The International Council of Nurses (ICN) just announced that the theme of International Nurses Day (IND) this year would be: “Nurses: A Force for Change: Care Effective, Cost Effective”. It reflected the determination of ICN striving to reinforce and optimize the global medical system. To celebrate the IND on May 12, the college hosted the Pinning and Cap Conferment Ceremony and Distinguished Lecture at auditorium of Kiang Wu Hospital in the morning of May 8. The two ceremonies symbolized the inheritance of Florence Nightingale’s spirit to Year 4 and Year 3 students, and the expressed the wish of the College that the students will carry the mission and significance of nursing with them to service the society.

Chow Pik Chi – President of the Union of Nursing Staff of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs), Ana Maria Chao – Acting Nursing Supervisor of Centro Hospitalar Conde de São Januário (CHCSJ), Sam Leong Mio Leng – Head Nurse of CHCSJ, Ma Hok Cheung – President of Kiang Wu Hospital (KWH), Fok Wai Lan – Assistant to the President of KWH, Chan Wai Ha – Head Nurse of KWH, Kan Sut Peng – Deputy Head Nurse of KWH, Wong Chi Wa – Nurse Specialist of KWH, Lou Tak Wa – Director of Board of Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau (KWNC), Cheung Pui Fong – Former Director of Discipline of KWNC, Van Iat Kio – President of KWNC and lots of guests as well as the predecessors in the nursing field attended this activity.

During the lecture of “New Trend of Medical Care” in Distinguished Lecture, President Ma mentioned of several current development of medical care that we need to pay attention to, and also indicated that medical treatment is no longer only for the sake of curing of disease, but also for helping people to maintain their best condition in health. He said that the current medical care system should change according to the needs of the society, and we can refer experiences from oversea, such as the therapy model that mainly focus on the community, integration of elderly care and medical care, like family medicine, elder village etc.. Furthermore, President Ma advised the graduating students not to overlook the community nursing job, but to put the patient in the first place when they face the change of their society role after graduated. He also pointed out that team spirit, communication skills, caring and lifelong learning are very important and one should keep balance between work and life.

President Van Iat Kio said that the Distinguished Lecture let teachers and students learn more about the current situation and development direction of KWH, which can provide a guiding light while students are devoting themselves to society. Moreover, she mentioned about students expressing their attitude in a rational and professional way while discussing about legislation of the nurse registration in Macao, which showed that students are having the same goal with the public: assuring of the quality of local medical service. President Van expected the law could lead the nursing profession to unification, standardization and internationalization, and also to the development of communitization.  Year 4 student Lei Ka Ian said that although there are a lot of challenges throughout the four-year study, she can still guard her dream. She encouraged the younger students to not only become a qualified nurse, but also to set goal to become an excellent one. Year 3 student Lam Mei Ian sent blessing to her senior schoolmates who are about to become angels in white, she expressed that she will try hard to be a role model to pass down the spirit of benevolence, and to promote the professional image of nursing personnel.