Nermina Rizvanović

Research is a very challenging way of learning

Nermina Rizvanović, MD, PhD, from the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit at the Cantonal Hospital Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is one of this year’s finalists in the field of anaesthesiology. Being one of the finalists is a great honour for her and very challenging at the same time. It is a great recognition of the work of the whole research team which conducted the study, but also a new motivation for future research.

The main findings of their study are that a pre-operative oral carbohydrate drink reduces the post-operative metabolic response (insulin resistance and blood glucose levels), reduces post-operative inflammatory response (CRP, IL6, and Glasgow Prognostic Score levels), improves subjective well-being and surgical clinical outcomes in open colorectal surgery compared with the conventional fasting protocol. The results of this research could help change the traditional clinical practice of pre-operative fasting, improve pre-operative care of surgical patients and establish new pre-operative protocols that include the use of a carbohydrate drink.

To her, research is very important, alongside the clinical work.

I am an anaesthesiologist. In my country, the specialization of intensive care medicine is still in the process of being established. Anaesthesiologists usually work in intensive care units, together with pulmonologists, nephrologists or cardiologists. Patients with life-threatening diseases and mono- or multi-organ failure are treated in intensive care units. Such a job requires a lot of theoretical knowledge as well as manual skills. Working in an intensive care unit is strenuous physically and mentally. If you work diligently, with love and the desire to help your patients, you can balance it, 

concludes Dr. Rizvanović, who balances her professional and personal life by taking regular walks in the fresh air in the mountains, practicing pilates and hanging out with her friends.