A shining example of medical ethics.

(Baonghean)The patients here are unique in that they are "abnormal" individuals; when they lose consciousness, they may attack at any time. As someone with a deep understanding of patients' health and psychology, Dr. Ngan Thi Xuyen constantly seeks out and learns new treatment methods to achieve the best results, helping patients recover quickly and return to the community.

Ms. Ngan Thi Xuyen was born and raised in Tri Nang commune, Lang Chanh district, Thanh Hoa province. In 1980, after graduating from the Youth Vocational High School (now called the Ethnic Minority Boarding High School) in Ngoc Lac district (Thanh Hoa), she passed the entrance exam to Thai Binh Medical University. In 1986, after graduating, the university assigned her to work in Nghe Tinh province. In 1987, she was assigned by the Nghe Tinh Health Department to work at the Psychiatric Hospital in the Rehabilitation Department as a treating physician. In 1990, she was appointed Head of the Rehabilitation Department. From 1994 to 1996, the hospital leadership sent her to study Psychiatry and Electroencephalography (EEG) at the Central Psychiatric Hospital (at this time, she was the first person in the province to be trained in EEG reading techniques). After completing her studies, in 1997 she was promoted to Head of the Outpatient Department. In 2003, the hospital leadership assigned her to be the Head of the Female Subacute Ward. In 2008, she was promoted to Head of the Male Subacute Ward. From October 2010 to the present, she has been appointed as Deputy Director and Head of the Department for Supervising and Guiding the Care of Mental Patients in the Community.

Dr. Ngan Thi Xuyen

In her work, she always strives to improve her professional skills, providing dedicated support, encouragement, and guidance to young, newly recruited staff, creating conditions for them to maximize their potential and achieve the highest possible efficiency. Despite being busy with her professional duties and managing the referral system, she still makes an effort to research and complete scientific projects. From 1998 to the present, she has completed numerous basic-level research projects, which have been highly praised by the hospital leadership and implemented in practice. In 2009, she completed the project "Evaluating the effectiveness of combined chemotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy in the Male Subacute Ward" – a project widely applied in all departments of the hospital. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a method used in cases of severe mental illness where medication is ineffective, with the treatment approach involving the introduction of external electrical currents that resonate with brain currents to induce epileptic-like seizures, thereby eliminating mental disorders that have developed during the illness. This is a safe treatment method to stop impulses such as delusions and suicidal ideation in patients, and its effectiveness is shown to be faster than medication. In 2010, she successfully completed the research project "Assessment of clinical characteristics and treatment results of patients with mental disorders related to gaming." In 2011, she completed the research project "Adverse effects of antipsychotic drugs used in the male subacute ward." In 2012, she continued to complete the research project "Evaluating the effectiveness of the targeted program for protecting mental health in the community."

Always excelling in her professional work and scientific research, and consistently achieving the title of outstanding worker at the grassroots level for many years, during her time as Head of Department, Dr. Ngan Thi Xuyen, along with her colleagues, achieved many high accomplishments, always leading the emulation movement of the hospital. She received Certificates of Commendation from the Department of Health for many consecutive years, and notably, the Male Subacute Ward received a Certificate of Merit from the Ministry of Health. With her continuous efforts and outstanding performance, in 2012 Dr. Ngan Thi Xuyen was awarded the title of "Exemplary Medical Ethics" by the Provincial People's Committee.

Text and photos: Thu Thúy