Geochang County Senior Nursing Hospital Enters Stabilization Phase of Operation

Nursing Students' Practicum and Dementia Management System Establishment

Geochang County Senior Nursing Hospital in Gyeongnam has reached 100 inpatients.

Geochang County transitioned the hospital to a county-operated system on May 12 and, with the goal of "normalizing operations," achieved 80 inpatients in July, 90 inpatients in September, and as of November, six months after the transition to direct operation, reached 100 inpatients. Compared to the early days of direct operation, ▲the number of inpatients increased from 67 to 100, a rise of 33 ▲the bed occupancy rate rose significantly from 53% to 79%, an increase of 26%.

Every year, the county operates community nursing practice at the Geochang County Health Center for nursing students from Gyeongnam Provincial Geochang College, and this year, it has added on-site practice at Geochang County Senior Nursing Hospital.

Geochang County Senior Nursing Hospital.

The students participating in the practice experience a differentiated curriculum by engaging in ward duties and participating in the dementia management system establishment project, a government-funded project limited to public nursing hospitals.

In particular, this practice utilized the newly created dementia-friendly environment program room (Snoezelen room) in the specialized dementia ward of the senior nursing hospital, providing joy to the elderly inpatients as if they were with their grandchildren, positively impacting both the elderly and the students.

Additionally, students are continuously involved in various self-developed "non-pharmacological dementia cognitive enhancement programs" within the hospital, gaining experience through diverse courses.

A student who participated in the hospital practice said, "I am happy to have this valuable experience at a public nursing hospital that I could not have had at other hospitals," adding, "Seeing the inpatients happy while participating in the unique programs of the public nursing hospital makes me very proud that our county has a public nursing hospital."

County Governor Gu In-mo said, "The hospital has entered a stabilization phase beyond normalizing operations, and I thank the health center officials and hospital staff who have worked hard, as well as everyone who trusted and waited," adding, "I hope the staff always keep in mind that public nursing hospitals prioritize patient care services and quality of medical care over profit. Now, I hope our hospital will do its best to become a model hospital for other public nursing hospitals."

Meanwhile, as the number of patients increases, Geochang County Senior Nursing Hospital is working to provide medical services befitting a public nursing hospital by securing additional medical personnel such as doctors and nurses and planning various inpatient programs.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.