Features

INSPPIRE 2024 concluded with great success

The International Nursing Scholarship for Pre-PhD in Research Excellence (INSPPIRE) 2024 programme held by School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (‘PolyU’) has concluded with great success. This year, thirteen pre-PhD candidates from Mainland China, Vietnam, India, the Philippines and Ethiopia, joined the programme, held from 15 to 19 July 2024, to enhance their research skills and explore their professional and personal development opportunities in Hong Kong.  Designed to prepare high calibre students to study a PhD programme at the School, the five-day INSPPIRE programme brought together pre-PhD candidates from around the world to engage with our faculty to learn about our PhD programme and research areas of excellence, as well as find out more about the research funding schemes in Hong Kong. The participants had opportunities to meet our world’s top 2% most-cited scientists to learn how to carry out high-impact research studies and interact with our current PhD students to learn about their experiences and the benefits of pursuing a PhD at PolyU School of Nursing. The programme also provided a valuable networking platform for cross-institutional collaboration. One of the highlights of the programme was for the candidates to present their research questions and ideas. The presentations were followed by feedback from a panel of experts to give the candidates a better idea of the research they would like to pursue. This provided the candidates a stimulating learning experience of lasting value for future research studies and professional careers. Since its launch in 2013, a total of 125 candidates have participated in the INSPPIRE programme. Among them 18 has completed their PhD programme.  Here are comments about INSPPIRE from the participants:  ‘Thanks for enrolling me to this unique programme! Hopefully, I will succeed in joining the School of Nursing as a PhD fellow.’ ‘Thank you so much for allowing us to participate in this meaningful programme. It has inspired me a lot and I hope to pursue my PhD at PolyU in the near future.’ ‘Many thanks for give me this opportunity.  The memory is lovely and wonderful’  

Dr Eva HO has been appointed as the Kuok Group Young Scholar in Child and Adolescent Health

It is our pleasure to announce that Dr Eva HO, Associate Professor of the PolyU School of Nursing, has been appointed as the Kuok Group Young Scholar in Child and Adolescent Health under the PolyU Endowed Young Scholar Scheme. Dr HO is the co-leader of one of the School’s Area of Excellence, Palliative Care in Cancer Trajectory and Survivorship, and she has a keen research interest in child and adolescent health, pediatric oncology, symptom management, and addictive behaviours (smoking cessation and drug abuse).  Specifically, she had conducted research on virtual reality hypnosis in reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting among children with cancer, and also examined the use of a positive psychology intervention to promote the psychological well-being of children living in poverty. Her on-going project is a study of digital storytelling in reducing depressive symptoms, enhancing self-esteem, and promoting quality of life among Hong Kong Chinese childhood cancer survivors. The PolyU Endowed Young Scholar Scheme aims to support and nurture promising early-career academics. By partnering with the donors and benefactors, the Scheme offers the outstanding young scholars an annual funding to support their research and scholarly activities in their respective discipline or field of study.  We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr Eva HO and look forward to her continuous research and contribution in the field of child and adolescent health.   

SN released joint research result about cleaning workers with the Caritas Labour-Friendly Communities Project

PolyU's School of Nursing and the Caritas Labour-Friendly Communities Project held a press conference for the joint research, led by Dr Kin CHEUNG (Associate Professor), on the relationship between the health, injuries, work patterns and occupational health risks of cleaning workers.   Click here for the full article in Chinese.

