Hamid Mahmutovic is a nurse working in the Community Nursing Department of the Primary Health Care Centre Vitez. He believes that mutual support and respect are quintessential in day-to-day work with patients, but also in the current crisis. He expects from health authorities to invest more in the health sector, particularly in health professionals.

In the current emergency situation, in his work Hamid is exposed to additional stress and pressure. Care for the wellbeing of his patients, family and himself and frequent unplanned home visits require additional efforts and bring on greater responsibility. His family is under stress too, because they do not know whether he come back home after his shift or would have to stay at work. There is also an additional challenge to provide needed amount personal protective equipment (PPE). Therefore, Hamid feels that physical and mental preparedness are quintessential.

„My day at work is full of challenges – from coming to work, putting on the adequate PPE and passing through check points, to preparing for home visits, arriving to patients’ homes and providing community nursing services. And at the end of the day, I have to prepare the report and needed material and leave everything ready for the next shift”, Hamid describes his working day.

At the beginning of the pandemic, his patients were scared and additionally confused by the PPE he was wearing. Still, he managed to calm them down and relax by talking to them. He thinks that it is very important that the patients are aware of the gravity of the situation and observe the prescribed measures: “As much as we are helping them, they are also helping us by observing the preventive measures. Mutual support and respect are essential”.

He implores the citizens to continue following the prescribed preventive measures so we can jointly defeat the virus: “Let’s help each other as much as we can, because joint efforts will yield best results in these circumstances”. He expects more investment in the health sector and staff from the health authorities.