Frontline medical technological innovations in the fight against the epidemic are expected to be rapidly translated into clinical practice, benefiting patients.

Following the outbreak this year, 28,600 nurses across the country donned their white coats and stepped forward to the front lines of epidemic prevention and control, embodying in concrete actions the spirit of respecting life and saving the dying and helping the injured. On June 4, reporters learned that the inaugural National Nursing Innovation Forum on COVID‑19 Response—hosted by the China Technology Exchange, the Nursing Branch of the Chinese Research Hospital Association, and other organizations—announced that several highly practical medical innovations and breakthroughs developed on the front lines are expected to be swiftly translated into clinical applications, continuing to benefit patients.

In 2020, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, was commemorated. Wu Xinjuan, President of the Nursing Branch of the Chinese Research Hospital Association, noted that during the fight against the COVID‑19 pandemic, more than 340 medical teams—comprising over 42,000 healthcare professionals—from the military and across the country were dispatched to Hubei to join the frontline battle. Among them, 28,600 were nurses, accounting for nearly 70% of all medical team members and serving as a cornerstone in the effort to contain the epidemic.

Wu Xinjuan disclosed that, in frontline clinical work during the fight against the epidemic, nursing staff addressed practical challenges in setting up isolation wards, ensuring patient safety, and maintaining smooth operations by pioneering a range of nursing‑related technological innovations. They designed and developed a series of invention patents for epidemic prevention and control, which have been effectively implemented on the front lines.

This time, the Nursing Branch of the Chinese Research Hospital Association, in collaboration with the China Technology Exchange and the Medical Device Commerce Branch of the National Health Industry Enterprise Management Association, among other organizations, showcased cutting-edge technological innovations in the nursing field via an online conference. Together, they will promote the commercialization of scientific and technological advances, continue to encourage innovation and research among nursing professionals, and apply these innovative findings to address everyday clinical nursing challenges, thereby enhancing the quality of specialized nursing care.

Guo Shugui, President of the China Technology Exchange, stated that, as a national-level technology trading service platform established with the approval of the State Council, the Exchange has amassed extensive resources for technological innovation, a well‑connected market‑service network, and a comprehensive suite of service offerings to support the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements and regional innovation. Moving forward, the Exchange will work in concert with all sectors to ensure a smoother and more efficient transfer of innovations in the nursing field.

At the forum, ten outstanding healthcare professionals—including Luo Jin’ai, Director of the Nursing Department at Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, and Xu Mei, Surgical Nursing Supervisor at Peking Union Medical College Hospital—were appointed as the first cohort of specially-appointed experts for the commercialization of nursing‑related scientific and technological achievements. Together, they will advance the translation of research findings into practical applications within the healthcare sector, pool and recommend additional innovative projects, and help healthcare researchers connect with relevant policies and resource networks to facilitate the effective transfer and implementation of their scientific and technological innovations.

At this forum, medical‑technology transfer projects from institutions including the First Affiliated Hospital of the Air Force Medical University of the People’s Liberation Army and Peking Union Medical College Hospital were presented via a virtual roadshow. Following intense competition, the development and application of the “Facial Foam Combination Patch” in the context of the COVID‑19 pandemic, the design and clinical use of an oral irrigation care kit, as well as the design and application of a medicinal thread therapy system and a foldable medicinal thread‑making device along with a corresponding care kit, each received distinct awards.

It is understood that the China Technology Exchange will take this event as a starting point to continue hosting the National Forum on the Commercialization of Nursing Innovations, project roadshows, training workshops, and other initiatives. In addition, it will collaborate with specially appointed experts to support medical‑technology innovation and the translation of research findings into practical applications, thereby contributing to global health.