In Poland, the profession of feldsher (medical assistant) has not been taught for many years, but those who have obtained their authorisations in the past can still practice it. According to the Polish Chamber of Physicians and Dentists, there are 253 professionally active and 656 professionally inactive feldshers in Poland.
A feldsher is authorised to provide medical assistance to patients, but has lower qualifications than those of a physician, because a feldsher does not have to graduate from a higher education institution. The qualifications of a feldsher are obtained in secondary school.
Assistance in emergencies
Practice of the feldsher profession in Poland requires a certificate issued by the Supreme Medical Council, which maintains the register of feldshers.
The Council grants the right to practice the profession to individuals who have graduated from feldsher high school or feldsher school in Poland or hold a foreign diploma authorising the practice of this profession in Poland.
Pursuant to the Act and the resolution on the feldsher profession, an individual practicing this profession is authorised to provide medical assistance to patients, who do not require specialist medical care and in emergencies.
Authorisations of feldshers
Among other things, a feldsher can perform circulatory and respiratory resuscitation, manual and automatic defibrillation, ECG, injections, draw blood, and take smear samples from the throat, nose, and anus. A feldsher is authorised to dress wounds, dislocations, and sprains, and to stop haemorrhaging.
A feldsher can also issue certificates on temporary inability to work up to seven days to an insured individual, providing that the total period of inability does not exceed 14 days.
A feldsher is also authorised to act in scope of health care education and prevention, including preventive vaccination.
Under the supervision of a physician, a feldsher may also assist in surgical procedures, administer local anaesthesia, perform small surgical procedures such as wound dressing, change the dressing, and remove stitches and drains.
A feldsher is also authorised to prescribe medication (with the exception of strong drugs and certain intoxicants and psychotropic drugs). The prescriptions issued by a feldsher should hold a stamp with the feldsher’s first and last name, the title of feldsher, and the number of the certificate authorising professional practice.
A feldsher practicing the profession for over three years receives the title of senior feldsher.
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