THE LIFE SATISFACTION OF NURSES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Background. Life satisfaction is an overall assessment of an individual's satisfaction with life relative to personal standards. People who feel satisfied with their lives can more easily overcome life's challenges, including those associated with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Material and methods. This study aimed to determine the level of life satisfaction (LLS) of Polish nurses. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) by Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin adapted to Polish by Juczyński was used. The opinions of 239 nurses were statistically analyzed. Results. The mean life satisfaction score of the studied nurses was 19.78±5.47 points. Low LLS was found in 33.05% of the studied nurses, average LLS in 41,00%, and high LLS in 25.94%. Life satisfaction was influenced by a nurse’s place of residence and marital status. Survival of a SARS-CoV-2 infection had no significant effect on the nurses' life satisfaction. Conclusions. The majority of nurses reported a low to average LLS and steps should be taken to change this situation. It can be hypothesized that higher LLS among nurses will translate into a better quality of patient care.