Tea Konta is a nurse, just like her grandmother was. Currently she works as the Head of Community Nursing at the Primary Healthcare Center (PHCC) Livno. At the beginning of the pandemic outbreak each new day was a new challenge. Although working under extraordinary circumstances is slowly becoming a routine nowadays, caution and adherence to preventive measures are still required.

Tea’s grandmother, who also was a nurse, had the greatest influence on Tea’s choice of vocation. Working as a nurse enhanced Tea’s childhood believes about humanity and beauty of nursing. She worked as a midwife at the maternity ward of the cantonal hospital in Livno for 15 years. Nowadays she is the Head of Community Nursing at the PHCC Livno. 

Tea admits that at the beginning of the pandemic outbreak each day was a new challenge and certain amount of fear was present as the virus was unknown. The fact is that today, a half year later, we still do not have much information about the new virus. However, everything is turning into a routine: coming to work and preparing for home visits, putting on adequate personal protective equipment and doing home visits. “In the begging people were looking at me strangely wondering why I was dressed like that at all, while some of them were even visibly upset. However, after talking to them they would have calmed down realizing all that was for their own protection but also for the protection of us, health professionals”, Tea explained.

Nowadays, in the times of pandemic, we all need to be cautious because we are fighting invisible enemy. Majority of people have “relaxed” a bit regarding preventive measures while we, health professionals, continue to appeal to mandatory use of personal protective equipment and adherence to other preventive measures”, Tea pointed out. It is of the great importance that each individual is responsible and takes all this seriously. Nurses are exposed to the risk every day as they are in a direct contact with the patients, either with the potentially positive or tested positive to corona virus. Therefore, it is very important to have mutual respect and remain professional in the newly developed situation. “It is necessary to protect health professionals because if we get sick there will be no one to replace us and assist the patients”, Tea stressed.

Like many of her colleagues, Tea believes that the relevant authorities need to invest more in health sector and especially in its staff. Training related to work in emergency situations and also provision of adequate conditions, whether it is equipment or work space, are of great importance. Nurses are the pillars of the health system and play very important role in preserving it and preventing its collapse. "On this occasion, I would like to thank everyone who adheres to recommended protective measures, because this way they also protect us, the health workers." I would furthermore like to thank the Fami Foundation/ ProSes project, for the donation of the much-needed personal protective equipment, without which home visits would be impossible, "Tea concludes.