implementing health promotion programmes among miners, which would be focusing particularly on health behaviour.

Quality of life in patients with leg ulcers or skin lesions - a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Attempts to determine the quality of life are advisable in patients with ulcers as the group affected with this problem is relatively large. According to one Polish randomized trial, approximately 0.3-2% of the adult population suffers from active or healed venous ulcers. AIM: To compare the quality of life of patients with leg ulcers of venous and arterial etiology and those with lower limb skin lesions due to chronic venous insufficiency. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 90 consecutive patients with ulcers of venous (n = 30) or arterial etiology (n = 30), or patients with trophic disorders of the skin associated with chronic venous insufficiency (n = 30) treated at the Venous Ulceration Outpatient Clinic and at the Department and Clinic of General Surgery, Dr. J. Biziel Memorial University Hospital No. 2, in Bydgoszcz. This study was designed as a questionnaire survey and included the Skindex-29 instrument for the assessment of quality of life in patients with dermatological conditions. RESULTS: Overall, the global Skinndex-29 scores of all studied participants ranged between 37 and 136 points, 23.93 points on average. The analyzed groups of patients differed significantly with respect to the average level of the global quality of life determined using the Skindex-29 questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences were observed in the global quality of life of patients who suffered from venous or arterial leg ulcers or skin lesions resulting from chronic venous insufficiency.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Polish Healthcare Staff in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many adverse phenomena, particularly in the area of health for both individuals and society as a whole. Healthcare staff also suffered dire consequences. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess whether the COVID-19 pandemic increased the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among healthcare professionals in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The survey was conducted between 4 April 2022 and 4 May 2022. The study applied the Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique using the standardised Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) questionnaire. RESULTS: The average score obtained by the respondents on the PDI was 21.24 ± 8.97. There was a statistically significant difference between the average PDI score obtained based on the gender of the subject (Z = 3.873, p = 0.0001.) The score obtained amongst nurses was statistically significantly higher compared to the paramedic group (H = 6.998, p = 0.030). There was no statistically significant difference between the average PDI score obtained based on the age of the participants (F = 1.282, p = 0.281), nor with their length of service (F = 0.934, p = 0.424). A total of 82.44% of the respondents received 14 PDI points, the cut-off point indicating the risk of PTSD that was adopted in the study. It was concluded that 6.12% of respondents did not require intervention (<7 PDI score); 74.28% of respondents needed further follow-up for PTSD and a reassessment of the PDI approximately 6 weeks after the initial testing; and 19.59% required coverage for PTSD prevention and mitigation (>28 PDI score). CONCLUSIONS: The study has shown a high risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among healthcare professionals in Poland. This risk is related to the gender of the respondents, with an indication of a higher risk of PTSD among women. The results have also shown a correlation between increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and occupation, with nurses being the most affected group. In contrast, no association has been found in terms of age and length of service for an increase in the risk of PTSD, following exposure to trauma in relation to healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quality of life and its selected determinants in the group of patients with surgically treated spinal tumors.

Introduction: Spinal metastases are a common manifestation of advanced neoplastic disease. Destructive neoplastic lesions within the axial skeleton cause unrelieved pain and nervous system disorders involving spinal stenosis and other neural structures. The development of new systemic therapies, radiotherapy and minimally invasive spinal surgeries has increased patients' quality of life by minimising pain and neurological disorders due to vertebral neoplastic infiltration. The aim of the study was to assess the patients' quality of life before and after spine stabilisation surgery with spinal cord decompression to relieve the pressure associated with neoplastic destruction. Materials and Methods: The study involved 115 subjects with spinal metastases in the preoperative period and 3-4 months after the surgery based on the inclusion criteria (metastatic spinal tumour, sensorimotor dysfunction). The data were collected using the following tools: the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL-Rotterdam Symptom Checklist), Acceptance Illness Scale (AIS scale), Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL scale) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The correlation coefficient was calculated using Spearman's rho assuming the significance level at α = 0.05 (p<0.05). Results: A higher quality of life was found after surgery (p<0.001) in terms of experiencing physical symptoms (30.7 ± 11.96 points before surgery vs. 20.91 ± 13.00 points after surgery) and psychological symptoms (43.98 ± 14.82 points before surgery vs. 31.35 ± 14.86 points after surgery). The activity level of the subjects also improved (p<0.001; 36.56 ± 22.43 points to 43.55 ± 20.40 points). The level of disease acceptance in the study group was higher after the surgery compared to the preoperative assessment. The subjects with a high level of disease acceptance presented a higher quality of life postoperatively. The independence of the subjects in performing everyday activities after the operation influenced the quality of life, in terms of somatic symptoms (p=0.006), mental symptoms (p=0.001) and activity (p<0.001). Along with the improvement in functional capacity, the quality of life in terms of symptoms and activity levels increased. Conclusion: The study showed that spinal cord decompression surgery improves the quality of life of patients by reducing neurological dysfunction, increasing the acceptance of the disease and the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL). Sociodemographic variables did not affect the quality of life of the respondents.

