Hospitals nurse hope for bay exchange

Wallis Wang

The presence of Greater Bay Area nurses in Hong Kong is a source of succor rather than bother, the Hospital Authority said, with some 100 nurses from Guangdong participating in a 10-month exchange program here.

They are currently working and studying under the direction of local nurses and have not reported any language or communication difficulties.

The nurses, with nine years of experience on the average, come from 14 cities in the province.

A second batch, participating in a GBA specialty nursing knowledge exchange program, are assisting in broader areas, including ophthalmology, endoscopy and intensive, cardiac and peri-operative care.

They are involved in providing care and support to patients undergoing surgery.

The authority plans to organize six seminars on advanced nursing during their stint, which ends in January, with chief manager of nursing Danny Tong Wah-kun reiterating that the nurses have been a source of relief by alleviating the workload of frontline staff.

"The nurses are not considered a burden, as intensive care units are already experiencing heavy workloads," he said. "On the contrary, the exchange has fostered an environment of mutual learning and collaboration between Hong Kong and the mainland."

Local nurses have had he opportunity to gain insights into mainland practices, such as developments in smart hospitals and the utilization of ultrasound in clinical nursing.

The program takes a "one-on-one" approach to familiarize mainland nurses with local procedures and protocols, and Sampson Chan Ching-sum, an associate nursing consultant at Ruttonjee & Tang Shiu Kin Hospitals' intensive care unit, said the nurses were so eager to learn that they stayed behind even after their shifts ended.

Chan also said they were easy to guide, given their experience in intensive care, and able to quickly adapt to the local pace and procedures.

Mo Minhua, from Peking University Shenzhen Hospital who is currently working at Ruttonjee & Tang Shiu Kin Hospitals, said she has extensive experience in intensive care, including monitoring patients' conditions, administering medication and helping in emergency treatments.

Tong said the Hospital Authority plans to expand the program in the future, with 130 GBA nurses expected to participate in the third phase."

Also, the authority intends to send senior nurses from Hong Kong to Guangdong as part of an exchange program this year.