Beijing nurses serve mentally ill with expertise, compassion

A YOUNG MALE NURSE'S AMBITION

Unlike in comprehensive hospitals, male nurses account for a much higher proportion in psychiatric hospitals. Of the 365 nurses at Anding Hospital, nearly 100 are men.

After graduating in 2010, Houzhi Jiaolong came to Anding Hospital to work as a nurse. He hoped that he could meet somebody like the protagonist of the film "A Beautiful Mind," who suffered from mental illness but was greatly talented in math.

But the real world is not so romantic.

"I have come to see that the patients are ordinary but kind. They are weak and get bullied a lot outside of the hospital," he said.

"I enjoy chatting with them. They have interesting ideas to offer and want to make friends with you," the 26-year-old said, adding he never regrets his choice and has a clear idea of his future career path.

With clinical experience, he plans to conduct research on traditional Chinese medicine psychological nursing, a field which intrigues him. He is preparing for further studies at Capital Medical University to broaden his knowledge on the latest developments in psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation.