The Hospital Authority collaborates with Caritas Institute of Higher Education to launch Nursing Professional Education Programme (with photo)
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The Hospital Authority (HA), in collaboration with the Caritas Institute of Higher Education (CIHE), will launch a Nursing Professional Education Programme (NPEP) this year with the aim of enhancing the professionalism as well as the academic level of the existing HA Nursing Programme of three nursing schools. Graduates will be awarded a Professional Diploma in Nursing after completion of the four-year programme and a top-up Bachelor of Health Sciences with Honours Degree (nursing stream) upon completion of the fifth year of the collaborative programme.
The Director of Cluster Services of the HA, Dr Deacons Yeung, made remarks at the Agreement Signing Ceremony of the NPEP with the CIHE that the collaboration is a major milestone for the development of HA nursing schools, which the exiting HA nursing programme will be upgraded from Qualifications Framework Level 4 to Level 5. Not only will it enhance the academic level of the existing HA nursing programme of three nursing schools but will also fulfil the commitment of the HA in providing better quality healthcare services to the Hong Kong public.
Dr Yeung also commended the excellent teaching quality of the CIHE and expects that the collaborative programme will foster many more nursing professionals for public hospitals in taking care of the healthcare needs of local citizens.
HA's three nursing schools are providing a three-year Higher Diploma in Nursing Programme which will be transformed into a four-year NPEP starting from this year, which is equivalent to a degree course under the Qualifications Framework. Graduates will be awarded a top-up Bachelor of Health Sciences with Honours Degree (nursing stream) with an additional year of study, allowing students to continue further studies along the nursing care career path.
The President of the CIHE, Dr Kim Mak, said at the Ceremony that they are happy to collaborate with the HA nursing schools to contribute to the Professional Diploma in Nursing programme through collaborative teaching. With the ever-increasing demand for the nursing workforce, the collaborative programme provides better and early preparation for career advancement.
The Chief Manager of Nursing of the HA, Lawrence Poon, believes the collaborative programme could attract more potential students in joining the nursing workforce by training estimated 300 registered nurses every year that will continue to alleviate the existing work pressure of nursing staff in public hospitals.
Mr Poon also said the collaborative programme allows the HA nursing schools and the CIHE to exchange both professional and academic aspects in enhancing programme quality, for example, simulation training for improving learning effectiveness and extensive HA clinical professional experience, as well as the teaching philosophy and advanced teaching facilities provided by the CIHE.
The HA has three nursing schools at present which are located in Caritas Medical Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital.
Ends/Friday, March 19, 2021
Issued at HKT 18:45
Issued at HKT 18:45
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