Empathy is a desirable quality of those working in the healthcare industry.   Kwok Yiu-yang, a student of the first cohort of the Higher Diploma Programme in Health Care, would definitely be a great nurse because his own experience made him aware of the importance of care and support to a patient. Yiu-yang is among the seventy-two students who had clinical practicum in eight nursing and residential care homes this summer. Most of them were highly commended by the nursing and residential care homes and be recruited as part-time staff to care the elderly.

At the time when Yiu-yang graduated from kindergarten and primary school, Hong Kong was severely struck by SARS and Swine Flu respectively.  “I suffered from Swine Flu that year and understood the feeling of a patient. I enjoy taking care of others so I want to be a nurse and serve the community,” Yiu-yang explained why he chose nursing as his career.

Yiu-yang practised basic nursing care at the HKSKH Home of Loving Care for the Elderly during the clinical practicum. Taking care of the elderly had helped him to become more careful and patient.  Since his clinical instructor was in the Centre to guide and give him and other students advice, he was able to put what he had learnt into practice and improve his service quality.  He hoped that he can be admitted to an undergraduate degree programme in nursing upon graduation so that he could become a competent and caring nurse.

Clinical practicum plays an important role in the Higher Diploma Programme in Health Care because students can apply nursing and health related knowledge and skills in a clinical setting. Total thirteen groups of students will complete their clinical practicum in the HKSKH Home of Loving Care for the Elderly, the Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing and other nursing and residential care homes this summer.