The Department of Health (DOH) has decided to expand a popular “primary nursing” program that saves patients money and eases the burden on caregivers by limiting the hours they work. Primary nursing emphasizes continuity of care by having one caregiver provide complete care for a small group of patients within a hospital’s nursing unit for one shift, veering away from the common practice of each patient hiring their own personal caregiver. The “primary nursing” program has been tested over the past year at Miaoli General Hospital, Hualien General Hospital and Potz General Hospital in Chiayi County, all operated by the DOH, and the reaction has been overwhelmingly favorable, said Kuo Shu-chen (郭淑珍), a head nurse at Miaoli General Hospital. Read more