XN000022-1974-11-13 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1974

GOVERNMENT SEEKS COMMENTS

ON NURSE TRAINING REPORT

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THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES ANNOUNCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT HE HAS DISTRIBUTED COPIES OF A REPORT ON STUDENT NURSE TRAINING TO THE NEWS MEDIA AND INTERESTED NURSING BODIES.

THE REPORT, BY MISS MARGARET LAMB, IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH THE TRAINING OF GOVERNMENT STUDENT NURSES IN HONG KONG BUT

INCLUDES ALSO WIDER-RANGING RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE NURSING PROFESSION GENERALLY AND CALLS FOR A GREATER APPRECIATION OF NURSES BOTH BY GOVERNMENT AND BY THE COMMUNITY. THE MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT ARE -

(A) WITHIN THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT NURSING

ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED AND PROMOTION SHOULD NO LONGER BE BASED ONLY ON SENIORITY-

(B) ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENT NURSES ARE TOO RIGID

BUT THE MINIMUM SHOULD REMAIN FIVE HKCEE PASSES INCLUDING CHINESE, ENGLISH, BIOLOGY AND TWO OTHER SUBJECTS WHICH MAY BE SCIENCE OR ARTS=

(C) TRAINING COURSES SHOULD BE MORE RELEVANT TO THE

PRACTICAL WARD SITUATION=

(D) QUALIFIED CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS SHOULD BE TRAINED. THE

USE OF UNQUALIFIED TUTORS SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED AND THE STUDENT/TUTOR RATIO REDUCED BY THE APPOINTMENT OF ADDITIONAL QUALIFIED TUTORS-

(E)

COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN STAFF THEMSELVES AND STAFF AND STUDENTS SHOULD BE IMPROVED=

AND

(F) ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN AT ALL LEVELS TO IMPROVE AND

DEVELOP THE USE OF ENGLISH WHICH IS SEEN AS THE PRINCIPAL PROBLEM FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS.

MISS MARGARET LAMB CAME TO HONG KONG AT THE END OF MAY FOR SIX WEEKS. SHE HAD JUST RETIRED AS THE TUTOR ORGANISER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NURSE MANAGEMENT STUDIES FOR THE SOUTH-EASTERN REGIONAL HOSPITAL BOARD IN EDINBURGH. IN ADDITION TO VISITING GOVERNMENT STUDENT NURSE TRAINING SCHOOLS SHE WAS ALSO AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY OF SEEING OTHER NON-GOVERNMENT TRAINING HOSPITALS IN HONG KONG.

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HER VISIT FOLLOWS EFFORTS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE 1971 TO OBTAIN THE VIEWS OF AN EXTERNAL NURSING ADVISER. EVENTUALLY, MISS LAMB ACCEPTED AN INVITATION FROM THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR AND SHE WAS ASKED PARTICULARLY TO STUDY THE TRAINING OF STUDENT NURSES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS.

THE DIRECTOR