Page 74 - HA Convention 2016 [Abstracts (Day 2)]

HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONVENTION 2016 Service Enhancement Presentations

F7.1 Committed and Happy Staff 13:15 Room 421

Healthy Staff through “Care for the Carer” Workshops
Chan Connie SK, Wong MC, Lau Elisa YN, Chan CY, Chan Teresa SC.
Department of Clinical Oncology, Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong

Introduction

Promoting well-being of staff is one of the strategic directions to meet the caring demand for the growing population of
cancer patients. Staffs working in Oncology unit are under stress as they need to face grievances and death everyday,
therefore often resulting in high workplace stress. Regular “Care for the Carer” workshop was conducted as staff support
programme. Likewise, staff’s well-being and workplace psychological safety were enhanced.

Objectives

(1) To reduce work stress and enhance staff engagement in the workplace; (2) to arouse staff’s awareness on work stress
management; and (3) to create a caring atmosphere.

Methodology

Since 2012, regular “Care for the Carer” workshops have been coordinated by an Advanced Practice Nurse in every six-
months. We have invited clinical psychologists, spiritual care workers, and mental health workers to give professional advices
in the workshops. (1) A 60-minute workshop on different topics including identifying stress factors, self-care and stress relief
methods. (2) Demonstrate and practise stress relief exercises in the workshops. (3) After the exercises, staff reflects and
shares experience. (4) Provide some practical self-healing methods. (5) Post-workshop questionnaires are distributed to all
attendants. (6) A small focus group is formed.

Wednesday, 4 May Results

(1) From 2012-2015, six workshops were conducted with five of them by internal professional speakers. One workshop on
“Work Stress Management” was delivered in the Occupational Health promotional campaign 2014-2015 by Occupational
Safety and Health Council. (2) 65 staff members were satisfied with the programme; all of them agreed that the programme
could reduce their stress. (3) All staff treasured the experience gained in the workshops. It also provided a channel for difficult
case sharing among staff. (4) All staffs appreciated to continue “Care for the Carer” workshop with positive feedback. (5) 95
% of staffs expressed official relief to attendant.

Conclusion

The “Care for the Carer” workshop can build up a “people-first” and “caring” culture, as to maintain workplace psychological
safety and health. Obviously, it strengthens staff’s stress awareness with related self-healing methods or first-aids hints.
Recently, we invited new set up New Territories West Cluster – Critcial Incident Pschological Services Centre to join hands to
support our frontline workers. It sustains staff to provide quality services as well as nurturing healthy workplace.

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