How Does Aphasia Affect Quality of Life? Preliminary Reports.

Aphasia leads to disability, which, in turn, limits and can result in a complete breakdown of roles and social bonds. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of aphasia disorders on the quality of life of patients after an ischemic stroke. A prospective study among 116 patients with an ischemic stroke (the study group: 68 participants, 38.25% female, included patients with aphasia after a stroke; the control group: 48 patients, 37.5% female, without aphasia) was conducted at the Neurological Department of the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Wloclawek. The patients were assessed twice: the first assessment was conducted during hospitalization using the Aphasia Dynamics Assessment Scale and the Aphasia Test Method of Jadwiga Szumska, and the second assessment of the quality of life after six months was conducted using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. The patients from the control group rated their overall quality of life more highly than the patients from the study group. Statistically significant differences were observed in the physical domain, the psychological domain, and the environmental domain. The analysis of sociodemographic factors indicated a negative impact on the quality of life of the following variables: female gender, 55-64 years of age, vocational education, and place of residence-rural area. The degree and type of aphasia influenced the overall quality of life. Studies with larger samples are necessary.

Significant Interactions between Adipokines and Vitamin D Combined with the Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate: A Geriatric Case Study.

Vitamin D deficiency is an important issue in the worldwide population, especially in older people. According to the World Health Organization data, in 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be 60 years old or older. The main storage site for vitamin D is adipose tissue. Further, 25(OH)D regulates the expression of adipogenic genes and apoptosis of adipocytes and directly influences the secretion of the appetite-regulating hormone-leptin. Thus, we investigated the impact of the serum concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, omentin, ghrelin, visfatin, and biochemical parameters on vitamin D and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in geriatric females. Our studies indicate that the leptin, visfatin and ghrelin are linked with vitamin D concentration and the eGFR rate in the geriatric females. (1) Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common in older people, and researchers are looking for a link between vitamin D deficiency and the occurrence of diseases in advanced age. The study aimed to evaluate the association between serum 25(OH)D levels and clinical variables in older females. (2) Methods: We investigated the impact of the serum concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, omentin, ghrelin, visfatin, and biochemical parameters on vitamin D and estimated the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in 74 geriatric females. (3) Results: We observed a significantly higher concentration of creatinine and visfatin in the G2 stage (eGFR = 60-89 mL/min./1.73 m2). We performed an additional analysis to exclude the effect of vitamin D supplementation and obtained a significantly higher vitamin D concentration in the G2 stage. We found significantly lower vitamin D concentrations in older people. In addition, in a person with low levels of vitamin D, we observed significantly lower levels of albumin and ghrelin. Older patients (80 to 89 years old) had significantly lower levels of vitamin D, albumin, insulin, HOMA-IR, and ghrelin than younger patients (60 to 69 years old). Spearman's correlations performed to examine the relationship between clinical variables seemed to confirm previous results. According to ROC curve analysis, leptin concentration was the strongest predictor of vitamin D fluctuations (the area under the curve, AUC = 0.685; with 79.5% sensitivity and 51.4% specificity; p = 0.0291). However, visfatin reached the most accurate AUCROC = 0.651 with 84.2% sensitivity and 49.1% specificity for predicting effects on eGFR. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that serum levels of leptin, visfatin, and ghrelin are linked with vitamin D concentration and the eGFR rate in the population of geriatric females.

Analysis of the Level of Stress and Methods of Coping with Stress among the Nursing Staff.

