A welcome helping hand in busy wards

Advanced Practice Nurse Cheung Ka-man is the clinical mentor of Yang Min-fei, who joined the nursing team of a medical ward in Queen Elizabeth Hospital through the GBA Healthcare Talents Visiting Programme in April. From the beginning of the clinical practicum, she was immediately impressed by Min-fei’s meticulous attention to details while providing basic nursing care to patients under supervision. “Min-fei quickly adapted to the busyness of the ward. She shared tips to prevent falls with the patients while assisting them to the toilet proactively, and also advised a patient to adopt a low sodium diet when she learnt that the patient had a cardiac disease,” says Ka-man, commenting that Min-fei quickly picked up the jargons used in the ward like PAF (Patient Assessment Form) and DNACPR (Do-Not-Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation).

Min-fei was originally from the Geriatric Oncology Department at the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, where her colleague took part in the training programme in Hong Kong years ago and recommended her to join as well. “Clinical mentors provide guidance to us so that we can smoothly adapt to the new working environment,” Min-fei explains. “We also share our experience and skills in nursing care with them.” During their free time, they mingle with HA colleagues and learn more about the culture and life in the city.

In just a few months, Min-fei adapted comfortably to the working life in Hong Kong. On one occasion, she and HA colleagues helped soothe a patient requiring continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis along with ventilator support. Later, the patient recovered. Her family members expressed their gratitude to the healthcare team, which made Min-fei impressed. The contributions of GBA nurses like Min-fei are highly appreciated by HA colleagues. “From the moment a patient is admitted, the GBA nurses help alleviate our workload,” says Ka-man.