We have successfully completed the three-day study visit as part of the project ‘Advancing Nursing and Midwifery Education and Establishing the System for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications in the Republic of North Macedonia (2024–2025)’. The study visit, held from June 3 to June 5, 2024, marks the beginning of cooperation between Slovenia and North Macedonia in enhancing the professional qualifications and education systems for nurses and midwives in North Macedonia.
The visit began with the official launch of the project on Monday with the welcome address from Mr Denis Korde, State Secretary at Ministry of Health of Slovenia. He welcomed the Macedonian delegation to Slovenia, emphasizing the importance of collaboration for addressing the challenges in the health sector. Activities of day 1 continued with presentations from Ms Monika Ažman, President of the Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia (NMA), who shared the association’s almost century-long journey and developments in the nursing and midwifery sector in Slovenia in this time. Mr Andrej Vojnovič, presented the regulatory framework for nursing in Slovenia, with follow-up presentations by Ms Urša Glavinac and Ms Anita Prelec, focusing on the registration, licensing, and continuous professional and educational development of nurses and midwives, emphasizing patient safety and quality care.
On Tuesday, the delegation visited the Angela Boškin Faculty of Health Care (ABFHC) in Jesenice. Doc. Dr Sanela Pivač, Prof. Dr Brigita Skela Savič, and Senior Lecturer Ms Anita Prelec, presented the work of the Faculty, the evolution of nursing and midwifery education in Slovenia and strategies for building quality education programs. They also presented the work of ABFHC and the cooperation of the Faculty with Jesenice General Hospital. Representatives from North Macedonia presented the issues in the implementation of the Bologna process in their educational sector with the along with the current obstacles in establishing graduate and postgraduate programs for nurses and midwives in North Macedonia. The afternoon featured a tour of Jesenice General Hospital, where the delegation learned more about the roles and competencies of nurses and midwives in the healthcare system of Slovenia.
The final day of the study visit began with an interactive debrief and a discussion focused on the possibility of applying the Slovenian practices to the North Macedonian context. Members of the delegation noted the benefits of a public healthcare system, particularly in primary care settings. The discussions also focused on outlining steps for future activities, focused on regulation and education. Following the discussion, the delegation visited Community Health Centre Ljubljana (Zdravstveni dom Ljubljana) and the Simulation centre (SIM centre) of the Community Health Centre Ljubljana (CHC Ljubljana), which is the first simulation centre on the primary level in Slovenia. It provides the implementation of advanced simulations in healthcare to improve patient safety, to increase the knowledge and skills of professionals, and to enhance their competences and their effectiveness to act in certain life-threatening situations. The visit of the Community Health Centre enabled the presentation of the different role of nurses in primary health care.
The Centre for European Perspective extends its thanks to all the institutions and individuals who made this study visit a success:
- Angela Boškin Faculty of Health Care
- Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia (NMA)
- Health Centre Ljubljana (Zdravstveni dom Ljubljana)
- Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia
- WHO Office Skopje
- Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia
- Representatives from the nursing and midwifery sectors in North Macedonia
About the Project
The project ‘Advancing Nursing and Midwifery Education and Establishing the System for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications in the Republic of North Macedonia (2024–2025)’ aims to align nursing and midwifery education with European standards, improving healthcare outcomes in North Macedonia. The project activities are supported by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the #SlovenianAid programme, and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia.
