Introduction

ZZNS
ZBORNICA ZDRAVSTVENE NEGE SLOVENIJE
Nurses Association of Slovenia

ZDMSZTS
ZVEZA DRUŠTEV MEDICINSKIH SESTER IN ZDRAVSTVENIH TEHNIKOV SLOVENIJE
The Association of Nurses and Health Technicians Societis of Slovenia

Founded:
27.11.1927 - The Association of Nurses and Health Technicians Societies of Slovenia
15.12.1992 - Nurses Association of Slovenia

ZZNS History

The first professional Slovenian organization of nurses was founded on 27th November 1927 in Ljubljana, it was called "Organization of Graduates from Nursing School".

The professional association of nurses was in 1951 renamed the "Nurses Society", in 1963 it became the "Association of Nurses Societies of Slovenia" which was integrated into the "Association of Nurses Societies of Yugoslavia". The members of the Association of Nurses and Health Technicians of Slovenia decided, on the basis of the article 87 of the Law on Health Care Activities (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia no. 9/92), to establish Nurses Association of Slovenia on 15th December 1992.

When Nurses Association of Slovenia was founded, the tasks, which were already stated in the statute of Association of Nurses and Health Technicians Societies of Slovenia, were expanded with some new tasks pertaining to this kind of organization of a professional group.

ZZNS Purpose

Nurses Association of Slovenia - Association of Nurses and Health Technicians Societies of Slovenia is the only professional organization of nurses, who are the most numerous professional group of health care professionals. Its main purposes are:

• to unite nurses and health technicians from the entire country and to represent their professional, social and economic interests;
• to develop and promote modern nursing care; and
• to provide quality nursing care for all people.

ZZNS Tasks

• coordinating activities of the profession;
• preparing legislation which regulates the field;
• representing political positions which enable and ensure professional development of nursing and secure appropriate status of nursing care providers in the society;
• monitoring and participating in education of nurses;
• development of research work in nursing.

The main guiding principles for work of nurses and health technicians are listed in the Ethical Code for Nurses and Health technicians of Slovenia.

ZZNS Affiliations

Slovenian nurses were in 1929 accepted into the international organization of nurses - ICN - International Council of Nurses, at that time they were organised within Nurses Association of Yugoslavia. Slovenia proclaimed its independence in 1991, our national organization of nurses became an independent member of ICN in 1993 at the Congress in Madrid. 124 countries from the whole world are now united in this international organization. ICN was founded in 1899 to improve health care services and, in particular, to secure recognition of the role that nursing and its providers have within the health care system.

The organization integrates and affiliates with many international organizations and associations: WHO - World Health Organization - European Forum of National Nursing and Midwifery Associations, PCN - The Standing Committee of Nurses of the EU - European Network of Nurses and Specialized Groups Associations, WENR - Workgroup of European Nurse Researchers, ENDA - European Nurse Directors Association, ACENDIO - Association for Common European Nursing Diagnoses, Interventions and Outcomes; and with other associations for narrower fields of expertise in nursing.

ZZNS Membership

Every person who wishes to become a member of the Association must fill in the declaration of membership by which he or she becomes a member of one of our 11 regional societies. The regional societies are by a contract affiliated with the Association of Nurses and Health Technicians Societies of Slovenia. By filling in the declaration of membership, each member declares his or her wish to become a member and determines the manner of paying membership fee. Each member is on the basis of the declaration of membership issued a membership card which he or she uses to prove his or her identity at professional meetings.

Membership is voluntary - it is an honour and obligation for all nurses and health technicians who are active nursing professionals, retired nurses, pupils and students of nursing.

The organization consists of the following 11 regional societies: Ljubljana, Maribor, Celje, Pomurje, Ptuj-Ormož, Nova Gorica, Koper, Slovenj Gradec, Novo mesto, Velenje and the Society for Gorenjska.

30 professional sections work within the organisation, these sections provide continuing professional education of their members and other health care professionals.

Professional sections are organized for the following fields of nursing:
- education, occupational health, traffic health, sport health, gynaecology and obstetrics, psychiatry and neurology, pulmonology pediatrics, home health care, anesthesiology, intensive care and therapy, transfusion science, general medicine, ophthalmology, surgery, health resorts activities, v oncology, stomas health care, v endocrinology, nephrology, dialysis and transplantations, endoscopy, rescue services, stomatology, sterilisation, hematology, emergency medical services, internal medicine and infectiology, dermatovenerology, surgical nurses section, nursing students section, section of nurses and health technicians in social care institutes, section for the fields of internal medicine and infectiology, cardiology and angiology, management and neurology.

ZZNS Publications

We publish:

• the professional magazine "Obzornik zdravstvene nege" (Nursing Review), it was first published in 1954. Three or four issues of the Review are published every year. All who wish to receive this professional magazine can subscribe to it by sending us an order form;
• the monthly gazette Utrip, which has been published since 1993 and is sent free of charge (costs are covered by membership fees) to all our members. The gazette Utrip provides information on activities and decisions of individual bodies within our organisation, on important activities in nursing at home and abroad. We publish yearly and monthly programmes of professional national and international seminars as well as contributions of our members and other authors.

ZZNS Sterilisation Section

Developments in medicine require changes in the field of material sterilisation. In 1993, this prompted the initiative for establishing the section for professional employees in sterilisation, and, in 1994, the Sterilisation Section of the Nurses Association of Slovenia was founded. The Sterilisation Section provides ongoing development and professional education and fast flow of information on topics of material sterilisation.

The target of the Sterilisation Section is to develop the profession of sterilisation/CSSD personell and to introduce sterilisation standards. The Sterilisation Section organizes professional courses and congresses and tries to gain new listeners and to communicate with other sections of the Nurses Association and with international sterilisation organizations.

The driving force behind the Sterilisation Section is the managing board which consists of 9 members and the president. The members are leaders of sterilisation wards of regional hospitals from the whole country. This helps to face professional problems, exchange experience, develop directives and introduce standards. The Sterilisation Section organizes an annual congress where topical subjects are discussed. The congress usually lasts for one or two days, and a different conference venue is chosen each year to attract increasing numbers of participants.

ZZNS Events

Upcoming Seminars & Conferences

...to be announced...

Past Seminars & Conferences

ZZNS Sterilisation Section Conference 2003
The Meaning of Quality in Sterilization
23rd May 2003 in Terme Catez, Slovenia
[ Conference Report ]

ZZNS Contact

Information about Slovenia

Location

Slovenia is wedged between East and West - Croatia and Austria, sharing also borders with Italy and Hungary. Measuring just 20,256 km², Slovenia is the smallest Eastern European country, about the size of Wales or Israel. Much of Slovenia is mountainous, culminating in the North-West with the Julian Alps. From this jagged knot, the main Alpine chain continues east along the Austria boarder whilst also running south-east along the coast into Croatia. The coastal range forms a barrier isolating the Istrian Peninsula from Slovenia's corner of the Danube Basin.

Statistics

• Area: 20,256 km² (20,151 km², water: 122 km²)
• Population: 2,011,473 (July 2004)
• Capital: Ljubljana (270,441)
• Religion: Roman Catholic (82%)
• Climate: Alpine, Mediterranean, Sub Continental
• Time Zone: Central European Time [GMT+1]
• Currency: Slovene Tolar [SIT]

Covering a total land mass area of only 20,256 km², holding a mere two million residents, surrounded by 10,124 km² of forest and 216 km² of vineyards, containing three majestic mountain ranges, Triglav being the ruler of all beneath him, carved by crystal clear rivers and lapped by 47km of sparkling coast. All this adds up to one word: SLOVENIA.