Dedicated nurse thrives on several front lines

Improving standards

Thirteen years ago, Gan put forward a new nursing concept regarding patients that is still considered a leading method, Liao said.

As a member of the expert pool of the Nursing Standards Committee of the National Health Standards Committee of China, Gan is committed to the study of clinical practice in managing critically ill patients.

Her research won the Science and Technology Award of the Chinese Nursing Association in 2021. The ICU Patient Physical Restraint Assessment Scale that she developed was recognized by the association and used to establish China's first nursing standard for the physical restraint of hospitalized patients. The standard has improved clinical nursing practices for ICU patients who require restraints and has strengthened medical workers' respect for patients and their families. The standard was also presented at the 9th European Intensive Care Alliance's annual conference last year.

According to Gan's hospital, she has also established programs for the full career training and development of nurses, which have greatly improved their professional standing. Due to Gan's efforts to apply for six national specialist nurse training bases, 20 provincial-level specialist training bases and three technical training bases, Chongqing is now a pilot city for the standardized training of nurses in China.

Gan has had a hand in the training of nearly 10,000 specialist nurses at more than 100 hospitals and focused on cultivating high-level nursing talent and case management training in western China.

On May 12, 37 winners of the 49th Florence Nightingale Medal from 22 countries and regions were announced by the International Commission of Red Cross. China, with seven honorees, had the most awardees this year.

"This honor (the Florence Nightingale Medal) not only belongs to me and my hospital, but also to the whole city's health system and the Red Cross," Gan said.