November 13, 2022 - Next year, the specialist training of nurses and technicians for independent work in the emergency service will begin, who, following the model of the paramedic system in Western European countries, will be able to provide first aid to victims in the field independently, without the presence of a doctor.

"It is the first such specialisation of nurses in Croatia. They will receive greater competence and authority; they will be able to independently resuscitate a patient and administer certain medications, following the example of paramedics in Western European countries who can independently provide first aid and administer resuscitation therapy," explained Mario Gazić, president of the Croatian Chamber of Nurses, to Hina, reports Zadarski List. 

E-consultation has just been completed on the Proposal for a new regulation on the specialist training of bachelor's degrees in nursing in the field of emergency medicine.

The out-of-hospital emergency medical service in the field consists of team T1, which includes a doctor, nurse/technician, and driver, and team T2, without a doctor, but in the future, after their specialisation training, additional trained nurses and technicians with greater authority should work in it and be able to provide first aid independently.

The training will last one year, and the first call for applications for specialisations is expected by the end of this year.

The Croatian Institute for Emergency Medicine (HZHM) says that for a three-year period, one hundred million kuna of European funds have been secured for the education of 375 bachelor's degrees in nursing. The paramedic system works in most Western European countries, and professional associations have been advocating its introduction in Croatia for years.

Gazić points out that nurses and technicians in the emergency service team will receive greater competence and authority but also greater responsibility, so they must raise the salary coefficient.

He points out that for specialists, the coefficient should be at least 1.37 instead of the current 1.16, so their salaries should increase from HRK 1,500 to HRK 2,000.

Specialist training

Participants of the specialisation should attend 1,600 hours of classes in one year of education.

The theoretical part will take place at colleges and universities, and the practical part, under the supervision of a mentor, in institutes for emergency medicine and hospitals. In the end, they will take the final specialist exam to determine that the participant has acquired all the knowledge and skills prescribed by the program.

"In the emergency medical system, there is an interest in specialist training, and we believe that nurses and technicians, as well as their employers, will take advantage of this opportunity for quality education, for which European funds have been secured," said HZHM.

As an added value, they cite other complementary projects such as the project "Telemedical connection of emergency medical service vehicles with a unified emergency hospital reception," through which the employees of the outpatient emergency medical services will be able to receive a telemedical consultation from a specialist doctor at any time to take care of the patient as well as possible until they arrive at the hospital.

The Chamber of Nurses believes that the possibility of specialist training could prevent nurses and technicians from going to work abroad.

"Several other specialisations in the field of nursing are being developed, which will enable higher incomes with additional incentives. So far, about 20 proposals from professional societies on specialisations for nurses have been collected," Gazić pointed out.

For more, check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 19 April 2022 - Trade unions of emergency medical services workers on Tuesday held a working meting with Health Minister Vili Beroš on their demand to adopt a single law on emergency medical aid which will stipulate an accelerated retirement plan for paramedics.

The unionists expressed satisfaction with the meeting and said that they would present their proposal for an emergency medical aid bill in two weeks' time.

Unionist Danijel Šota said that a new meeting would be convened in two weeks' time to discuss the proposed drafts for this legislation that will regulate a reduced working life for EMS workers, the expansion of teams of emergency medical services, and paramedic helicopter services.

Five days ago, a few hundred protesters requested a meeting in the government on the reintroduction of an accelerated retirement plan, which was abolished during Andrija Hebrang's ministerial term of office.

They insist on a single law, following the example of relevant legislation for the police and firefighting services.

ZAGREB, 3 March 2022 - Croatian Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković attended an extraordinary video meeting of EU agriculture ministers on Wednesday to discuss the potential impact of the conflict in Ukraine on the EU's agriculture and food sector.

Vučković expressed understanding of the situation in which Ukraine found itself, given Croatia's experience with the 1991-1995 Homeland War.

She mentioned the fundamental goals of the common agricultural policy, including ensuring a secure food supply at affordable prices and decent living conditions for rural communities across the EU.

Vučković said that monitoring the situation on the market was not enough anymore and that it was high time to activate emergency measures, considering increases in prices of energy and consequently of fertilizers, transport, livestock feed, and other related production costs.

"We have to be resolute and state clearly that, as European ministers responsible for ensuring sufficient food supplies for our populations, the security of the food systems is an absolute priority," the Croatian minister said.

The EU agriculture ministers called on the Commission to consider the use of all available tools and mechanisms within and outside the common agricultural policy to create conditions for a collective response to the current situation.

Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowsk announced a series of steps and activities, including proposals for the activation of emergency market measures.

The ministers expressed solidarity with Ukraine and readiness to support it within and outside the EU humanitarian aid mechanisms.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB,3 January, 2021 - President Zoran Milanovic said on Sunday that the government should declare a state of catastrophic emergency due to the 29 December devastating earthquake that hit Petrinja and other areas of Sisak-Moslavina County.

"I do not know why a state of catastrophic emergency has not yet been declared. Those are important matters legally," Milanovic said in an interview with the N1 commercial broadcaster on Sunday.

Milanovic explained that the declaration of a state of catastrophic emergency was necessary so as to define the command chain and to know who would disburse the money needed for addressing the aftermath of the earthquake.

