Nurses are an important pillar for HKCH. The hospital management is fully aware of the nursing manpower pressure in certain services, and has implemented multiple measures to increase manpower and strengthen training to enrich nurses’ professional skills to cope with operational needs.

For example, the Kowloon Central Cluster has been supporting HKCH through the Special Honorarium Scheme and deploying nurse consultants to help. There is also a regular rotation programme between experienced NICU nurses of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and junior HKCH nurses.

▲Nurse consultants deployed by the cluster do not only support daily operation of the ICUs regularly, but also help to train new nurses.

With the coordination by Dr Danny Tong, Senior Manager (Nursing) / Principal Nursing Officer of the Hospital Authority, a mechanism has been set up where Queen Mary Hospital would quickly deploy nurses from its cardiothoracic surgery team to help HKCH’s PICU when the latter has more than two patients who require mechanical circulatory support.

The Head Office also coordinates the recruitment and allocation of nurse graduates. Dr Tong believes that when recruiting nurses for HKCH, quantity should not be the only consideration. He said, "HKCH is destined to be a centre of excellence. Nurses have to handle highly complicated cases and master the most advanced technology. It is challenging but also rewarding. We should tell prospective nurses upfront what to expect, and focus on bringing the right people on the bus. We need people with aspiration who see working in HKCH as an honour. Once they are on board, we should help them find meaning and satisfaction at work."

▲Dr Danny Tong, "HKCH is destined to be a centre of excellence. Nurses have to handle highly complicated cases and master the most advanced technology. It is challenging but also rewarding."

Connie Wan, HKCH General Manager (Nursing) shared what it takes to be paediatric nurses, "Young children can’t express what they need. We have to be sensitive in observing their facial expressions and body language. Attention to details is a must, as a minor discrepancy in drug dosage could cause serious harm. Empathy, patience and the ability to control own emotions are also crucial when taking care of vulnerable children and anxious parents."

She elaborated on the additional attributes of HKCH nurses, "Depth and width are equally important. Solid specialty knowledge and critical thinking allow nurses to handle rare complex cases and new technology. At the same time, nurses are usually the focal point in the multidisciplinary one-stop service we offer, so they need to know a bit of everything." She commended colleagues’ willingness to accept changes and challenges, "They are passionate, energetic and very courageous."

▲Connie Wan, "As we keep opening new services, our senior nurses often take up the difficult tasks to formulate operational workflow, monitor works progress and procure numerous items. Their efforts are truly commendable."

Structured training helps nurses grasp professional skills

Orientation programme

The COPPER programme for fresh graduates was extended to 10 days this year. Courses combine theories and practical knowledge, including operational policies and guidelines, child development, clinical skills workshops, department visits, and talks on resilience and communication.

Preceptorship programme

Experienced clinical preceptors are hired to coach new nurses continuously for two years, focusing on common nursing procedures such as medication administration and nasogastric / orogastric tube insertion.

Ward mentor

New nurses are assigned a ward mentor who helps them to adapt to the new environment and offers assistance when they encounter problems in daily work.

3-years-2-specialties

During the first three years, nurses are expected to work in two different specialties to gain exposure for career development. This arrangement has been suspended due to COVID-19 and manpower pressure, but will resume later this year. Nurses will be sent in batches to adult departments in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, or to another specialty within HKCH. Destinations will be decided according to their wish as far as possible.