End-of-Life Care Is Like the Love That One Has for Family

Hinodegaoka Hospital has been playing a part in chronic care in Tokyo for the past 50 years and the hospital is now recruiting foreign nurses and care givers who are able to make a sincere, long-term commitment. I have great respect for your passion and high degree of skill with regard to nursing, and above all else, your love for your families. I grew up as the eldest of three sisters. Hinodegaoka Hospital is also a workplace with a large number of female employees. Perhaps this is why people say that Hinodegaoka Hospital is like a family. I therefore hope that you will all love the hospital just like a family as you go about your work. We place great value upon our bonds with the community and the bonds between staff. We also place equal value upon the bonds that you have with your families. This is because we believe that end-of-life care is like the love that one has for one’s family.

Wherever in the World I Am Needed, There Shall I Go

Japan’s population is currently ageing at a rate that is unprecedented anywhere in the world. This means that the country requires many nurses and care givers. In 20 years’ time, Japan will become a highly aged society and the demand for end-of-life care will increase. As a result, Japan is poised to become the world-leader in end-of-life services and technology. In the future, demand for end-of-life care will also exhibit an upward trend in other countries. I believe it is therefore very worthwhile for nurses planning on long-term practice in other countries to increase their end-of-life care skills. Chronic care demands a great deal of love and there are no linguistic or cultural boundaries when it comes to love. We intend to specialize in end-of-life care in the future. When it comes to healthcare, I feel that it is necessary not to make a distinction between one’s own country and other countries, but to fulfill our calling throughout Asia as a whole. Our hospital has a cleft lip and palate surgery team consists of Japanese medical professionals operating in Nepal in addition to providing school construction and education support for the country. I sincerely hope for a future in which Asia and the world are brought together as one through compassion for others and the treatment of illness.

Comfort, Friendliness and Happiness

We have thought long and hard about how to provide an environment in which our foreign colleagues can work in comfort and happiness. Comfort comes from harmony with one’s surroundings and compassion comes from mutual understanding. Our hospital does not provide free support simply because a patient is foreign and non-Japanese patients are treated no differently from Japanese patients. However, we do everything possible to accommodate the religious and cultural differences of our colleagues. Christians may rest on the Sabbath and the Christmas vacation lasts for 7 or more continuous days. We also show as much consideration as possible for food, clothing, and religious events. The needs of your families back home come first. Furthermore, we understand that individual differences exist even between people from the same country and we have held thorough discussions to create a living environment that allows everyone to pleasantly work towards the goal of ‘providing the best healthcare service to patients.’ We hope that you will enjoy your time here with us at Hinodegaoka Hospital. Our staff includes those who speak English, those who have lived abroad for 10 years, those who have worked in international support NGO roles, and followers of the Christian faith. In short, we have numerous personnel who are able to understand our colleagues from abroad. Please do not hesitate to contact us for anything. We are very deeply excited about the day when we finally meet you all.