Ceremony recognises excellence in clinical preceptorship

To express appreciation to the great efforts our clinical partners had made to support our students in transiting from junior to experienced student nurses and newly registered nurses, the Clinical Partners Appreciation Ceremony that had been suspended due to COVID-19, was resumed on 3 May 2024. Over 56 clinical partners, representing 27 hospitals and 3 community organisations attended this long-awaited event.   As noted by Prof. Janelle Yorke, Angel S.P. Chan Lau Professor in Health and Longevity, Chair Professor of Nursing & Head of the School; Hong Kong SAR, Global STEM Professor, at the opening of the ceremony ‘The uncertainties posed by the pandemic disease had given us unprecedented challenges in clinical education; however, it has drawn us closer to fulfilling our shared mission of nurturing generations of outstanding nurses.’ The ceremony featured a seminar in which Prof. Yorke, overviewed how the School had tried to bridge the gap between simulated learning and real clinical practice by utilising immersive virtual reality technology and promoting inter-professional communication and collaborative practice.   The student representatives expressed gratitude to their clinical supervisors who had provided them with challenging, inspirational, and rewarding learning experiences. One student representative said in her vote of thanks that ‘My supervisor had acknowledged my worry during the clinical practice and she rehearsed the nursing procedure with me. I would never forget her words of encouragement’. Prof. E Angela Chan, Associate Head (Undergraduate Education), echoed the student’s appreciation and thanked our clinical partners for their dedication to supporting our students and making them feel valued. Following the presentation of certificates of appreciation to our clinical partners. Our staff members exchanged views with the clinical partners on ways to enrich our clinical placement training and enhance our partnerships. As of 23 October 2023, 49 clinical partners, including hospitals under the Hospital Authority, private hospitals, the Department of Health, and community organisations, is collaborating with us in providing diverse practice environments for our students to achieve the required learning outcomes. Over 400 Honorary Clinical Instructors are appropriately prepared to mentor about 1,600 PolyU nursing students every year. 

PolyU’s School of Nursing ranks 31st in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 (Nursing)

In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024, PolyU’s School of Nursing leapt forward to 31st, 2nd in Hong Kong and we are one of only 5 Asian nursing schools in the top 50.  Prof. Janelle YORKE, Chair Professor of Nursing & Head of the School of Nursing of PolyU said, “I am delighted to see these results. This represents the dedication and commitment to achieve excellence in our teaching, learning and research in nursing. Well done to all of the team at PolyU School of Nursing.”  The QS World University Rankings by Subject highlight the world's top universities in individual subject areas, covering 55 subjects as of 2024. It aims to help prospective students identify the world’s leading schools in their chosen field. The rankings are based on academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact. The table below shows our scores in detail:   School of Nursing, PolyU Ranking in 2024 31st Overall score 84.6 Academic reputation 81.1 Employer reputation 76.4 Citations per paper 91.9 H-index citations 83.4 Data retrieved from https://www.topuniversities.com/university-subject-rankings/nursing    

SN scholars received awards from the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma)

Dr Justina LIU, Associate Professor of School of Nursing, will be inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, and Dr Arkers WONG, Assistant Professor of School of Nursing, will be awarded the Emerging Nurse Researcher/Scholar at the 35th International Nursing Research Congress by the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma). Dr LIU is a trailblazing researcher and innovative nurse educator, dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of older adults. Her research program focuses on using cutting-edge gerontechnology to manage health issues such as fatigue, sarcopenia, low physical activity levels, falls, and low social participation among older adults with frailty. Her work has been highly influential and well evaluated by the international nursing community. She has been successful in commercializing her work and seen her honoured by regional and international awards. Dr WONG has been recognised for his extensive experience in nursing education and research, and has received numerous awards. His research interests include telehealth, mobile health (mHealth), primary health care, self-care, and health promotion and prevention. Congratulations to Dr LIU and Dr WONG. They will continue their missions to transform the future of healthcare for the benefit of the humankind. About the awards Established in 2010, the Hall of Fame recognises nurse leaders who have achieved significant and sustained international acclaim for improving the nursing profession and the people it serves.  Since 2015, the Emerging Nurse Researcher/Scholar Award has recognised early career nurse researchers and scholars from each of Sigma’s seven global regions whose research or scholarship has influenced the nursing profession and the people it serves.   

