Specialist training for nurses and medical technicians for autonomous work in emergency medical teams will start in 2023 based on the model of paramedics in Western European countries, to make them capable of providing first aid on the ground without the presence of a doctor. Pročitaj više

“This is the first such specialisation for nurses in Croatia. They will be given greater competencies and greater powers, they will be able to resuscitate patients and administer certain drugs on their own, just like paramedics in Western European countries, who can provide first aid and administer therapy during resuscitation on their own,” the head of the Croatian Chamber of Nurses, Mario Gazić, said.

Public consultation on draft rules on specialist training for emergency medical service nurses has just been completed.

Under the new rules, training would last a year, and applications for the first specialisations are expected to be invited by the end of this year.

The Croatian Institute of Emergency Medicine said that EU funding in the amount of HRK 100 million has been secured for the training of 375 nurses over a period of three years.

The competent professional associations in Croatia have been advocating the introduction of the institute of paramedics for years.

Gazdić said that with specialist training, nurses and medical technicians in emergency medical teams would have greater competencies and powers but also greater responsibility, which was why it was necessary to change their pay grade, to enable a pay increase of between HRK 1,500 and 2,000 (€200-€267).

The Croatian Chamber of Nurses believes the possibility of specialist training could prevent the emigration of nurses and medical technicians to work abroad.

A number of other specialisations in the field of nursing are being prepared to enable nurses to have a higher pay, Gazić said, noting that so far professional associations had submitted some 20 proposals regarding specialist training for nurses.