Original scientific paper
Changes in the Organizational Structure of Public Health Nurse Service in the Republic of Croatia 1995 to 2012
Zvonimir Bendeković
; Health Centre of the Vara`din County, Family Practice Lepoglava, Lepoglava, Croatia
Dobrislav Šimić
; Family Practice »Dr Dobrislav Šimić«, Bednja, Croatia
Ana Gladović
; Health Centre of the Vara`din County, Family Practice Lepoglava, Lepoglava, Croatia
Luka Kovačić
; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, School of Public Health »Andrija [tampar«, Department of Social Medicine and Organization of Health Care, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Since 1996, after the privatization of primary health care, public health nurse (PHN) in Croatia remained employed
within the health center, mainly responsible for the preventive care of the inhabitants from defined catchment’s area. Before
that time they were part of general practice teams. The main aim of the study was to investigate what are the trends
in the organizational structure of PHN service in Croatia, from 1995–2012. The main source was the Croatian Health
Service Yearbooks. The obtained results shows that they are college educated and mostly in full-time jobs. The important
findings are the lack of nurses and theirs regional differences. In highly demanding societies, with growing numbers of
elderly, mental, social and economic problems, it will be worthy to consider the lower standard then 5 100 inhabitants
per one PHN. Also, it should be taken into account to invest into the lowering of regional disparities.
Keywords
public health nurse; organizational structure; primary health care; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
147532
URI
Publication date:
29.12.2014.
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