Addressing the needs of terminally-ill patients in Bosnia-Herzegovina: patients' perceptions and expectations.

Background: Many terminally ill patients in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) fail to receive needed medical attention and social support. In 2016 a primary healthcare centreer (PHCC) in Doboj (BiH) requested the methodological and technical support of a local partner (Fondacija fami) and the Geneva University Hospitals to address the needs of terminally ill patients living at home. In order to design acceptable, affordable and sustainable solutions, we involved patients and their families in exploring needs, barriers and available resources.

Improving the safety and quality of nursing care through standardized operating procedures in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Aim: We explored how selected 'positive deviant' healthcare facilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina approach the continuous development, adaptation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of nursing-related standard operating procedures.

Background: Standardized nursing care is internationally recognized as a critical element of safe, high-quality health care; yet very little research has examined one of its key instruments: nursing-related standard operating procedures.

Introduction: Despite variability in Bosnia and Herzegovina's healthcare and nursing care quality, we assumed that some healthcare facilities would have developed effective strategies to elevate nursing quality and safety through the use of standard operating procedures.