Alumnus at correctional services lives up to the spirit of nursing
Our alumnus, Mr Kai-tai Wong, has taken up the post of Senior Superintendent (Health Care) of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) since November 2021. Mr Wong, a graduate of our BSc (Hons) in Nursing programme in 2003, joined the CSD as an Officer in 2005 and worked in various on-premises hospitals in correctional institutions. As Head of the Health Care Section, he currently oversees the provision of health care in correctional institutions.
Mr Kai-tai Wong lives up to the spirit of nursing and PolyU.
From nurse to correctional officer
After graduation, Mr Wong worked as a registered nurse in an orthopedic ward of a public hospital. His interest in disciplined services motivated him to join the CSD as an Officer. He has played dual roles while being as a correctional officer. On one hand, he is a professional nurse who can provide nursing care and handle emergency medical incidents. On the other hand, he is a correctional officer who has to maintain the discipline of persons in custody. Mr Wong expressed that his work was challenging yet it was a sense of mission that enabled him to pursue his career further and attain his goals.
Challenges
Mr Wong’s role is challenging as the demand of health care services in correctional institutions is rising due to aging population, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and the large number of persons in custody with a history of drug abuse. Externally, he has to co-ordinate and collaborate with the stakeholders, including the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority, to ensure that basic health care services and visiting medical specialist services are provided in correctional institutions. Internally, he has to make sure that all on-premises hospitals are operating properly and well-managed. This includes formulation of health care and infection control policies, nursing staff management and training, etc. In addition to providing clinical health care services to persons in custody, the health care section is responsible for health promotion and education in correctional institutions such as implementation of the Smoking Cessation Counselling Programme.
Looking back on university life
Mr Wong said that thanks to the strict training/guidance of PolyU’s School of Nursing, a high bar has been set for nursing education. ‘Do no harm to patients is the basic principle of nursing. Nurses can achieve this principle only when they are professionally competence’, Mr Wong said. He gave his words of encouragement to our current undergraduate nursing students. ‘Nursing work is hard but meaningful. No matter which position or workplace you are in, you must uphold your professional nursing quality to serve the public, society and people with passion’.
Home Previous Next
