Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, presented a Nurse of the Year Medal at the ceremony marking the International Nurses’ Day. This year, the medal went to Mara Tešić, a nurse at the Military Medical Academy’s Health Care Service. Minister Stefanović wished all the nurses a happy Nurses’ Day saying that we understand how important the role of a nurse is, especially in difficult times.

Addressing the gathering, he emphasized the importance and role of nurses, and their devotion to the care of every patient who asks for help and their fierce fight for the patient’s recovery.

– The sense of uncertainty, all the thoughts that race through our minds, the dominant one being – It is all in vain, if we are not healthy. That’s true. At that moment, everything else seems completely unimportant. And then she comes along, carrying a list with hundreds of names on it, but wearing a warm smile on her face that erases fear and anxiety. She is the same as described by our wounded soldiers in the old wars. It was written then, "even if I wrote volumes, I could not even remotely describe the way a man feels who is being cared for in the hospital, but a look in his eyes and his one word says it all", said Minister Stefanović.
He said that nurse volunteers performed various tasks at that time - from dressing wounds, taking temperature, giving medications, to feeding patients, reading to them or writing letters for them.

– They arrived at the hospital at seven o’clock in the morning and most of the time, stayed there all day. They were often on duty at night, taking care of the wounded that had just undergone surgery. Before the doctor's visit, they prepared material for dressing wounds, and during the visit, they assisted in taking off the bandages, cleaning the wounds and putting new dressing. They carried out doctor’s orders by themselves, gave medicines, changed patients’ clothes, changed bed linen, and made sure patients ate. From then until today, many have received the Order of Bravery. From then until today, their job, i.e. your job has been the same, you are the light in the darkness for the sick, a source of hope, you give them strength to fight the pain and illness, to struggle for their health and life. I am convinced that, in those moments, your kind words, encouragement, smile mean more than a dozen medicines - said Stefanović.

According to him, we understand how important the role of a nurse is, especially in difficult times.

– And I am convinced that everyone has the same experience, the same impression, tens, even hundreds of thousands of people who have received care at the Military Medical Academy and in the entire military health. Personally and on behalf of all those people, I want to thank you. Thank you for your work, dedication and for taking care of our parents, and our children in particular - said the Minister of Defence.

At today's ceremony in the Military Medical Academy’s lecture theatre, Head of the MMA Health Care Service, Head Nurse Bojana Jovanović, presented Minister Stefanović with a Plaque for providing support for the development of the MMA Health Care Service.

Speaking about the importance of the Nurses’ Day, Head of the Military Medical Academy, Colonel Prof. Miroslav Vukosavljević, M.D, PhD said that this was an especially important holiday at the MMA.

- I have the impression that nothing inspires or encourages nurses more than the strength, success and excellence of other colleagues in the environment, those who show us that it is always possible to find a way, achieve your ambitions and influence society in the most positive way possible. That is why I think that the time has come for the Military Medical Academy personnel to write another chapter in the history of medicine this year, by pronouncing the Nurse of the Year in military health and to award a special medal for the first time, named after our nursing heroine Colonel Verica Ćorluka - said Colonel Vukosavljević.

According to Head Nurse Bojana Jovanović, Head of the Military Medical Academy’s Health Care Service, being a nurse is a unique profession that awakens what is most beautiful in a human being - humanity and dedication to work.

- Whether as part of a team or individually, nurses perform the most subtle health care and patient care tasks and we provide support to our patients at all times, which is in the nature of our profession - said Bojana Jovanović, who presented certificates of appreciation to individuals who contributed to the development of the MMA Health Care Service.

This year, a new Nurse of the Year Medal has been made, named after a former head nurse at the Military Medical Academy, Colonel Verica Ćorluka, who was responsible for the development of the nursing profession at the Military Medical Academy, and fought for the preservation of health, improvement of the health care system and continuous professional development.
The traditional Nurse of the Year award ceremony was preceded by an exhibition of nurses' and medical technicians' uniforms through the ages. This historical review was an opportunity to show the importance of health care.

The International Nurses’ Day has been traditionally celebrated since 1974, on May 12, the day Florence Nightingale, who is considered the founder of modern medical practice, was born.