Optimistic thinking, satisfaction with life and job and nursing care rationing: Multicentre study in Poland

The aim was to examine whether the level of optimism and job and life satisfaction is a differentiating factor from the level of implicit rationing of nursing care in a sample of Polish registered nurses.

Satisfaction with life and job is reflected by greater effectiveness of nurses at work and creates a positive work environment, which in turn may modulate the level of implicit rationing of nursing care.

A cross-sectional multicentre research design was adopted, employing a representative sample of 1,010 registered Polish nurses identified between the beginning of January and the end of June 2019. Four self-report scales were used in this study: Basel Extent of Rationing of Nursing Care, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Satisfaction with Job Scale and Life Orientation Test-Revised. The results were analysed using the k-means method, Student's t test and two-way ANOVA.

Optimistic thinking, and satisfaction with job and life exerted a significant effect on the level of implicit rationing of nursing care among Polish nurses. Nurses from the group 'pessimistic' were at higher risk of nursing care rationing than those from the group 'optimistic'.

Strengthening of the personal competencies, providing support and responding to all identified needs might increase job satisfaction of nurses and hence reduce the risk of nursing care rationing.

Leadership modelling and training in positive thinking might be the methods to support nurses and to prevent nursing care rationing.