An academic from the University of Plymouth has been invited to develop research in China’s largest children’s hospital – making him the first nurse to be appointed through a Chinese Government programme.
Jos Latour, Professor in Clinical Nursing, was appointed as an advisor to Hunan Children’s Hospital in China this year thanks to the country’s the 100 Talent Programme, which enables companies to recruit external experts to boost output.
With 1,800 beds, the hospital is one of the largest children’s hospitals in the world, and Professor Latour will visit China for six weeks a year, working a further six weeks remotely, to establish a nursing research team, apply for research funding and develop major scientific research orientation.
Currently heading up the University’s Clinical School at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, Professor Latour is delighted to be first nurse to be taken on through the initiative.
He said:
“It’s obviously fantastic to have been invited to this role, and the visits I’ve undertaken have already shown there’s a lot of potential for brilliant research projects. I feel very lucky to have been taken on by the Chinese Government and I will certainly apply a lot of what we encourage here at the Clinical Schools.”
Professor Latour first visited China in 2009 when he delivered a talk on family-centred care at Hunan Children’s Hospital in Changsha, from where he was invited back for their annual congresses.
He was then invited to Hunan Children’s Hospital through the Hunan Province 100 Talent Programme, and his current three-year contract came from national funding as a result of his success.
He continued:
“Our Clinical Schools are designed to support nurses, midwifes and allied health professionals in delivering the best patient-centred and research-informed care. With 1,800 beds, the children’s hospital in Changsha cares for a large number of sick children a year, and I’m keen to ensure that the treatment and care they receive is based on the best research evidence available.”
