Introduction. Nosocomial infections are associated with daily functioning of a hospital and constitute one of major medical issues. The role and duty of the nurse is to prevent hospital infections in every hospitalized patient, especially in post-stroke patients. Only nursing staff that is educated and aware of their actions is able to minimize the risk of infection and thus reduce the suffering of the patient.Aim. The purpose of the paper was to assess, quantitatively, nurses’ knowledge about nosocomial infections and the procedures used most often in post-stroke patients.Material and Methods. The research was conducted in a group of 80 nurses working in randomly selected stroke and neurological units in the territory of Silesia province. The research used diagnostic poll method and research tool was a questionnaire developed based on the literature.Results. Analysis of the research material allowed concluding that investigated nurses have insufficient knowledge about the prevention of nosocomial infections and the procedures used most often in post-stroke patients. Knowledge of the surveyed nurses depends on education, age and seniority.Conclusions. The results of our tests are not satisfactory and allowed to formulate following conclusions:1. The nurses surveyed have insufficient knowledge on how to prevent nosocomial infections. Nurses do not know sufficiently basic procedures used at neurological wards, such as degumming the patient’s airway and also bladder catheterization.2. Self-assessment of nurses’ knowledge is much higher than proved in the study performed.3. The knowledge of the nurses surveyed depends mainly on age, seniority and education. The research showed that nurses with shorter seniority and younger have broader knowledge regarding prevention of nosocomial infections, they more often know the definition of nosocomial infection and more frequently use protective clothes and apply the procedure of washing hands than their older colleagues do. (JNNN 2014;3(2):58–63)

Introduction. Ischemic stroke is the main cause of disability, it worsens the quality of life of patients and often leads to death. Aim. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of life of patients after ischemic stroke, as well as to identify the factors that determine it. Material and Methods. The study included 53 patients within the period ranging from 6 to 12 months after the first occurrence of ischemic stroke and meeting the inclusion criteria for the study. The quality of life was examined by author questionnaire survey, based on the Barthel Scale, WHOQOL-BREF Scale and the Polish adaptation of the Stroke-Specific Scale Quality of Life (Polish: SJŻUM). The questionnaire consists of 12 subscales, being the components of three the main areas: physical, psychological and socio-environmental. Results. The quality of life after ischemic brain stroke deteriorates. In the physical sphere the biggest restrictions apply to upper limb functioning (with the average M=3.77) and self-service (with the average M=3.83), in the psychological field they refer to emotions (the average M=3.93), and in the socio-environmental sphere to the social role (with the average M=2.79). The average of the results obtained in each of those fields shows that the best results were obtained in the field of psychology. Conclusions. The variables that determine the quality of life include: age, the level of education, marital status, the side of brain damage, economic status, the level of knowledge. (JNNN 2016;5(2):69-75) Key Words: quality of life, ischemic stroke, quality of life assessment scales Streszczenie Wstęp. Udar niedokrwienny mózgu stanowi główną przyczynę niepełnosprawności, pogarsza jakość życia chorych, a często także prowadzi do śmierci. Cel. Celem badania była ocena jakości życia chorych po niedokrwiennym udarze mózgu, jak i identyfikacja czynników ją determinujących. Materiał i metody. Badaniem objęto 53 osoby, w okresie od 6 do 12 miesięcy od wystąpienia pierwszego udaru niedokrwiennego mózgu oraz spełniających kryteria włączenia do badania. Jakość życia badano autorskim kwestionariuszem ankiety, opartym na Skali Barthel, WHOQOL-BREF oraz na polskiej adaptacji skali Stroke Specific-Quality Of Life (SJŻUM). Kwestionariusz składa się z 12 podskal, będących składowymi trzech głównych dziedzin: fizycznej, psychologicznej i socjalno-środowiskowej. Wyniki. Jakość życia po udarze niedokrwiennym mózgu ulega pogorszeniu. W dziedzinie fizycznej największe ograniczenia dotyczą funkcji kończyny górnej (ze średnią M=3,77) oraz samoobsługi (ze średnią M=3,83), w dziedzinie psychologicznej emocji (ze średnią M=3,93), a w dziedzinie socjalno-środowiskowej roli społecznej (ze średnią M=2,79). Średnia uzyskanych wyników z poszczególnych dziedzin wskazuje na najlepsze uzyskane wyniki w zakresie dziedziny psychologicznej. Wnioski. Zmiennymi determinującymi jakość życia są: wiek, poziom wykształcenia, stan cywilny, strona uszkodzenia mózgu, status materialny, poziom wiedzy. (PNN 2016;5(2):69-75) Słowa kluczowe: jakość życia, udar niedo...

