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Aims: To assess the ability to work of Polish nurses by age groups. Background: The ability to work is widely discussed in the literature in the context of nurses' productivity; thus, it is necessary to identify the ability to work when facing an increasing demand for services. Methods: The observational study involved 349 professionally active nurses aged 46.9 ± 9.7 years, with a length of service of 23.5 ± 9.6 years. The Work Ability Index (WAI) was used to assess the nurses' ability to work. Results: The ability to work decreases with age (rs = −0.324, p <.000) and with seniority (rs = −0.257; p <.000). Nurses with higher education presented higher Work Ability Index scores. Also, the age (B = −0.25, p <.001), work seniority (B = −0.19, p <.001) and education (masters' degree: B = 1.41, p =.012; ref. secondary) affect work ability. Conclusions: The ageing process and seniority of nurses negatively affect their ability to work. A lack of programmes to maintain physical condition for nurses can result in a shortage of staff. Implications for nursing management: Programmes can be developed to create or improve healthy working environments to increase productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The objective of the presented research is to characterize hope in the situational dimension, i.e., health, in the patients with cancer in the terminal phase of the disease, being treated in hospices and palliative care centers. Hope is very important for all the patients, especially for patients with cancer in various phases of the disease. Giving up on oncologic therapy and causal treatment is often associated with a transition into palliative care. When death and a loss of values become a threat, the individual has got hope to rely on. Material and Methods. The study relies on the Test to Measure Hope in the Health Context (NCN-36) by B.L. Block. 246 patients in the terminal phase of cancer participated in the study. Results. The internal structure of hope of recovery in the patients' group was varied. The patients showed low levels of hope of recovery since they do not believe in the effectiveness of treatment. They were also not convinced of the effectiveness of modifications in dieting, lifestyle, or the use of nonconventional medicine. They trusted the doctor in charge and were moderately satisfied with the therapy in use. The intensity of hope of recovery was on the low level in the patients in the terminal phase of cancer. Age, sex, place of living, and marital status had a significant influence on the level of hope of recovery. Variables such as living on one's own or living with one's family, socioeconomic status, education, or profession did not affect the level of hope of recovery. Conclusions. The presented results allowed as to conclude that the assessment of hope in terminally ill cancer patients can be considered as one of the important tools enabling the personalization and the improvement of palliative care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The data assessing the impact of beta blocker (BB) medication on survival in patients after heart transplantation (HTx) are scarce and unequivocal; therefore, we investigated this population. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the HTx Zabrze Registry of 380 consecutive patients who survived the 30-day postoperative period. Results. The percentage of patients from the entire cohort taking BBs was as follows: atenolol 24 (17%), bisoprolol 67 (49%), carvedilol 11 (8%), metoprolol 28 (20%), and nebivolol 8 (6%). The patients receiving BBs were older (56.94 ± 14.68 years vs. 52.70 ± 15.35 years, p = 0.008) and experienced an onset of HTx earlier in years (11.65 ± 7.04 vs. 7.24 ± 5.78 p ≤ 0.001). They also had higher hematocrit (0.40 ± 0.05 vs. 0.39 ± 0.05, p = 0.022) and red blood cells (4.63 (106/μl) ± 0.71 vs. 4.45 (106/μl) ± 0.68, p = 0.015). Survival according to BB medication did not differ among the groups (p = 0.655) (log-rank test). Univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed that the following parameters were associated with unfavorable diagnosis: serum concentration of albumin (g/l) HR: 0.87, 95% CI (0.81–0.94), p = 0.0004 ; fibrinogen (mg/dl) HR: 1.006, 95% CI (1.002–1.008), p = 0.0017 ; and C-reactive protein (mg/l) HR: 1.014, 95% CI (1.004–1.023), p = 0.0044. Conclusions. The use of BBs in our cohort of patients after HTx was not associated with survival benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether prior use of antiplatelet agents (AP) may be associated with lower severity and improved short-term outcome of the first-ever acute ischaemic stroke.Methods: This was a retrospective, case-control study based on a prospective hospital stroke registry covering consecutive acute stroke patients admitted to a single stroke centre in highly urbanised area (Warsaw, Poland) between 1995 and 2013. Patients receiving oral anticoagulants were excluded from the analysis. Statistical analysis included multiple regression and logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, diabetes, coronary heart disease and history of myocardial infarction.Results: During the study period, there were 3036 eligible patients, of whom 879 (29%) received AP before stroke onset. Patients from the AP group were older and more often burdened with stroke risk factors. There were no differences in baseline stroke severity, hospital mortality and proportion of patients alive and independent at discharge. However, AP turned out to be independently associated with lower NIHSS score on admission (β = -0.045, p = 0.008) and increased odds for being alive and independent at discharge (odds ratio 1.36, 95% CI: 1.13-1.67) and decreased odds for in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 0.77, 95% CI: 0.59-0.99).Conclusions: Our findings provide further evidence supporting modest benefit of AP therapy on the course and outcome of first-ever ischaemic stroke. Further large studies are needed to confirm this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]