China's 'Fastest Female Nurse' Disciplined Over Unapproved Deals, Fake Leave

A nurse in southeast China's Fujian Province, known online as the "fastest female nurse" for her marathon success, has been issued a six-month warning and barred from annual appraisal for violating hospital rules, the Cover News reported today.

Zhang Shuihua, a nurse at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, first drew widespread public attention in late August after winning the domestic women's division at the Harbin Marathon. In an emotional post-race interview, she appealed to hospital leaders for support in adjusting shifts to pursue her running passion, sparking considerable online discussion about balancing work and personal pursuits.

The recent disciplinary action stems from an internal investigation. The hospital's disciplinary document showed that Zhang was punished for accepting paid endorsement work without authorization and obtaining leave under false pretenses to participate in marathon events.

The investigation found that Zhang had signed a paid endorsement agreement with sports apparel company 361° without prior approval from the hospital, violating internal management rules that require staff to obtain permission for any side employment.

Additionally, the document stated that Zhang had repeatedly requested shift changes to attend marathons, disrupting normal scheduling in her department. On November 1, she obtained a day off on November 2 by providing false reasons, while in fact traveling to Yichang, Hubei Province, to compete in a marathon.

The hospital stated that securing leave through deception breached professional ethics, disrupted staffing schedules, and increased the workload for colleagues. These actions also violated terms of her institution employment contract.

Due to the violations, Zhang received a formal warning valid for six months and will be excluded from the 2025 annual performance evaluation and related awards.

A friend of Zhang told media that since late August, she has participated in five marathons during her off days.

In a previous interview responding to questions about balancing her passion with work, Zhang said work and marathon running did not conflict. "I go to work after running. It actually doesn't have any negative impact. Instead, I feel more energized and focused, not drowsy at all." She added that she would rest and adjust when work became too demanding rather than pushing herself excessively.