Dear Members,
With the flu epidemic affecting the region, the increased Accident
and Emergency attendance and shortage of hospital beds have further unveiled
the manpower issues of the health system in Hong Kong. It is anticipated that
discussions on restructuring of health services would continue in coming months.
However, it is important that the future system should not undermine the quality
of services to patients.
Nursing shortage is not a local problem but issue of the global nursing community.
Being the largest occupational group in health care system, nurses have to keep
pace with the rapidly changing social and health care environment. It is the
College's responsibility to watch out for the development and support nursing
colleagues through the changes.
For the past two years, the outgoing editorial panel has contributed to the
successful publication of the Nursing Journal. We would like to express out
gratitude to the panel for their contributions in ensuring the journal is published.
Their contributions are instrumental in ensuring a platform for sharing new
knowledge. A new panel is formed. The College will take this opportunity to
welcome the new panel for contributions in the next two years.
In May, some College members will leave for Taipei to attend the International
Council of Nurses' (ICN) quadrennial conference. This is a valuable opportunity
to meet with nurses from all over the world. At the conference, nurses share
information on discuss items. Also, representatives from countries/regions member
associations will discuss on variety of issues in great depth.
Alice Tsang (Dr)
President
College of Nursing, Hong Kong
會 長 的 話
各位會員及同業：
近日區內爆發流感，大量市民湧到急症室求診，入院人數大增，多間醫院內科病房病床不足應付需要，引起市民大眾更加關注醫療體系的人手問題。預計醫療服務及收費的檢討和討論將會是大家關注的事項。然而，任何醫療政策的考慮均應以保持服務水平為基礎。於社會資源運用上，不應影響服務病人的質素。
護理人手短缺是全球性的問題。護士作為醫療體制的一份子，我們要跟隨社會需要及醫療環境而改變。學院會繼續關注這些發展，並且協助會員業面對因改變而帶來的問題。
一直以來，護理雜誌能夠順利出版，使業界的研究和新的知識公諸大家分享，全賴編輯組過去兩年的努力。我們藉此機會，向編輯組的同事表示謝意；並期望新一屆編輯組為來年雜誌出版作出貢獻。
五月底，多名學院委員和會員將參加在台北舉行的國際護士協會(ICN)第廿三屆交流會議，與世界各地同業分享專業心得和經 驗。我們亦將出席由協會會員國家/地區代表會議，深入探討有關護理專業發展的事項。
曾秀梅(博士)
香港護理學院會長