Kency Chan, Nursing Officer, HKSH Medical Group, will be joining the 3rd Annual Global Nursing Management & Innovation Forum and will be discussing the topic; “Nurse organisation in different countries- Developing countries (Asian)”
Experience
I began my nursing career in a public hospital in Hong Kong in 1992, specializing in Surgical and Intensive Care Units. I then studied for additional qualifications; Bachelor of Nursing and Masters in Nursing (Clinical Leadership) throughout 2000-2011. In 2008, I further challenged my career as a team leader and Nursing Officer in a private hospital which I still continue to do today. In 2014, I achieved an honour, to be the Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Nursing in the Specialty of Surgical Care. Further training in leadership and management helped me with creating a clinical academic unit in as a centre for education, training and research. In addition, I am also actively organizing educational programs for new staff members in the ‘Nurse Residency Program’. More recently, I have attended a clinical mentor professional program that was based on early research of academic faculty and clinical facility translating acquired theoretical knowledge into competent and safe clinical practice for the healthcare workforce. This has further added to my professional skills with advanced clinical supervision and optimized the clinical competency for existing healthcare professionals.
Mentor & Guidance
I adore the spark of energy that I experience every day as a nursing leader and clinical mentor for the new nurses and healthcare professionals. My passion and determination have continued to grow through this opportunity. I had the great pleasure of being appointed as an ‘Honorary Clinical Assessor’ and ‘Clinical Tutor’ by The University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Open University of Hong Kong. Quality clinical teaching is characterized by inspiring, supporting, actively involving others and communication. Through assisting new nurses, I got my first networking experience in clinical placement and guided them with constant communication. I have also personally benefited a lot from the program as it has given me the opportunity to reflect on my own knowledge, practices and how I can continue to build capacity in my profession. I can sense my real interest and strongly feel the power of continuing in education and management.
Through these experiences, I truly gained an insight into my own career path and its value. It also helped me to create a clear picture of the direction I should be taking. I believe life is meant to be lived to the fullest! The most important thing I have learnt about being a leader is the sense of confidence you must hold in what you are doing. Believing that managing people is of utmost importance, I always keep an open mind and compassionate heart in order to become a nurse leader who brings success to the team by “not ruling for one’s own good, but for the good of others.” I am at present pursuing a degree of Doctor at Nursing at the University of Hong Kong for the improvement of clinical decision-making skills of new nurses. Additionally, I have been a member of the speciality board committee of the Hong Kong College of Surgical Nursing (HKCSN) since 2015. This has allowed me to foster the development of continuing education for advanced nursing practice and to assure professional and ethical conduct (P&E) and standards in the practice of advanced nursing. Leadership, in general, plays an integral part in the development of individuals and the organization. Hence, my work made me become more focused on how to improve the greater adherence to standards of care.
Dramatic Changes
With more new hospitals, medical centres, more patient beds and expanded space in Hong Kong, the commitment to continuous development has increased dramatically. We need to oversee the mission, strategy, executive leadership, quality and safety and especially guard quality of care; the patients are expected to fulfil an oversight role in quality assurance and the continuous improvement of the care provided by us. There will be an expectation for healthcare professionals to input essential data that communicates patient information to support quality decision making. Volunteer work is the cornerstone that joins charitable service and hard work. In addition to the personal satisfaction and deeper understanding of the community gained through helping a person or organization, I also developed a network of volunteer contacts that can be useful when serving the community. In 2017, I set up a non-profit organization to provide assistance in healthcare and to increase awareness among health professionals for social responsibility.
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