Determinants of sense of coherence among managerial nursing staff

Introduction. The sense of coherence is a tool for confronting the challenges posed by life. It constitutes a general human orientation, which is expressed through the conviction that outside stimuli can be explained; there are resources allowing people to cope with the coming challenges which are perceived as a worthwhile involvement. The sense of coherence is created based on three correlated elements: a sense of comprehensibility, a sense of manageability, and a sense of meaningfulness. Objective. The aim of this study is to establish the level of the sense of coherence among nursing managers, to compare the results with the sense of coherence found in other groups of nursing employees, and to define whether the independent variables under research influence the sense of coherence. Materials and methods. This research was conducted in 2010 - 2011 on a group of 310 functional nurses working for selected medical units in the Pomeranian area of Poland. Literature analysis, diagnostic questionnaires and evaluation methods using a self-assessment scale were used in this research. The author's survey questionnaire and life-orientation questionnaire SOC-(29) were applied. Results. Functional nurses have a higher sense of coherence than that seen within the majority of nursing groups. A change in the level of sense of coherence is possible through education: obtaining a Master's Degree in Nursing substantially raises the global sense of coherence and the sense of meaningfulness, whereas undergoing qualification courses significantly improves the sense of manageability among the respondents. Conclusions. Sense of coherence evaluation among future managers is a worthwhile solution. A high level of the sense of coherence among nurses can be created through their education.