Stay hungry for learning
Cecilia ChanNurse Consultant (Cardiac Care)
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
In cardiology, the list of heart disorders is extensive that requires advanced minimally invasive surgery and intervention. With over 30 years of experience in nursing, Cecilia Chan has accumulated proficiency in handling complex heart disease cases. Nevertheless, this does not stop her from gaining new exposures. She used to spend every night reading literatures regarding the latest treatment techniques and clinical know-how, and the motivation that keeps her thriving for knowledge stems from the eagerness to pursue excellence.
“There is too much to learn about cardiology. You will find yourself lagging behind once you stop learning. Thanks to my stubbornness, I would overcome whatever challenges brought to me and I definitely would not want to be looked down on.” In 1995 when Cecilia was still a registered nurse, she had already been involved in the establishment of the first Cardiac Ambulatory Centre in Hong Kong at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. At the Centre, patients could receive ambulatory care services such as high-risk cardiac interventional treatment as day-patient, which helps relieve the pressure on wards. To facilitate the coordination, she had formulated the service protocols for the Centre with reference to different resources. Then, she had worked on the establishment of Nurse-led clinic in 2008, where cardiology cases such as patients taking anticoagulant, or heart failures patients would be managed by specialist nurses. Since 2018, the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) has been made available 24/7 with her team’s effort.
In retrospect, Cecilia believes every challenge she has endured through had been pushing her limit, that makes her tougher and stronger. In the Cardiology Department, doctors are the mastermind. Hoping to become their right-hand person, she equips herself with sufficient clinical knowledge such as the cardiology procedure details and principles of the operation. “You will find it easier to make decisions and explain the case to the patient as long as you gain a deeper understanding of the case”. In her remarks, Cecilia considers it important for a person to get out of their comfort zone to embrace challenges and strive for excellence.