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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) today (February 29) opened applications for admission to a two-year full-time welfare-oriented Enrolled Nurse (General) / Enrolled Nurse (Psychiatric) Training Programme which will commence on October 27, 2008.
"We have commissioned the Hospital Authority (HA) to provide the fourth welfare-oriented Enrolled Nurse (General) / Enrolled Nurse (Psychiatric) Training Programme to meet the demand for these nurses in the welfare sector with a view to enhancing the quality of care services," a spokesman for the SWD said.
The programme will provide 110 training places, including 80 places for Enrolled Nurse (General) and 30 places for Enrolled Nurse (Psychiatric).
"Since 2005, SWD has organised three such training programmes with the same number of training places. Around 6,800 applications were received in the three rounds of recruitment, and the third training programme commenced on December 3, 2007. In view of the encouraging response from applicants and the need for more trained nurses to serve in the welfare sector, SWD is organising the fourth enrolled nurse training programme," the spokesman explained.
The programme aims to prepare graduates to become competent, caring professional nurses through strong clinical and practical emphasis on providing health care for clients in the welfare sector. It covers a wide range of subjects including personal and communal health, psychology, first aid and emergency care, food and nutrition, medical and surgical nursing, pharmacology, geriatric nursing, psychiatry and related nursing. The training programme will be conducted in HA nursing schools, with clinical placement arranged in HA hospitals and welfare settings.
"To encourage existing frontline staff in the welfare sector to upgrade their skills, priority will be accorded to applicants who are currently working full time in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or private organisations providing elderly, rehabilitation, family and child care, youth or correctional services, and who aspire to continue serving in the welfare sector as enrolled nurses after graduation from the course. Individuals not working in the welfare sector but aspiring to start a career as enrolled nurses in the welfare sector will also be considered," the spokesman said.
SWD will fully subsidise each trainee's tuition fees of $50,000 for the whole course. Each selected candidate is required to sign an undertaking to indicate his/her readiness to be employed as Enrolled Nurse (General) or Enrolled Nurse (Psychiatric) in the welfare sector providing elderly, rehabilitation, family and child care, or correctional services operated by NGOs or private organisations for a continuous period of no less than two years after satisfactory completion of the training. In breach of these terms, the trainee will have to repay SWD the tuition fees in full or in part.
The Guide to Applications and application form for the training course may be obtained from the headquarters or the District Social Welfare Offices of SWD or downloaded from "Thematic Events" or "What's New" on SWD's homepage (www.swd.gov.hk). Applications will close on April 18, 2008. For enquiries, please contact the course hotline on 2110 1495.
Ends/Friday, February 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:00
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