Causes and circumstances of accidents at work in the European Union, Slovakia and Czech Republic

There are several challenges in occupational safety and health that need to be addressed. The basic premise is the reduction of occupational accidents in individual sectors. Finding effective tools to reduce them is very challenging. Safety culture is perceived differently in the countries of the European Union. The basic intention of this article is to compare the accidents number in these two countries and in the European Union in selected NACE categories. This comparison is based on the statistical processing of data by NACE category and representation of accident rates in individual industries. The main causes of accidents were identified, which give space for further research in this field a state measures to prevent work accidents to happen or to reduce its numbers

Family - Health - Disease

Praca recenzowana / Peer-reviewed paperThis publication includes opinion and research papers written by authors with academic backgrounds from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. The monograph consists of 14 chapters and the order of them refers to the relationship between the family and the health of its members. The first seven texts concern children’s health problems. The next two concern widely defined issues of nutrition and adult nursing. The next four discuss health issues of the elderly, while the last describes the dilemma of bereaved family members who have to decide about organ donation. The individual chapters show different aspects of family participation in the treatment and care of children, the elderly, the chronically ill, and the disabled. The discussed topics are a part of the wider issue of social medicine. A very important issue is the interdisciplinary problem of interaction between health and illness and their influence on the family, which is on one hand embedded in medical science, while on the other hand it refers to the social sciences, especially family sociology, psychology, pedagogy, and also social policy to some extent. The authors of the monograph also discuss the issue of life quality of the elderly living in domestic environments and the health and social problems they face. The authors also analyse the role of nurses in promoting health, such as immunisation, rational nutrition, and ethical aspects such as the screening of newborns. This monograph is addressed to all who work or want to work with families and support them in the difficult challenges posed by disease. The authors hope the monograph will increase understanding and familiarity with the health problems of relatives

Współczesne kierunki w medycynie prewencyjnej

Praca recenzowana / Peer-reviewed paperTreści artykułów w niniejszej monografii odnoszą czytelnika nie tylko do bardzo różnych kierunków prozdrowotnych, ale także do leczenia schorzeń już występujących. Zamierzeniem autorów było przedstawienie wybranych zagadnień z zakresu profilaktyki prozdrowotnej cukrzycy, otyłości, zaburzeń lipidowych i zmian skórnych, pielęgnacji w tych schorzeniach, a także problemów kosmetologicznych skóry, towarzyszącym tymże zaburzeniom. Autorzy poszczególnych rozdziałów starali się przedstawić poruszane problemy w oparciu o aktualną dokumentację medyczną z nadzieją, że pozwoliło to kompleksowo wyjaśnić poruszane w monografii problemy

Wpływ leczenia niefarmakologicznego na ból u kobiet z nowotworem piersi

Pain is the most dreaded symptom of breast cancer that significantly affects the patient’s quality of life. The aim of this article was to present non-pharmacological interventions used to effectively manage pain in breast cancer patients. This is a review article; studies were researched in the PubMed database. Using the keywords: non-pharmacological AND intervention AND pain AND breast cancer OR breast neoplasms, 6 relevant studies were selected that met the specified criteria on non-pharmacological interventions for pain relief in women with breast cancer. Yoga, acupuncture and electroacupuncture in women with breast cancer appear to be promising non-pharmacological interventions in pain reduction. Other studies on cognitivebehavioral therapy and massage therapies have similarly demonstrated significant reductions in pain in women with breast cancer, whether induced by systemic therapy, hormone therapy, or surgery. Non-pharmacological interventions have been shown to be an appropriate adjunctive alternative in the management of pain in cancer patients, but can be applied alongside standard pharmacological treatment under professional supervision to improve the patient’s quality of life

Self-help group and the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis - Pilot study

Aim: The goal of the pilot study was to compare the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis in the Presov region with or without the support of a self-help group. Design: The character of this pilot study on patients with MS was related to the use of self-help groups and their impact on the assessment of the quality of life of the respondents, with the help of a questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). Methods: The research was carried out in the Prešov region with the help of the standardized WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Ninety-one patients with MS participated in the pilot study (46 respondents attended a self-help group and 35 did not). Results: The groups, when compared, aided by the statistically evaluated WHOQOL-BREF domains, were found to show significant differences in their evaluation of quality of life in three domains: domain one: physical health; domain two: surviving; domain three: social relations. Better scores were achieved in these domains by those who attended a group. In the physical sphere, we noticed significant differences in sleep quality, and sexual satisfaction (p < 0.001), while in social and economic areas, there were significant differences in satisfaction with personal relationships (p < 0.001), and economic circumstances (p < 0.01), self-contentment (p < 0.01), and coping with negative feelings (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with multiple sclerosis can live normal lives provided they are supported by their families, friends, health care professionals, and self-help groups

Jakość życia kobiet z rakiem piersi i wsparcie grup samopomocowych: badanie pilotażowe

