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At 87, former head nurse tends to medical needs and pays house calls
By Xu Wenwen |
January 15, 2013, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AN 87-year-old former hospital head nurse and once-time barefoot doctor gives free blood pressure and other medical checks to residents in Cuiyuan No. 1 Community.
For the past 25 years Da Shihua has been taking care of residents' various medical problems, since she retired as head nurse of a hospital attached to Dalian Medical University in Liaoning Province. She worked there for 22 years, specializing in surgery and obstetrics. As a young woman she was a barefoot doctor for eight years, taking basic health care to rural areas in Liaoning.
Today she has "office hours" as a medical consultant in the community where she performs a range of services - and she makes house calls. She explains doctors' instructions, tells people in which hospital department they should register to see a doctor and even give preliminary diagnoses.
She herself is hale and hearty and her eyesight is good.
"Doctors are so busy that they can only spend a few minutes on one patient, and I think I should fill the void, at least for my neighbors," Da tells Shanghai Daily.
After she retired from hospital work in 1982, she and her husband moved to Hangzhou where she became deputy director of the neighborhood committee. "I'm used to a busy life," she says, explaining that she didn't want to sit around and do nothing in her retirement.
In 1988, the committee organized a survey of blood pressure and Da visited and measured the blood pressure of around 5,000 people older than 18. More than 30 percent had high blood pressure.
She was shocked and decided to take steps to improve community health. The committee established a volunteer team of six retired medical personnel headed by Da and working by turns in an office.
They compiled medical histories of all residents with high blood pressure and other chronic problems. They provided free health education, blood pressure checks and other services.
Over the years the volunteers have come and gone, only Da remains, along with a new team.
Da works two days in the office and the rest of the time she visits pregnant women and elderly people living along. She has saved lives.
Once she visited a woman who was nine months' pregnant and found her blood pressure was dangerously high. She immediately sent the woman to a hospital where doctors performed a C-section, saving both mother and infant.
One summer day in 2003, an elderly man living alone felt numbness in a lower leg and called Da, who immediately identified the sign of stroke and sent him to a hospital. Doctors said that if treatment had been delayed by even a few minutes, the man could have suffered paralysis for the rest of his life.
Once a woman pregnant with twins went into premature labor three times. Da visited her frequently to see to her physical and mental health. After nine months, two healthy babies were delivered.
"Maybe what she does sounds small, but she has helped us greatly. I'm very grateful," says 80-year-old Ling Yong'an who has consulted Da and her volunteers for more than 20 years.
"Doctor" Da not only never charges for her services, but also pays out of her own pocket for medicine for needy residents, runs a health bulletin board in the community and donates necessities to poor neighbors.
In addition, whenever the community organizes outdoor activities for seniors, such as walking or boating, Da always goes along in case of emergency.
Da's daughter and son-in-law are both doctors and frequently volunteer in Da's community office.
"I take pleasure in helping people, and I am healthy because I feel pleased and satisfied all the time," says Da.
For the past 25 years Da Shihua has been taking care of residents' various medical problems, since she retired as head nurse of a hospital attached to Dalian Medical University in Liaoning Province. She worked there for 22 years, specializing in surgery and obstetrics. As a young woman she was a barefoot doctor for eight years, taking basic health care to rural areas in Liaoning.
Today she has "office hours" as a medical consultant in the community where she performs a range of services - and she makes house calls. She explains doctors' instructions, tells people in which hospital department they should register to see a doctor and even give preliminary diagnoses.
She herself is hale and hearty and her eyesight is good.
"Doctors are so busy that they can only spend a few minutes on one patient, and I think I should fill the void, at least for my neighbors," Da tells Shanghai Daily.
After she retired from hospital work in 1982, she and her husband moved to Hangzhou where she became deputy director of the neighborhood committee. "I'm used to a busy life," she says, explaining that she didn't want to sit around and do nothing in her retirement.
In 1988, the committee organized a survey of blood pressure and Da visited and measured the blood pressure of around 5,000 people older than 18. More than 30 percent had high blood pressure.
She was shocked and decided to take steps to improve community health. The committee established a volunteer team of six retired medical personnel headed by Da and working by turns in an office.
They compiled medical histories of all residents with high blood pressure and other chronic problems. They provided free health education, blood pressure checks and other services.
Over the years the volunteers have come and gone, only Da remains, along with a new team.
Da works two days in the office and the rest of the time she visits pregnant women and elderly people living along. She has saved lives.
Once she visited a woman who was nine months' pregnant and found her blood pressure was dangerously high. She immediately sent the woman to a hospital where doctors performed a C-section, saving both mother and infant.
One summer day in 2003, an elderly man living alone felt numbness in a lower leg and called Da, who immediately identified the sign of stroke and sent him to a hospital. Doctors said that if treatment had been delayed by even a few minutes, the man could have suffered paralysis for the rest of his life.
Once a woman pregnant with twins went into premature labor three times. Da visited her frequently to see to her physical and mental health. After nine months, two healthy babies were delivered.
"Maybe what she does sounds small, but she has helped us greatly. I'm very grateful," says 80-year-old Ling Yong'an who has consulted Da and her volunteers for more than 20 years.
"Doctor" Da not only never charges for her services, but also pays out of her own pocket for medicine for needy residents, runs a health bulletin board in the community and donates necessities to poor neighbors.
In addition, whenever the community organizes outdoor activities for seniors, such as walking or boating, Da always goes along in case of emergency.
Da's daughter and son-in-law are both doctors and frequently volunteer in Da's community office.
"I take pleasure in helping people, and I am healthy because I feel pleased and satisfied all the time," says Da.
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