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Well I guess I'd better start this blog blowing my own trumpet and introduce myself given the ceremony I attended today.....
I am hereby known as Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing, Nanjing Medical University.
Woo Hoo...guessing they are really happy with my work!! Luckily I too am happy working here and being conferred the title of Adjunct Professor is a great honour and I feel truly blessed. The faculty members were all so welcoming and happy for me...I was quite overcome with emotion. I am the first "lao shi" (foreign teacher) to be conferred with this title. Apparently my students LOVE me according to the Dean and they are very impressed with the progress displayed by my students....I think this is one of those proud moments in life that one never forgets. I only wish you could all be here to help me celebrate :)
This week I have started visiting our hospitals viewing the facilities, meeting the staff and allowing them to practice their English. Kelly (one of my Masters students) was my unofficial guide and more importantly my translator!! First visit has been to the Womens and Children's Healthcare Hospital.....and wow is it impressive!! It is one of our brand new hospitals and let me assure you no expense was spared....all the bells and whistles that you would find in any Western hospital - maybe even better!! I'm unsure of the exact bed numbers but it is a 22 storey building and has every conceivable health related facility available within it for women and children. I spent a lot of time in the Neonate Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where I was fortunate enough to be allowed to take some photos to show "Australian nurses how we work" . The NICU is a huge unit - at least 50-60 cribs set up - the smallest bub at the moment is 1000g.
They were very interested to know what differences I noticed......really the big difference was the uniforms and CAPS....they were amazed when I told them that we no longer wear caps in the West!! The other big difference is that parents cannot enter the NICU and have to view their babies via a computer monitor!!!! Have to say that took me by surprise but then when I thought about the living conditions for many people here I figured the risk of infection was just too great. Still....I do feel sorry for the parents. The only exception is when a baby is unlikely to survive and then the parents are allowed to spend time with their baby. Also the Nurses quite often sleep at the hospital between shifts so they have a sleeping room, bathroom and recreation area all set up for them....it is so nice to see staff being treated well.
Initially the staff were embarrassed and shy. I think they might have been expecting me to criticize their hospital. I assured them that the NICU was state of the art and a match to anything in the West - the look on their faces was priceless....they are so convinced that everything must be better in the West but I said "no, we all use the same equipment when looking after neonates". They were so proud to show me around and to "meet" their little bubs!!
Otherwise this week has been a quiet week for me. I'm teaching extra classes in May so not as much time for sightseeing. Hence this weeks photos are probably only of interest to my Nursing colleagues!!!
Bye for now. xx
I am hereby known as Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing, Nanjing Medical University.
Woo Hoo...guessing they are really happy with my work!! Luckily I too am happy working here and being conferred the title of Adjunct Professor is a great honour and I feel truly blessed. The faculty members were all so welcoming and happy for me...I was quite overcome with emotion. I am the first "lao shi" (foreign teacher) to be conferred with this title. Apparently my students LOVE me according to the Dean and they are very impressed with the progress displayed by my students....I think this is one of those proud moments in life that one never forgets. I only wish you could all be here to help me celebrate :)
This week I have started visiting our hospitals viewing the facilities, meeting the staff and allowing them to practice their English. Kelly (one of my Masters students) was my unofficial guide and more importantly my translator!! First visit has been to the Womens and Children's Healthcare Hospital.....and wow is it impressive!! It is one of our brand new hospitals and let me assure you no expense was spared....all the bells and whistles that you would find in any Western hospital - maybe even better!! I'm unsure of the exact bed numbers but it is a 22 storey building and has every conceivable health related facility available within it for women and children. I spent a lot of time in the Neonate Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where I was fortunate enough to be allowed to take some photos to show "Australian nurses how we work" . The NICU is a huge unit - at least 50-60 cribs set up - the smallest bub at the moment is 1000g.
They were very interested to know what differences I noticed......really the big difference was the uniforms and CAPS....they were amazed when I told them that we no longer wear caps in the West!! The other big difference is that parents cannot enter the NICU and have to view their babies via a computer monitor!!!! Have to say that took me by surprise but then when I thought about the living conditions for many people here I figured the risk of infection was just too great. Still....I do feel sorry for the parents. The only exception is when a baby is unlikely to survive and then the parents are allowed to spend time with their baby. Also the Nurses quite often sleep at the hospital between shifts so they have a sleeping room, bathroom and recreation area all set up for them....it is so nice to see staff being treated well.
Initially the staff were embarrassed and shy. I think they might have been expecting me to criticize their hospital. I assured them that the NICU was state of the art and a match to anything in the West - the look on their faces was priceless....they are so convinced that everything must be better in the West but I said "no, we all use the same equipment when looking after neonates". They were so proud to show me around and to "meet" their little bubs!!
Otherwise this week has been a quiet week for me. I'm teaching extra classes in May so not as much time for sightseeing. Hence this weeks photos are probably only of interest to my Nursing colleagues!!!
Bye for now. xx
- comments
Mary M well done and congratulations groove!! Fabulous news and you are looking fantastic so life in Nanjing is obviously treating you well! xx
Di Congrats on title!!! Love the new pics to start reading your blog too.