Assistant Professor Dragana Mitrić Aćimović, PhD, from the Faculty of Organizational Studies “Eduka” in Belgrade, participated in the 23rd National Symposium of the Association of Nurses, Technicians and Midwives of the Republic of Serbia (UMSTBS), with international participation, held from May 13 to 17, 2026, in Vrnjačka Banja.
During the symposium, Dr. Mitrić Aćimović was first invited by the organizers to participate as a speaker in a roundtable discussion on the topic “Strengthening capacities for overcoming workplace stress among nurses.” In her presentation, she addressed the chronic stress that nurses and technicians are exposed to on a daily basis, as well as the consequences stress has on employees’ physical and mental health, professional burnout, and the quality of healthcare services.
She placed special emphasis on organizational and systemic factors contributing to stress, as well as on opportunities to improve stress management through the development of resilience, the implementation of preventive and supportive measures, and the importance of self-care and personal responsibility among healthcare professionals.
Afterward, Dr. Mitrić Aćimović presented the results of the research titled “The Relationship Between Occupational Health of Nurses and Stress Management Interventions,” conducted in collaboration with Professor Jasmina Knežević, PhD (College of Vocational Studies for the Education of Preschool Teachers and Trainers, Subotica), Radojka Šolak (Faculty of Law and Business Studies “Dr Lazar Vrkatić”), and Professor Jelena Đorđević Boljanović, PhD (FOS “Eduka”).
The research was conducted on a sample of 396 nurses and technicians, and the results showed that respondents assess their health as moderately impaired, with particularly pronounced issues in the domains of physical and mental health. A significant relationship was found between health and primary and tertiary stress management interventions.
The findings also indicate a low level of organizational support in stress management, as well as insufficient availability of training programs and psychological and psychotherapeutic support for employees. It was concluded that there is a strong need for systemic improvement of strategies aimed at protecting the mental health of healthcare workers, as well as for the development of more effective preventive programs in healthcare institutions.
The participation of representatives of the Faculty of Organizational Studies “Eduka” at this professional event confirms the importance of continuous scientific research and the Faculty’s contribution to the advancement of work organization, employee health, and professional support within the healthcare system.
