Nurse | Medicinska sestra — Sanela Diana Jenkins Foundation for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Hospital Dr. Safet Mujić, Mostar
When you combine a dedicated, experienced nurse with state of the art equipment, you can save a lot of lives.

Bolnica Dr. Safet Mujić, Mostar
Kada iskombinujete posvecenu i iskusnu medicinsku sestru sa najmodernijom opremom, moguće je sačuvati dosta života.

In the town of Mostar, still ethnically divided since the war, the Hospital Dr. Safet Mujić provides treatment for people of all ethnicities.

Nurse Laila Olgić, who specializes in anesthesia, started working during the war. She’s now one of the most experienced nurses at the hospital, with particular experience assisting in laparoscopic procedures.

The laparoscope allows for surgeries through a small incision with the surgeon guided by a camera that’s part of the instrument which snakes into the body. Patients usually recover much faster from laparoscopic surgeries than traditional ones. But prior to the donation of the Laparoscopic Suite by the Sanela Diana Jenkins Foundation for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the hospital couldn’t provide the procedure.

Today, Nurse Olgić spends more than half of her time in the Laparoscopic Suite. In her 21 years at the hospital, she never tires of working: she’s only had 10 days off. “The love for my job keeps me motivated,” Laila says.

“I’m quite used to the drama and all the chaos that happens. I learned it when we treated patients during the war, and I know how to handle it well. But there was one day in particular that was very bad. We had two deaths, an attempted suicide, and a man who dashed in and almost lost consciousness after he saw what his house looked like after the war. That was heartbreaking,” Laila said.

“Laila is quick in helping the doctors in any other department short on staff,” said another nurse.

“I always run to help them. I don’t mind anything,” says Laila. But today, Laila’s goal is to transfer her knowledge and experience to the two new staffers in the Laparoscopic Suite. “I may not always be here,” she said.

Article and photos by photojournalist Dijana Muminović

U gradu Mostaru, još uvijek etnički podjeljenom od kraja rata, bolnica Dr. Safet Mujić pruža pomoć ljudima svih naroda.

Medicinska sestra Laila Olgić, koja specijalizovala za anesteziologiju, počela je raditi tokom rata. Ona je trenutno jedna od najiskusnijih sestara u bolnici, sa posebnim iskustvom u asistiranju tokom laparaskopskih procedura.

Laparaskopija omogućava operacije kroz male proreze sa doktorom koji je vodjen kamerom kao dio instrumenta koji ulazi u tijelo. Pacijenti se obično oporavljaju mnogo brže od laparaskoprskih nego od tradicionalnih operacija. Ali prije donacije laparaskopske sale od strane Fondacije Sanela Diana Jenkins za Bosnu i Hercegovinu, bolnica nije mogla obezbjediti takve procedure.

Danas, sestra Olgić provodi više od pola svog vremena u sali za laparaskopiju. U svojih 21 godinu rada u bolnici, nikad se nije umorila radeći. Imala je samo deset slobodnih dana. “Ljubav prema svom poslu održava mi motivaciju,” kaže Laila.

“Prilično sam navikla na dramatične situacije i sav haos koji se dogadja. Naučila sam na to kad smo liječili pacijente tokom rata, i znam kako se nositi s tim. Ali jednog dana bilo je prilično teško. Imali smo dva smrtna slučaja, pokušaj samoubistva, i čovjek koji je skoro izgubio svijest nakon što je vidio kako je njegova kuća izgledala poslije rata. To je bilo srceparajuće,” rekla je Laila.

“Laila je brza u pomoći doktorima u bilo kojem drugom odjeljenju gdje nedostaje osoblje,” rekla je druga medicinska sestra.

“Uvijek trčim da im pomognem. Ne smeta mi ništa,” kaže Laila. Ali danas, Lailin cilj je da prenese svoje znanje na druge dvije osobe u Laparaskopskoj sali. “Možda neću uvijek biti ovdje,” kaže ona.

Autor članaka i fotografija: Dijana Muminović