SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 1981
BOOSTER FOR COMMUNITY NURSING SCHEME
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COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE IN HONG KONG WILL ENTER A NEW PHASE WITH THE GRADUATION OF 117 COMMUNITY NURSES NEXT WEEK AFTER A FOUR-MONTH INTENSIVE TRAINING COURSE CONDUCTED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND SEVEN VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS.
THE NURSES WILL BE PRESENTED WITH CERTIFICATES AT A CEREMONY TO BE OFFICIATED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR S.H. LEE, ON THURSDAY (JANUARY 29).
COMMUNITY NURSING IS EXTENSION OF CARE TO PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL AFTER AN ACUTE STAGE OF ILLNESS. IT ALSO PROVIDES EFFICIENT MEDICAL CARE FOR THE SICK, THE DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY AT THEIR HOME IF THEY HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN VISITING CLINICS OR HOSPITALS FOR FOLLOW-UP CHECKS OR TREATMENT.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THE SERVICE HAD PROVED POPULAR AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND IT FORMED AN ESSENTIAL PART OF MEDICAL TREATMENT.
SOME 7 000 PATIENTS HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THE SERVICE WHICH IS SUBSIDISED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND A RECORD 112 500 HOME VISITS HAVE BEEN MADE BY COMMUNITY NURSES IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT SINCE THE GOVERNMENT BEGAN SUBSIDISING THE SERVICE IN 1977, THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS UNDER CARE HAS BEEN STEADILY INCREASING BY AN AVERAGE OF 11 PER CENT EACH YEAR.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN CONDUCTING TRAINING COURSES FOR 75 NURSES A YEAR TO COPE WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE SERVICE.
THE TRAINING COURSE IS MULTI-DISCIPLINARY WITH EMPHASIS ON CLINICAL ASPECTS OF NURSING. PROGRAMMES IN REHABILITATION, GERIATRICS, PAEDIATRICS AND TERMINAL CARE ARE ALSO INCLUDED.
AT PRESENT THERE ARE 170 COMMUNITY NURSES SERVING PATIENTS LIVING IN THE URBAN AREAS AND THE DISTRICTS AROUND RENNIE'S MILL AND TSUEN MAN.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID PLANS WERE IN THE PIPELINE TO EXTEND THE SERVICE TO SHA TIN AND OTHER NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
+WHEN THE SERVICE IS IN FULL SWING, IT WILL NOT ONLY BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN HOSPITAL AND HOME, BUT ALSO HELP TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE OF DEMAND FOR MUCH NEEDED HOSPITAL BEDS, HE SAID.
NOW TC