The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many new problems and challenges for medical personnel, patients and their families. The present study aimed to learn the difficulties and expectations of patients hospitalized for COVID-19. A descriptive qualitative research approach was adopted, and the study was carried out using semi-structured telephone interviews with 20 patients according to Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines. Two main themes were extracted from the experiences related by patients hospitalized for COVID-19: difficulties resulting from their poor health condition and difficulties resulting from hospital conditions and safety protocols. The patients’ expectations referred to professionalism and family members’ support. From the patient’s perspective, a sense of humor in the care provider is important, apart from professionalism and the effectiveness of treatment, because humor helps the patient endure difficult situations. The findings indicate that patients hospitalized for COVID-19 experienced both positive and negative emotions. Their negative experiences concerned organizational barriers and medical personnel shortages, especially of clinical nurses. Patients’ expectations are realistic and appropriate to the situation they are in. Learning the difficulties and expectations of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 may help care providers cope with this disease more effectively and ensure better care for patients, including nursing and psychological services.

Aim and objectives: To compare the self-reported level of professionalism among nurses in Poland and Belarus and to indicate the areas in which differences in professional behaviours of nurses in both countries exist. Background: Nurses constitute the largest group of healthcare providers, and the term professionalism is closely related to nursing profession. Design: This investigation is a comparative survey and descriptive analysis of professional behaviours among nurses in Poland (n = 205) and Belarus (n = 236). The study was reported according to the STROBE checklist. Methods: The Professionalism in Nursing Behaviors' Inventory Image Survey adapted from Adams and Miller (2001) was used to collect the data. The questionnaire contains 46 questions addressing the following behavioural categories: educational preparation, publications, research, professional organisation, community service, competence, code for nurses, theory and autonomy.

The decision to receive a COVID-19 vaccine is influenced by a variety of individual and contextual factors. However, there are very few studies that analyse individual vaccination decisions using a qualitative methodology. To close this gap, we conducted a qualitative interview study to examine the opinions and experiences with the vaccine among patients previously hospitalized due to COVID-19, including barriers and facilitators to vaccine uptake. An exploratory qualitative study, using semi-structured telephone interviews, was conducted among 22 patients admitted for COVID-19 in Poland in 2022. Opinions of patients previously hospitalized with COVID-19 on vaccination were varied. Barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake stemmed from concerns about vaccine safety, patients’ religious beliefs, and negative stories. High disease severity and anxiety over personal and family health were important arguments in favour of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The study findings indicated the need for ongoing health education by healthcare staff as well as coordination and integration of multi-sectoral institutional measures regarding COVID-19 prevention strategies as well as increased public health initiatives on social media and engagement of community leaders for awareness about vaccines and vaccination. It is crucial to build trust in COVID-19 vaccinations among the general public by disseminating reliable information through trustworthy and credible sources. However, it ought to be emphasised that, regardless of the measures taken, some individuals will remain unconvinced about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.