The rationing of nursing care is defined as missed care in nursing that manifests in the withholding or failing to carry out necessary and essential nursing tasks because of time limitations, staffing levels and skill mix (

Aims To assess the effects of nurses’ life satisfaction and life orientation on the level of nursing care rationing. Background Best practice within human resource management argues that striving for a positive orientation within the workforce may create a friendly work environment that could promote the employee's development and job satisfaction in a health care organisation. Methods A total of 547 nurses were enrolled and assessed using three self‐report scales: the Basel Extent of Rationing of Nursing Care‐R (BERCA‐R), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Life Orientation Test (LOT‐R). Then, the data were submitted into bivariate analyses. Results More pessimistic nurses with low and moderate levels of life satisfaction, and those with a neutral life orientation, presented with significantly higher BERCA‐R scores than those who were more optimistic and who had high levels of life satisfaction. Conclusions Nursing care rationing depends on psychological factors of life satisfaction and life orientation. Low levels of satisfaction with life and a more pessimistic life orientation negatively contribute towards a higher prevalence of nursing care rationing. Implications for nursing management Nursing management policies, including intervention management, should consider ensuring positive orientation is in place to increase job satisfaction and optimism in health care workers.

Background: Sexual activity is an important element of quality of life for many individuals suffering from heart failure. Aims: The study investigated the influence of disease acceptance on sexual function in a population of male patients with chronic heart failure. Methods: The study included 80 patients with chronic heart failure (mean age 63.3±9.2 years) who filled in the Mell–Krat Scale questionnaire to evaluate sexual needs and reactions. We also used the International Index of Erection Function (IIEF-5) inventory and the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). Results: The study showed that the acceptance of the illness was positively associated with all of the Mell–Krat components such as sexual need, F = (3.27), frequency of intercourse, F = (2.46), position and technique, F = (1.88). Also, according to the IIEF-5 questionnaire, 84.42% of respondents had erectile dysfunction. Taken together these indicated that psychological adjustments such as acceptance of disease increase quality of all aspects of sexual functions in heart failure patients, including their erectile functions. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that psychological adjustments to feelings of loss associated with the onset of heart failure disease is the important determinant of quality of sexual life among male adults. Our research implicates that effects of AIS on sexual functioning give reasonable information to tailor sexual counselling for males suffering from heart failure.

IntroductionChronic Heart Failure (CHF) involves a complex regimen of daily self-care behaviors: pharmacological therapy, symptom monitoring and lifestyle modifications. Patients with CHF may have a reduced health related quality of life (HRQoL) due to various physical and emotional symptoms. HRQoL may be improved through the use of self-care interventions.PurposeTo assess the level of self-care and quality of life among men with chronic heart failure.MethodsThe study was conducted among 80 men diagnosed with CHF (mean age 58 years). The study was cross-sectional. A self-administered questionnaire and analysis of medical records were used to collect baseline sociodemographic and clinical data. Self-care was assessed using the standardized European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale- EHFScBS-9 and quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Bref.ResultsThe Patients in NYHA class II constituted the vast majority (71.25%), mean LVEF in the study group was 43.5%, and mean disease duration was 3 years. The most common comorbidities were ischemic heart disease (72.5%), hypertension (70%) and diabetes mellitus (60%). The most commonly reported non-pharmacological treatments for NS were fluid restriction (45%), moderate physical activity (42.50%) and daily weight control (41.25%). The EHFSc-9 questionnaire score averaged 50.31 points out of 100 possible (SD = 26.52). The mean score regarding perception of QoL was 2.78 points (SD = 0.91), and 40% of patients indicating poor perception of QoL. The mean score for self-rated Analysis of the results of the individual domains of the WHOQoL BREF questionnaire showed that patients rated their QoL best in the environmental domain (M = 13.28; SD = 3.11), then in the social domain (M = 12.81; SD = 2.71), and in the psychological domain (M = 12.8; SD = 3.2). In contrast, QoL in the physical domain was rated the lowest (M = 10.44; SD = 2.85). There was no significant correlation between quality of life and self-care (p > 0.05).ConclusionsMen with CHF have unsatisfactory self-care outcomes and low quality of life scores and are dissatisfied with their health. Strategies to improve selfcare and quality of life in this group are indicated.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Intorduction. Perioperative bleeding occurs in 2 to 15% of patients. Cardiac surgeries are associated with perioperative blood loss due to the invasive nature of the procedures, the need for high doses of anticoagulation and the need for extracorporeal circulation. Both transfusions and reoperations due to excessive postoperative bleeding are associated with adverse clinical outcomes and increased costs of care. In 2017, the common position of the European Association of Cardiac Cancer Surgeons (EACTS) and the European Association of Cardiac Cancer Surgical Anesthesiologists (EACTA) regarding the management of patient blood in order to maintain adequate perioperative homeostasis and minimizing bleeding, and thus reducing the amount of blood transfusions. Advanced age is one of the factors associated with an increased risk of perioperative bleeding, including the need for transfusion and reoperation. Purpose. Assessment of the relationship between preoperative disability and the amount of blood transfused in elderly patients after cardiac surgeries. Methods. The study included 100 patients ≥ 65 years of age (40 women and 60 men, mean age M ± SD =71.69 ± 4). A sociodemographic questionnaire and the Nagi scale for disability assessment were used to collect the research material. The Nagi scale assesses the limitations of the patient in seven activities. A significant disability is considered to be ≥ 3 points. The number of blood transfusions was assessed based on the analysis of medical records. The number of blood units transfused during hospitalization was taken into account. Statistically significant was assumed to be p < 0.05. Results. In the study group the mean score on the Nagi scale was M ± SD = 3.41 ± 1.83 points. Blood transfusions were required by 66% of the study participants. The number of transfused blood units ranged from 1 to 11. The mean number of transfused blood units was 1.41 ± 1.83 points: M ± SD = 1.56 ± 1.93. 28 patients required 1 blood unit, 11 blood units required 1 patient. There was a significant positive correlation between the values of the Nagi scale and the number of blood units transfused (r = 0.233, p = 0.019) . Moreover, the number of blood units transfused to patients with values of the Nagi scale ≥3 points turned out to be significantly higher than in patients with values of this scale <3 points (p = 0.015). Conclusions. 1) Patients with disability are qualified for cardiac surgeries. 2) Patients with disabilities require more blood units to be transfused.