To achieve the competency levels required to practice as a registered nurse or midwife, student nurses and midwives require in-depth theoretical knowledge and practical skills. To fulfil the requirements, they need to undergo numerous hours of theoretical and practical training (McCarthy et al., 2018). In the European Union Member States, basic nursing education is regulated by Directive 2005/36/ EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications (The European Parliament & of the Council of European Union). According to educational standards existing in Poland, nursing and midwifery undergraduate studies last at least six semesters and the number of theoretical and practical hours of training amounts for at least 4,720. Students in Poland spend a total of 2,300 hr in practical training and professional practice in various medical institutions during the whole course of the studies. Nursing students attend practical classes at such hospital wards as surgery, paediatrics, internal medicine, neurology, anaesthesiology, intensive care, geriatrics, palliative care and psychiatry, whereas midwifery students at neonatology,

Introduction: Patient satisfaction with nursing care has become a key determinant of the quality of hospital care. Aim of the research:To establish the level of patient experience and satisfaction with nursing care as well as their determinants in the cardiosurgical unit. Material and methods: One hundred cardiosurgical patients were examined. The tools included the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale (NSNS), the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and a self-written questionnaire. Results:The average score for satisfaction with nursing care was 77.99 ±20.20 pts, whereas the average nursing care experience amounted to 77.29 ±15.10 pts. Pain being the most significant independent predicator of the two. Each point on the pain scale decreased satisfaction by approximately 2.384 pts (95% CI: -3.997; -0.772, p = 0.005), while experience by 1.168 pts (95% CI: -2.06; -0.276, p = 0.012). The higher the level of patients' satisfaction with pain management and its relief, the higher the level of their evaluation of experience (r s = 0.239, p = 0.017) and satisfaction (r s = 0.261, p = 0.009) with nursing care. The patients who were informed by the nurse on how to avoid pain, graded nursing care experience higher than those who were not informed (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The cardiosurgical patients showed high levels of satisfaction and experience with nursing care. Pain was the main determinant of satisfaction and experience with care and 'soft skills' such as informing about pain-relieving methods, showing interest and sympathy, and assisting patients in repositioning appeared to be the crucial factors. StreszczenieWprowadzenie: Satysfakcja pacjenta z opieki pielęgniarskiej stała się kluczową determinantą jakości opieki szpitalnej. Cel pracy: Ustalenie poziomu doświadczeń i satysfakcji z opieki pielęgniarskiej pacjentów oddziału kardiochirurgii oraz ich determinantów. Materiał i metody: Zbadano 100 pacjentów oddziału kardiochirurgicznego. Zastosowano Skalę zadowolenia z pielęgnacji Newcastle (NSNS), Skalę numeryczną (NRS) oraz ankietę własną. Wyniki: Średnia wartość dla satysfakcji z opieki pielęgniarskiej wyniosła 77,99 ±20,20 pkt, a średnia wartość doświadczeń z opieki pielęgniarskiej -77,29 ±15,10 pkt, a ich istotnym niezależnym predyktorem był poziom bólu. Każdy punkt na skali bólu obniżał satysfakcję z opieki pielęgniarskiej średnio o 2,384 pkt (95% CI: -3,997; -0,772, p = 0.005) i doświadczenia z opieki pielęgniarskiej średnio o 1,168 pkt (95% CI: -2.06; -0.276, p = 0.012). Im wyższy był poziom zadowolenia pacjenta z efektu uśmierzania bólu, tym wyższy był poziom jego doświadczeń z opieki pielęgniarskiej (r s = 0,239, p = 0,017) i wyższy poziom satysfakcji z opieki (r s = 0,261, p = 0,009). Badani, którzy byli informowani przez pielęgniarkę, jak unikać bólu, wyżej ocenili doświadczenia z opieki pielęgniarskiej w porównaniu z pacjentami, którzy nie byli o tym informowani (p = 0,001). Wnioski: Pacjenci oddziału kardiochirurgicznego wykazywali wysoki poziom satysfakcji i doświadczeń z opieki pielęgniarskiej. Ból istotn...