SOME patients are doing the jobs of nurses, the South China Morning Post has discovered.
Those not confined to bed and with a reasonable degree of mobility often carry out basic tasks. Some fetch chamber pots, cups and buckets while others keep an eye on more needy patients and call nurses and doctors if necessary.
The astonishing discovery would seem to support the claims that the territory is suffering from a shortage of nurses.
Wan Leung Siu-man, 40, was admitted to Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei last Tuesday suffering from back pain.
She said some elderly patients who could not move after surgery lacked attention and care from nurses.
''I don't know how many nurses are in my ward. I just saw some patients calling the nurses but not being answered immediately or at all because the nurses were too busy and had no time to take care of every patient.