Introduction. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an incurable demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (c.n.s.). The chronic nature of this disease causes deterioration of the physical, mental, emotional and social condition of patients, which significantly reduces their quality of life. Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis. Material and Methods. The study involved 100 patients with multiple sclerosis, associated in support groups operating in the Silesian voivodeship. Among the respondents were 77 women and 23 men. The FAMS questionnaire — version 4 (Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Instrument) was chosen to measure the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis. The obtained research material was subjected to a statistical analysis, using the statistical package STATISTICA v12 for calculations. In order to calculate the variables, the following measures were used: arithmetic mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, asymmetry coefficient, kurtosis coefficient, Person linear correlation coefficient, Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results. The average results of all subscales of the FAMS questionnaire-version 4 in the examined group reached the value of 111.1 points; that is, a satisfactory level (65% of all respondents), in the absence of bad assessments, and 35% of good grades. The result is at the second level of quality of life, in the numerical range of 58–117 points. The lowest scores were recorded in the “Mobility” subscale (14.39 points), and the highest in “Other ailments” (36.77 points). Strong correlations were found between the FAMS score and individual subscales. As the subscale score increased, the FAMS score increased, and the higher the score, the better the quality of life of MS patients. The higher the respondent’s age, the lower the FAMS results, while the one-way treatment process — either pharmacology or rehabilitation — does not improve the quality of life, only integrated actions increase the quality of life of patients with MS. In the case of a form of the disease — a primary progressive and primary progressive form with exacerbations affect the quality of life of patients with MS. Conclusions. Most MS patients assessed their quality of life as satisfactory, in the absence of bad and with one-third of good scores. The existence of links between the FAMS results and all subscales indicates that the higher the subscales rated, the higher the FAMS result, i.e. the better quality of life of MS patients. Gender does not determine the quality of life of the respondents, while age, the form of the disease and the type of treatment affect the quality of life. (JNNN 2019;8(3):95–101) Key Words: multiple sclerosis, quality of life, demyelinating disease

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Introduction. A nurse in her profession meets different kind of people from all society levels. Not once she stands in front of a homeless patient and the dillemma about the sense of helping, which indeed is often “wasted”. Nonetheless the mission of this profession demands the need of seeing a human being in every patient who needs help. Homelessness is marked with a number of stereotypes and marginalisation which is very hard to overcome by oneself and provide the services on the highest level.Aim. The aim of this work is to outline the cause of homelessness and to set out the role of nurse working with a homeless patient.Material and methods. In the analysis has mainly been used Polish literature of the subject written by distinguished theoreticians and researchers of this matter. There has also been used data from Central Office of Statistics. In addition, this work has been enriched by personal work experience with the homeless by one of the authors.Results. In the analysed literature an answer was being looked for following questions: What are the causes of homelessness? What are the ills of homelessness? What is the characteristic of a homeless patient? What is the -professional role of the nurse working with homeless? The role of nursing, in this society, is essential and it demands wide Education. The nurse is sometimes the only person who can provide professional medical and therapeutical help to the homeless. One can rely only on its own abilities and skills, experiencing very often a feeling of helplessness. Following work should help in understanding the essence of homelessness in the way that homelessness itself becomes an extra reason to bring help.