Nurses Merit Award - Liu Fang, Senior Nurse Educator, Assisi Hospice

“Growing up, I never imagined that I would be a nurse.

Yet, it has been 16 years since I first stepped into a ward, and I have never regretted choosing Nursing as my profession.

Early in my career, as a ward nurse, I had the chance to teach nursing students on attachment. Their positive feedback about feeling safe to learn and practise under my care, and their appreciation of how nursing can make a difference in the lives of the patients and families left an impact on me. This led me to be a nurse instructor and educator to inspire upcoming generations of nurses.

I joined Assisi Hospice almost five years ago and it has been a fruitful journey for me so far. Not long after I joined, I attended my first inter-faith memorial service. Assisi Hospice organises this on a quarterly basis for families of patients who recently passed away.

I witnessed how close the families and the care team of doctors, social workers and nurses had become. They greeted each other as if they were old friends, and the mutual trust and gratitude for the care and compassion the team had provided were quite clear.

It made me realise that much of the care we provide will leave a lasting mark on our patients and their families.

Having received the Nurses’ Merit Award, I am further motivated to strive harder for better palliative care education. I look forward to growing my skills as a nurse educator to continue making a difference to many.”