The tsunamis occurred in southeast Asia in December 26 last year
has drawn a valuable insights for healthcare professionals into a tragedy that
has absorbed the entire world. To contribute to the relief effort after the
tsunamis hit and support to the healthcare professionals in the affected regions,
medical and nursing colleagues from Hong Kong were called to save and help patients
in places where the casualties started arriving. The Hong Kong healthcare team
served the victims suffered from major physical injuries and infections. Acute
grief reactions among survivors due to family and property losses also require
great psychological and psychiatric support. It is true that the effects on
environmental damage will not last long, but the psychological and social sequelae
due to homeless and social separation could be alarming. The fact is most of
the healthcare workers in the affected areas are either dead or injured, or
have lost their houses and family members in the disaster. As a consequence
psychosocial and mental support is fundamental from the Hong Kong team, besides
the professional collaboration.
The article in "Preparing Cancer Patients to Die at Home" is an example of a
pioneering job done by those who care for patients at their terminal stage.
Helping people to die at home is a big challenge for hospice nurses working
in an institutionalized healthcare setting. The second paper "Patient Safety:
Situation Analysis" is a report from the author on the survey responses of nursing
organisations of a number of countries. The report includes discussion of an
overview of concerns, priority issues, policies, and activities in the area
of patient safety.
The editorial team would like to express our profound sadness regarding the
human tragedy caused by this enormous natural catastrophe. As most of us have
learned by now, there is too little the healthcare professionals can help when
disaster comes. There are no "spare" lives, but our compassion and generosity
can be reminders when we serve those who are enduring their sufferings and near
to death. The articles published in this issue are devoted to encouraging colleagues
to strengthen the professional identity by sourcing every opportunity to serve
others with different health needs.
Issue Editors
去年十二月二十六日，東南亞地區不幸地爆發了一次嚴重的海嘯。這次引發全球關注的大災 難，確實給醫護界帶來寶貴的啟示。為了提供災後醫療救援工作，香港的醫護同業立刻接受
呼籲，前往災區協助拯救死傷者。香港醫護隊伍為遇難者所提供的醫療照顧主要是關乎身體 殘疾和感染。其實大多數生還者都因為失去家人及財物而患上急性創傷後遺症，他們都迫切
地渴求在心理及精神上的支援。環境受損的影響可能不會長久，但是因喪失家園及社會隔離 而引起的後遺症將會是十分驚人。事實上，當地很多的醫護同僚，亦因這場災難而受傷、死
亡，甚或失去家園。因此，除了兩地在專業的醫療合作之外，醫護隊伍對當地醫護界所提供 精神的支援，亦是十分重要的。
在這期刊登的文章 "Preparing Cancer Patients to Die at Home"，筆者討論一個善終服務的先驅模式。在今日制度化的醫療架構之下，醫護人員要推動及幫助末期癌症病人在家中善終，實
在是一種莫大的挑戰; 文中記錄了這種護理模式的成果及所遇的困難。而另一篇文章 "Patient Safety: Situation Analysis"，筆者報導在去年十一月國際護士會
(ICN) 會議中發表的一份來自多個國家在「病人安全」的調查報告，記載幾個地區性的護理組織就病人安全各種關注、優 先事項、及有關政策及活動的討論內容。
編輯組對於這次海嘯所引致的死難悲傷深表遺憾。我們都體會到在照顧面臨疾患痛苦及死亡 邊緣的群眾時，再一次喚醒和加深醫護人員的慈愛和憐憫之情。盼能鼓勵同業們珍惜每次機
會，努力去幫助有需要的病人，並進一步體現及強化專業精神。
今期主編