Page 200 - KNJIGA SAŽETAKA

INOVACIJE I IZAZOVI U OBRAZOVANJU I SESTRINSKOJ SKRBI - KNJIGA SAŽETAKA

Exhibition Croatian Nursing through History

The exhibition "Croatian Nursing through History", opened on May 13rd 2024, was authored
by Josip Božić in the Croatian Chamber of Nurses in Zagreb. This permanent exhibition covers
the nursing history of the country over the last 120 years, including the development of the
nursing profession from the early days until the Homeland War. The exhibition contains more
than 1,500 exhibits arranged in 16 different units which show the evolution of nursing uniforms,
medical equipment and professional literature. The special attention is dedicated to nurses' role
in different social contexts in the time of a war and the peace.

The unique exhibition is known beyond Croatia, providing a deep insight of health's care
development over the time. Exhibits include some manuals, diaries, professional literature,
surgical instruments, therapy, laboratory and patient care equipment used in the last century.
The most interesting exhibits include as many as 30 different nurses' uniforms that were worn
from the year 1921 onwards, expressing the evolution of style and functionality through out the
decades. Therefore, the display also reveals a century old medical instruments used in everyday
health care, such as blood pressure gauges, surgical needles and material for suturing wounds.
Some professional and educational nursing literature, crucial in the education, is very well
presented. Furthermore, visitors are able to see some historical documents that contain patents
and other sources, advancing the nurses' work, recognitions and awards given through out the
history.

By opening this exhibition at the premises of the Croatian Chamber of Nurses, nursing in
Croatia receives a permanent exhibition that preserves the memory of the development of the
profession and highlights its importance in the health system and offers a unique insight into
the importance and development of the nursing profession over time, making it a significant
contribution to the understanding of health care in Croatia.

Key words: nurse, history, nursing, education, health care

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