The Strengthening Nursing in BiH project continues to organize additional community nursing trainings for community nurses. Currently, after trainings held in Primary Health Care Centers (PHCC) Zenica, Vitez, Derventa, Prnjavor, Tesanj, Gracanica, Doboj and Teslic, the trainings for 29 nurses from the PHCCs Bihac and Trebinje are in progress.

The training helps nurses to refresh and improve their knowledge and skills in community nursing. Focus was placed on health
promotion, disease prevention, chronic, elderly and palliative patients’ care.

In order to be able to apply in practice lessons learned, the theoretical training is followed by mentor-supervised practical training. Qualified internal and external mentors from different PHCCs provide support to nurses to prepare health promotion activities in the community and do home visits to the most vulnerable patients with complex health problems. The so-called peer groups are being formed that enable nurses to discuss present and specific cases from daily work and jointly seek the best possible care approach. At the same time, equipment needed to provide nursing care in the community is being purchased, such as fully supplied community nursing bags, as well as computers and office furniture for the nurses’ room in the health care centers.

In the coming period, the same training program will be organized for nurses of the PHCCs Orasje and Zvornik.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the exceptional importance of nurses in the health care system. Community nurses working with the most vulnerable population groups are of particular importance.