In general, "stress" is the reaction of the body to mental and physical demands placed on it. Stress disrupts mental balance, and reduces the ability to work and function, which negatively affects the performance of duties. The aim of this study was to analyse the level of stress and ways of coping with it among nursing staff. The study covered 220 nurses employed at the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Wloclawek. The research tool was the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the Brief-COPE. The results of this survey showed the occurrence of average and high levels of experiencing stress in 36% and 40%of staff, respectively. Brief-COPE scale results show that substance use/gender (men) and use of emotional support/place of work (internal medicine department) are significant at p < 0.01. Considering the impact of the workplace on the use of psychoactive substances, it can be seenthat people working in the surgical ward are more likely to use psychoactive substances. Furthermore, nurses in the surgical ward find it easier to think and plan what to do when faced with a difficult life situation. Most often, the respondents with the highest work experience, i.e., the elderly, declared a return to religion. The results of the research indicate that the nursing community experiences stress to an average or significant degree. The strategies are mainly based on active coping and seeking emotional and instrumental support. Further research is needed in this field. This study was not pre-registered on a publicly accessibly registry.

Burnout Levels in Nurses and Associated Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Previous studies have shown that sudden changes in the nature of nursing work and their work environment related to the COVID-19 pandemic have affected the professional experience of nurses, and consequently led to an increase in professional burnout in this professional group. Thus, the aim of the study was to measure occupational burnout among nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. A cross-sectional study was conducted with pediatric and surgery female nurses (N = 110, mean age 51 ± 6.92) from the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Wloclawek, Poland. The participants completed the Link Burnout Questionnaire (LBQ) and the Socio-Demographic Questionnaire (SDQ). The data were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation and Mann-Whitney U test. The study showed that high burnout affected 6.4% of nurses. The level of professional burnout for the subscales of psychophysical exhaustion, relationship deterioration, professional inefficacy and disappointment was 28.2%, 26.4%, 11.8% and 13%, respectively (mean score: 19.85 ± 6.51, 18.03 ± 5.15, 13.74 ± 4.07 and 17.61 ± 5.85, respectively). The results show that surgical nurses were statistically more likely to experience professional burnout. In sum, burnout among nurses has become a serious problem, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why it is so important to continue research in this area. Hospital management needs to take urgent action to address the systemic and professional issues that contribute to the suboptimal mental health of nurses.

The influence of selected demographic factors and wound location on the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) in the wound healing process after neurosurgery: brief report.

The main aim of the work was to estimate the influence of selected demographic factors and wound location on the concentration of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) in patients after neurosurgical operations. The study included 20 adult patients who received a surgical treatment because of degenerative spine changes. Measurements of the concentration of the VEGF-A in the patients' blood serum were taken three times (the first time--before the operation; the second time--during the first 24 hours after surgery; and the third time--between the fifth and the seventh day after the operation). No statistically significant correlation between the concentration of VEGF-A in the patients' blood serum before and after the operation was noted. A statistically significant correlation between the concentration of VEGF-A in the individual measurements was found. It can be concluded that people with a higher concentration of VEGF-A before surgery obtained a higher concentration of VEGF-A in the measurements taken after the operation. There is a statistically significant link between the patient's age and the concentration of VEGF-A during the immediate postoperative period (the older the patient, the higher the level of VEGF-A is observed).

Functional Capacity Scale as a new tool for early functional assessment in patients after surgical treatment of intracranial aneurysms: a prospective study involving 128 patients.

BACKGROUND: Functional assessment of a patient focuses on the assessment of independence in activities of daily living. The aim of the study was to verify the usefulness of a new tool (Functional Capacity Scale - FCS) for early functional assessment of patients after surgical treatment of an intracranial aneurysm. MATERIAL/METHODS: The study was conducted in the Neurosurgical Department and Clinic, CM in Bydgoszcz, NCU, within a group of 128 patients after surgical treatment of an intracranial aneurysm. Direct observation and measurement were used in the study. In clinical assessment, the Hunt and Hess Scale was applied. For the final functional assessment, the Functional Capacity Scale (FCS), the Glasgow Outcome Scale, the Functional Index "Repty", the Barthel Index, and the Rankin Scale were used. RESULTS: The study shows that on the day of discharge almost 60% of patients are independent or slightly dependent on others for functional capability, and 15% are significantly or totally dependent. FCS significantly correlates with FIR (0.93, p<0.001), GOS (0.89, p<0.01), RS (-0.88, p<0.01) and BI (0.82, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: 1. Fifty percent of patients with intracranial aneurysm assessed at the early postoperative stage leave the ward as functionally capable of performing everyday activities. 2. There are significant correlations between FCS and the other scales used for functional assessment. 3. There is a significant relationship between functional capacity of the patient on the day of discharge and clinical condition before the surgical treatment.