Closing ceremony for PolyU School of Nursing’s Standalone Therapeutic Music-with-Movement Programme

The closing ceremony of the funded Standalone Therapeutic Music-with-Movement Programme was held today, which marked the successful adoption of School of Nursing of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s (PolyU) gerontechnological innovation in the community for caring older adults with cognitive impairment. The ceremony was attended by Dr Laura Lo, Associate Vice President (Institutional Advancement) of PolyU together with Ms Jean HO (Chairperson), Ms Rose HO; and Dr Liliane CHAN, the representatives of the funding organisation of the programme, the Ho Cheung Suk Yuen Charitable Foundation. The Foundation had generously donated a sum of HK$ 500,000 for the development of the programme, in addition to the over HK$ 4,460,000 funding support from the Innovation and Technology Commission through the Innovative and Technology Fund for Better Living. 30 representatives (including those staff members who had participated in the programme) from 22 elderly centres and care services for older adults joined the School of Nursing of PolyU in celebration of the outstanding achievement of the programme. The Standalone Therapeutic Music-with-Movement Programme is significant in transforming the way psychosocial interventions are delivered in elderly care settings. Integrated with augmented reality technology, motion-sensing music instruments, and an intelligent cloud-based platform that enables storage and analysis of data for monitoring of the players’ cognitive and physical condition, the Music-with-Movement intervention, is a fun-filled tablet-based activity that offers cognitive stimulation and social interaction opportunities to older adults with cognitive impairment. Our preliminary research evidence has showed that the programme is effective in promoting memory functions and their perceived social support of older adults with cognitive impairment. Those with mild cognitive impairment, in addition, presented with enhanced general well-being. Those centre staff members and caregivers who had received our training to deliver the intervention were found improved in knowledge and attitudes towards dementia. The programme was implemented in 56 local elderly service centres in the past two years. It served more than 1,000 older adults with cognitive impairment, trained 140 centre staff members and caregivers to deliver the intervention. In addition, 150 nursing students from the School of Nursing of PolyU involved in the programme gained hands-on experiences in the community settings. The creativity and uniqueness of the programme have been recognised by the Hong Kong Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Awards in 2022, the Claudia J. Beverly Innovation Award from the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence in 2023, and the Innovation Awards at the Consumer Electronics Show held at the United States this year. Prof. Janelle YORKE, Chair Professor of Nursing & Head of the School of Nursing of PolyU, expressed gratitude to the funding organisations and collaborative partners and organisations at the ceremony. “We have laid a solid foundation for the Music-with-Movement programme through concerted effort and I look forward to more collaborations with local organisations and partners in the future for developing new innovations to enhance wellness of ageing populations and their caregivers.” She concluded in her welcoming speech at the ceremony. Dr Daphne CHEUNG, Principal Investigator of the programme and Associate Professor of the School of Nursing of PolyU said, “The effectiveness of the programme is encouraging, and the project has profound implication for improvement in quality of care in local elderly care services through integrating gerontechnology.”

Nomination for Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Department 2024

2024 Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award at Department (School of Nursing) level is now open for nomination.   The candidate must be a graduate who has successfully completed full-time or part-time programme offered by PolyU. The proposer can be PolyU graduates, Honorary Graduates, University Fellows, PolyU staff, current PolyU Council and Court members and current Advisory Committee members.   In addition to honouring distinguished graduates for their distinction in specific areas, the Award recognises the alumni’s active support to their alma mater. Support and Contribution to PolyU is one of the key nomination and selection criteria at all levels.    Four specific areas of achievement would be given recognition, which include:  Professional achievement Entrepreneurial achievement Scholarly achievement Community service achievement  Alumni who are aged at/under 40 would be eligible for the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.   Awards will be conducted at three levels: Department level, Faculty level and University level. Each Department should normally have one senior awardee and one young awardee each year.   According to the schedule, the nomination period will be in March 2024 for the Department level. We are now inviting your nomination for the PolyU Alumni Award at Department Level and return back the nomination form to Ms Evangeline LAM at evangeline.lam@polyu.edu.hk for our further processing. The deadline for the nomination period for School of Nursing’s Outstanding Alumni will be on 30 April 2024.    The awardees of the 2024 Outstanding PolyU Alumni at Department level will be announced by the end of May 2024. Also, the selected Department awardees will be nominated by the School of Nursing for the PolyU Alumni Award at the Faculty and the University levels.   Please find the details in the eligibility, award categories and selection criteria for your perusal and the nomination for the Outstanding Alumni at Department Level here.   We look forward to your nomination in recognition of our distinguished alumni!

