As the fragrant aroma of zongzi leaves fills the air once again, and with the Dragon Boat Festival just around the corner, Nanjing Zijin Hospital’s Nursing Department organized a special event titled “Learning Nursing, Welcoming the Dragon Boat Festival” on June 7, 2024, in the first-floor lobby of the Jiangning Campus. The event brought together nurses and patients, allowing them to savor the festive spirit of the Dragon Boat Festival ahead of time.

I’ll teach you—every year on the Dragon Boat Festival, and every year with good health! Before the event, Zhang Jianping, deputy director of the Nursing Department at Nanjing Zijin Hospital, outlined the purpose of this initiative: to promote standardized, effective nursing practices through health and safety education, thereby enhancing inpatients’ families’ awareness of safety and well-being.

At the start of the event, Wang Qiao, deputy head nurse at HDU, provided a detailed explanation and demonstration of turning and back-patting. For patients who are long-term bedridden, unable to care for themselves, or have impaired consciousness, these techniques are especially critical—they constitute an essential component of nursing care and are also a skill that family members should master during the patient’s subsequent rehabilitation.

Ankle pump exercises can help strengthen muscles and prevent muscle atrophy in patients who are confined to bed for extended periods. Like a pump, these exercises help propel blood from the lower limbs back to the heart, thereby reducing swelling and preventing thrombosis. Li Jie, deputy head nurse of Ward 103, provided a detailed breakdown of the exercise techniques to ensure that every patient and family member present understood and could perform them correctly.

Transferring patients between wheelchairs and hospital beds is a critical component of daily nursing care. Such transfers not only ensure the patient’s physical safety but also impact their rehabilitation outcomes and quality of life. Therefore, mastering proper transfer techniques and adhering to key precautions is essential. Zhang Nan, deputy head nurse of Ward 102, demonstrated and explained the preparatory steps, procedural methods, and important considerations for transferring patients between wheelchairs and hospital beds.

While lectures and demonstrations are certainly important, nothing beats hands-on practice. During the interactive session, participants eagerly took to the stage, putting their newly acquired knowledge into action. Under the guidance of the head nurses, they not only gained valuable insights and skills but also received thoughtful gifts carefully prepared by the Nursing Department.

A warm Dragon Boat Festival, a deep bond between doctors and patients. This event not only provided patients and their families with health and safety education on nursing care, enhancing communication between medical staff and patients, but also fostered a harmonious and heartwarming festive atmosphere, conveying care and warmth, and genuinely boosting everyone’s sense of happiness and belonging.