Background. Assessment of quality of life (QoL) is important for cancer survival and can be influenced by positive social support. The aim of the study was to compare the QoL of patients with breast cancer in terms of using the support of a self-help group (SG) in relation to quality of life. Material and methods. The research group consisted of 135 respondents, who were the patients with malignant breast cancer. The first comparative sample of respondents, who did not attend the SG, was numbered 70. The second comparative sample of respondents, who attended the SG, consisted of 65 patients. Results. In mental health QoL, body image was rated better in patients who attended the SG; in relationship QoL, positive significance was shown in the sphere of sexual life and social support in the SG patients. In the environmental area, QoL was statistically significant in the availability of health services in favor of the SG patients. When comparing the individual domains of the questionnaire, we found more significant differences in the sphere of mental experience and social relationships for the SG patients. Conclusions. Social intervention has a positive effect on treatment outcome, length of life and the life quality of breast cancer survivors and contributes significantly to coping with changes in social ties, sexual intimacy in marriages and partnerships, family relationships and has a positive effect on improving mental and physical health.Wprowadzenie. Ocena jakości życia (JŻ) jest ważna dla przeżywalności nowotworu i może być kształtowana za sprawą pozytywnego wsparcia społecznego. Celem badania było porównanie jakości życia pacjentek z rakiem piersi w zakresie korzystania ze wsparcia grupy samopomocowej (GS) w odniesieniu do jakości życia. Materiał i metody. Grupa badawcza składała się ze 135 respondentek, które były pacjentkami z nowotworem złośliwym piersi. Pierwsza próba porównawcza respondentek, które nie uczestniczyły w GS, liczyła 70 osób. Druga próba porównawcza respondentek, które uczestniczyły w GS, składała się z 65 pacjentek. Wyniki. Jeśli chodzi o JŻ w aspekcie zdrowia psychicznego, postrzeganie własnego ciała było lepiej oceniane przez te pacjentki, które uczęszczały na spotkania GS, a jeśli chodzi o JŻ w aspekcie relacji, w grupie pacjentek z GS wykazano pozytywne znaczenie w sferze życia seksualnego i wsparcia społecznego. W sferze środowiskowej JŻ była statystycznie znacząco lepsza wśród pacjentek z GS, jeśli chodzi o dostępność świadczeń zdrowotnych. Porównując poszczególne partie kwestionariusza stwierdziliśmy bardziej znaczące różnice w sferze doświadczeń psychicznych i relacji społecznych u pacjentek z GS. Wnioski. Interwencja społeczna ma pozytywny wpływ na wynik leczenia, długość życia i jakość życia osób, które przeżyły raka piersi i znacznie przyczynia się do radzenia sobie ze zmianami więzi społecznych, intymności seksualnej w małżeństwie i związkach partnerskich, relacji rodzinnych, jak również ma pozytywny wpływ na poprawę zdrowia psychicznego i fizycznego

ASSESSMENT OF NURSING STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN CLINICAL SETTINGS – USEFULNESS OF RATING SCALES FOR SUMMATIVE EVALUATION

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the use and effectiveness of a valid and reliable rating scale for summative clinical evaluation of student performance. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods: The study was carried out at two Slovak universities in the academic years of 2015 and 2016. The study sample included performance evaluations of 82 students made by different lecturers using the the Nursing Student Clinical Performance Evaluation Scale (NSCPES), before the practical component of their final examinations. The students’ performances were repeatedly evaluated by five lecturers. This evaluation was compared with the grade point for the students’ clinical performance obtained in the practical component of their final examinations. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-square test, Cohenʼs Kappa, factor analyses, and the p-value < 0.05 was taken to indicate statistical significance for all comparisons. Results: Significant positive correlations were noted between two evaluations – before the final examinations using the NSCPES rating scale, and standard clinical assessment during the final examinations (r = 0.334; p ≤ 0.01). The value of Cohen's Kappa was very low (0.04) and insignificant (p = 0.32), indicating low agreement between the two evaluations. The Slovak version was not conceptually consistent with the original version. In the Slovak version, two originally independent domains (professionalism and ethical principles) were merged into one variable – responsibility and professionalism. Conclusion: The multidimensional nature of clinical practice necessitates the use of a complex of assessment measures. A valid and reliable tool may allow an objective evaluation of nursing student performance in clinical settings. The Nursing Student Clinical Performance Evaluation Scale is useful for summative evaluation of student performance, allowing teachers  and clinical mentors to rate performance over time, and to note patterns of performance. Keywords: assessment, clinical practice, education, nursing, rating scale, reliability, validity

Factors influencing the effectiveness of clinical learning environment in nursing education

Aim: The purpose of the cross-sectional descriptive study was to investigate how nursing students evaluate particular factors of clinical learning environment during their professional placement in hospitals. We explored which factors of clinical environment contribute significantly to students' evaluation of it. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods: The sample included 503 nursing students in their second or third year of study at six Slovak universities. A valid and reliable questionnaire, the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher evaluation scale (CLES+T), was used to evaluate the student nurses' experiences and clinical placement. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square test, multifactorial ANOVA procedure and Pearsons' correlations, and p-value < 0.05 was taken to indicate statistical significance for all comparisons. Results: A significant proportion of students experienced a traditional model of group supervision. Supervision method, supervisory session frequency, and duration of clinical placement had a significant impact on their evaluation of clinical environments. Conclusion: Supervision methods are a significant factor influencing student evaluation of their clinical placement environment. Compared to other European studies, we found a less frequent application of individual supervision and that the Slovak university setting is dominated by a traditional group model of supervision. The study offers a valuable insight into the analysis of factors contributing to improvements in clinical learning environment and models of clinical or workplace training