Prof. Janelle YORKE received the HKSAR Global STEM Professorship

Prof. Janelle YORKE, Chair Professor of Nursing and Head, School of Nursing, has been awarded the HKSAR Global STEM Professorship. She is the first nursing researcher in Hong Kong who has gained such an honour.   The Global STEM Professorship is awarded to accomplished scholars in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Prof. YORKE’s achievement is a recognition from the HKSAR Government to the Faculty and the School of Nursing in the contributions to healthcare and nursing development.     As a Global STEM Professor, Prof. YORKE will be provided with research personnel and space to establish a Digital Oncology Care Enhancement Laboratory that will work towards establishing an electronic-patient-reported outcomes measures (ePROMs) programme for real-time patient monitoring and a suite of linked digital self-management interventions. The work will involve original research alongside real-world implementation into clinical practice, to inform best practice and improve patient outcomes.   We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. YORKE. Her contributions and expertise will undoubtedly further elevate our research and nurture talent to continue to develop the School.   

PolyU researchers’ innovative Music Therapy System for older adults wins CES 2024 Innovation Award for impactful aging technology

A ground-breaking therapeutic music-with-movement system invented by researchers of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has won a prestigious global consumer product award in the ‘Accessibility & Aging Tech’ category at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 Innovation Awards. Being the only Hong Kong educational institution honoured with this award serves as a testament to the exceptional impact of this music-with-movement intervention on older adults and their caregivers. An integral part of the CES, the annual CES® Innovation Award recognizes outstanding innovation in design, evaluating products based on engineering quality, aesthetics and design, practical value, uniqueness and their impact on quality of life. Dr Daphne CHEUNG, Associate Professor of the PolyU School of Nursing, led the project that developed the “Music-with-Movement System for Older Adults.” The research team merged an existing therapeutic music intervention system with advances in medical research and engineering technology for the ageing population. This ground-breaking system empowers caregivers and staff working in the elderly care sector to effectively and efficiently engage older adults in music intervention. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU congratulated the team and said “The research team is well-deserving of this award for their trailblazing work in social technology innovation for interactive music intervention for older adults. This recognition serves as a testament to our commitment to multidisciplinary research with the aim of bringing healing and fostering meaningful connections within the elderly population. PolyU’s academic and research expertise in transformative knowledge and technology remains at the forefront of innovation, providing impactful solutions for the betterment of human well-being.” The music-with movement system combines many elements including songs, Augmented Reality (AR) interactive games and motion sensors in a tablet, a game engineer and a cloud-based management platform. Integrating oldies music with motion sensors and AR makes it the first of its kind in music interventions. The interactive, cognitively stimulating musical games aim to maintain the cognitive and social stimulation levels of older adults. The user-friendly design of this therapeutic programme also helps alleviate issues caused by social isolation. Dr Cheung said “It’s my greatest honour to receive this award in recognition of the application of our research into aging technology, a key focus in our work related to the increasingly aging population. The music-with-movement programme reinforces sustainable adoption among old adults for their consistent engagement and facilitates effective intervention and communication.” While the music-with-movement programme was developed for people in Hong Kong with dementia, it later came to involve family caregivers as a dyadic intervention. Integrating current information and communication technology as implementation strategies for music intervention builds effective communication and collaboration and more effective bonding among old adults, caregivers, staff working in elderly centres and health professionals. The upcoming CES will be held in Las Vegas, the United States from 9th to 12th January 2024. The PolyU delegation will showcase a number of innovative projects, aiming to connect with technology prospectors for potential collaborations. CES is one of the world's largest consumer technology trade fairs, bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs and thought leaders from around the world. It provides a platform to showcase cutting-edge technologies and breakthrough research.