Nicotine Dependence and the Level of Motivation for Ceasing Smoking in the Case of Patients Undergoing Vascular Surgeries Versus the Optimisation of Perioperative Care-Pilot Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is one of key risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, including abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and carotid artery disease (CAD). Despite attempts being made to make the society aware of the consequences of passive and active smoking, as well as worldwide and nationwide epidemiologic research reflecting the scale of the problem, there are still a lot of smokers. AIM: The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between the degree of addiction and the level of motivation for ceasing smoking in the case of patients before vascular surgery. Furthermore, to point out factors that have a significant impact on the level of nicotine dependence and motivation for ceasing smoking. METHODS: The survey included patients qualified for vascular surgeries. The patients were active smokers: 69.3% men and 30.7% women. The survey was conducted in the form of a questionnaire based on standard research tools: the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), the Test of Motivation for Ceasing Smoking by Nina Schneider, and the original questionnaire aimed at collecting social and demographic data. RESULTS: Most patients showed a high or moderate degree of nicotine dependence: 46.5% and 40.6%, respectively. An average nicotine dependence ratio based on the Fagerström test was 6.23 ± 2.39. An average motivation for the ceasing smoking ratio was 4.88 ± 2.76. Only 34.7% of the patients had a high motivation for ceasing smoking. Over half of the patients (61.4%) attempted to cease smoking in the past. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients undergoing vascular surgeries showed a high or moderate degree of nicotine dependence and low motivation to quit smoking. The greater the addiction to nicotine, the lower the motivation to quit smoking. Social and demographic factors do not affect the degree of nicotine addiction and the motivation to quit smoking. Years of smoking had an impact on the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Correction: Validation of a Polish version of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale: Do moderate psychometric properties affect its clinical utility?

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249211.].

Characteristics of Occupational Burnout among Nurses of Various Specialties and in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic-Review.

Occupational burnout is particularly common among nurses due to their work being associated with stress, showing understanding, compassion, and commitment, along with the simultaneous need to maintain the necessary emotional distance. The aim of this review was to assess the occurrence and characterization of burnout among nurses working within neurology, geriatric care, intensive care units and with patients infected with the novel COVID-19 virus. PRISMA guidelines were used to conduct the review. The search for literature was limited to articles meeting the inclusion criteria and published from 2017 to 2022 in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Wiley. A total of 768 articles from this category have been found. Ultimately, after in-depth analysis, 20 articles were included in the study. The group of respondents ranged from 49 to 3100 participants. According to the data, the percentages of nurses suffering from burnout in the presented research ranged from 14.3% to 84.7%, with the highest value of burnout among nurses who worked in the ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are certain factors among nurses that significantly affect the occurrence of burnout. These include, among others, working time, age, exposure to infection and contact with infected patients, lack of training on COVID-19 prevention, providing care to an increased number of COVID-19 patients per shift, lack of personal protective equipment, lack of support of administration, lack of pay satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and turnover intention.

Analysis of job burnout, satisfaction and work-related depression among neurological and neurosurgical nurses in Poland: A cross-sectional and multicentre study.

AIM: This study investigated the status of job burnout, work-related depression and job satisfaction among neurological and neurosurgical nurses in Poland. DESIGN: A cross-sectional and multicentre study. METHODS: The sample consisted of 206 neurological and neurosurgical nurses, all of whom completed a self-report questionnaire designed by the authors. RESULTS: The results revealed a work-related burnout incidence of 32%, colleague-related burnout incidence of 44.2% and patient-related burnout incidence of 22.8%. Nurses working in neurological departments were statistically over three times more likely to struggle with colleague-related burnout than nurses working in neurosurgical departments were. Further, work-related burnout was higher in people aged above 54 years than those in the youngest age category. Nonetheless, 71.8% of the nurses expressed satisfaction with their work. In sum, our results indicated that job burnout is common among registered nurses and that personal (age) and workplace (type of ward, distance to work, experience and shift work) factors contributed to symptoms of burnout.