The Ministry is strongly denying the rumour. They insist that there are no plans for abolishment of the secondary professional education in the field of health care, but that they are only discussing the possibility of adapting the education to the requirements of the aging Slovenian population, emphasized the Minister of Health Milojka Kolar Celarc. "New contents will be added to the programme, requiring skills in social and health care. The title will change as well, namely into health care technician, and it will remain the secondary school education," the Minister explained.
After completing the four-year study at a secondary health care school, a student will not get the title of a practical nurse (female students - srednja medicinska sestra, and male students - srednji zdravstvenik). The president of the Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia Monika Ažman explained that the change results from the directive demanding that the title of 'nurse' is reserved exclusively for graduated nurses with diplomas.
But as the plan is not limited only to the abolition of the title practical nurse, but, according to the Minister, a reform of the health care programme, a group of experts is writing a new professional standard. Thus, the title 'practical nurse' will be replaced with medical-social assistant (zdravstveno-socialni asistent), which will be the basis for a new, updated health-care programme. The programme should give to those completing it competences in health care, and social skills for work with the elderly.
The first generation should start their education following the new programme in autumn 2018.
The SVIZ Union (Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia) claims that such a change would cause the loss of jobs for more than 100 teachers presently teaching in secondary health care schools.