The president, who is the supreme commander, praised the engagement o the army in Petrinja and other quake-hit areas.

Milanovic believes that the National Civil Protection Authority could manage the quake aftermath, provided that it was given enough money and responsibilities.

Comparing the situation on Petrinja, hit by the 6.2-magnitude earthquake and in Zagreb after the 22 March earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, Milanovic said that Petrinja was razed to the ground while Zagreb would always have the financial strength for the reconstruction.

He, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs in the capital city, claiming that Zagreb was in a negligent state and he pointed out examples of unkempt city properties.

As for the coronavirus infection, Milanovic again called for inoculation of the population.

He added that since the start of his presidential mandate, he had been fair in the relationship with the government.

On Sunday afternoon the parliamentary party Centar also called on the government to declare  a state of catastrophic emergency and criticised the Plenkovic cabinet for how it was dealing with the aftermath of the quake in Sisak-Moslavina County.

A woman who lost control of her car, which hung precariously off the side of a wooden jetty in Zadar, was rescued and escaped without injury. Early this morning there was a car accident along the Zadar shoreline for which a picture speaks more than a thousand words.

The dramatic rescue operation and rapid intervention was performed by Zadar firefighters, which prevented a woman and her vehicle from falling into the sea on Trpimirova obala near Starački dom (Nursing Home). The driver escaped without injuries, and firefighters are trying to save the vehicle as well, according to Toni Pajkin/HRT on January 23, 2020

Nissan Hung Precariously Off Wooden Jetty

This morning didn’t start off well for the driver of a Nissan. Going around the bend on Draženica, she lost control of her car, while attempting straighten the steering wheel. Although she didn't end up in the sea; most of her car hung off a wooden jetty suspended over water.

The car had stopped before it crashed. But even a slight motion posed a threat of the car tumbling down into the sea. Although the water is not very deep in this area, crashing into the water would have meant that the woman, who was trapped in the car, could have sustained serious injuries.

She could have sustained arm and leg fractures, head injuries or suffered even more severe consequences. Although the possibility of drowning was ruled out, because the firefighters and ambulances arrived quickly and were already on the scene, it is not difficult to imagine a potential ugly outcome.

Zadar Driver Remained Calm, Didn’t Move, Called Husband

The woman didn’t panic and remained calm in her car. She called her husband – and you can see him in the video wearing a black hat watching the rescue. She stayed still so as not to rock the car and waited for rescuers to arrive. Within 20 minutes, firefighters secured the car and had extended a brace over the water. Then they looped a strap through the window openings and attached it to the crane, which stabilized the car.

After that, the woman climbed out of the vehicle, kissed her husband and breathed a huge sigh of relief. She then spent a few minutes in the ambulance to so that professionals could conduct preventive check-up. But when she came out, she said repeatedly to her husband, "I'm still shaking all over; hold me!"

‘My wife parked the car the wrong way!’

Who wouldn’t shake after this experience on this foggy morning in Drošanjica. At the end of the rescue operation, the husband gave his thoughts on what happened: "Aw, no big deal. My wife parked the car the wrong way!" Both husband and wife were up for a little humor after the successful rescue.

Follow our Lifestyle page for keep track of driver and car rescues and creative parking techniques in Croatia.

The helicopters and their pilots, as well as other staff of the Croatian Air Force have a lot to be thanked for when looking back on last year. 

It isn't only the tireless efforts of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) which need to be praised when it comes to dealing with emergency medical situations up and down the country, but the Croatian Air Force and the Croatian Army, as well as their equipment, as a whole.

As Morski writes on the 5th of January, 2019, during 2018, a total of 885 patients were transported by both transport and multipurpose helicopters belonging to the Croatian Air Force (HRZ), whose medical issues, usually those of an emergency nature, required emergency medical aviation. During the transit of these helicopters, 2,283 Croatian Air Force flights were carried out and completed, totalling 855 hours in the air.

Additionally, throughout 2018, 23 requests were received for the assistance of Croatian Air Force helicopters in search and rescue operations on the land, during which a total of 15 injured persons and 132 members of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) were safely transported. During these particular operations, a total of 107 Croatian Air Force flights were carried out and completed, which amounted to 43.25 hours in the air.

Namely, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia continue to provide excellent support in dire situations in which emergency air transport is required, and they remain in a state of constant readiness (during the day and night) with two helicopters, one of which being the helicopter of the 93rd Air Base, and the the second belonging to the 91st Air Base, stationed at Rijeka Airport's Krk helipad.

In most cases, Croatian Ait Force flights sent out for emergency medical situations work alongside established helipads which fulfil the necessary 24-hour operating conditions KBC Firule, Hvar, Stari Grad, Sućuraj, Selca, Korčula, Blato, Šolta, Dubrovnik-Medarevo, Rab, Lastovo-Ubli, Vis, Lošinj, Cres i helidrom Delta – Rijeka), the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia said.

Make sure to stay up to date with everything you need to know about the Croatian Air Force and much, much more by following our dedicated lifestyle and news pages.

Stepped on an urchin, been lying in the sun too long or slipped on a rock? Never fear!

How can the Pearl of the Adriatic and the emergency services function together with more ease?

The Health Minister is satisfied with the abilities of the emergency services in the Pearl of the Adriatic.