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Nurses — The Pride of SingHealth
thesundaytimes August 1, 2010
PRODUCED BY THE SPECIAL PROJECTS UNIT, MARKETING DIVISION, SPH
As we celebrate 125 years of nursing in Singapore, SingHealth wishes all nurses a Happy Nurses Day! Your care, courage and dedication bring comfort to every patient and inspire us all.We salute your passion and commitment on this special day!
The nurse can see you now Some patients with chronic diseases that are under control can consult specialist nurses instead of doctors at the polyclinics Yeo Suan Futt INSTEAD of seeing a doctor at the polyclinic, patients with well-controlled chronic diseases can consult a nurse clinician during their routine checks. Nurse clinicians are senior nurses who are trained in a clinical specialty such as critical care, oncology, continence management and diabetes education. Introduced in 2007, the Nurse Clinician Service (NCS) at polyclinics aims to help patients manage their chronic diseases more effectively and efficiently. It aims to deliver a more personalised level of personal health management for those with stabilised chronic diseases. According to the World Health Organization, chronic conditions such as stroke, cancer, diabetes, heart and respiratory diseases affect large numbers of people and these are the leading causes of mortality the world over, accounting for some 60 percent. Characterised by long duration and generally slow progression, chronic diseases require long term monitoring and management of the patient’s condition and lifestyle. Nurse clinicians provide consultation, counselling and review of test results with patients. They work together with senior doctors to review a patient’s medical history. “To be a nurse clinician, a qualified nurse has to have at least three years’ experience in tending to patients with chronic diseases. “We also have to undergo various training sessions, practical attachments to doctors and pass a competency examination,” explains Ms Agnes Ngoh Soh Heng. The 45-year-old nurse clinician based at Geylang Polyclinic has been in nursing for 28 years. With qualified nurses providing
consultation for selected patients, doctors have more time to see the complicated cases. Patients also benefit in having shorter waiting times for their routine consultation. “Patients are seen by appointment, they do not have to go through registration and can be attended to at the Nurse Clinic in around 15 minutes,” adds Ms Ngoh. She is one of four nurse clinicians at the polyclinic with about 30 nursing staff. Response to the NCS has been very y positive among patients. One of them,, Ms Irene Yap, 57, says: “The nurses aree trained and qualified, and I also havee more time to ask questions and talk to o the nurse about my medical condition.””
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When you’re a nurse, you know that every day you will touch a life, or a life will touch yours. – Anonymous
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For Ms Ngoh, the principal benefit off the NCS lies in the stronger partnership p between the healthcare system and thee patient in managing chronic diseases. She says: “Sometimes patients with h stabilised conditions get a bit compla-cent – for example, they are less watch-ful about their diet, and their cholester-ol level or blood pressure goes up. “We are here to motivate, educate and help patients self-manage their condition, that is our most important role, and it is very rewarding to see a patient’s condition improve through this collaboration.”
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sees ng Polyclinic la y e G t a e ic SINGHEALTH JUN LIANG, Clinician Serv e S: CHONG rs u TO N O e PH th ht) of conditions. Ms Ngoh (rig olled chronic tr n co lle w h patients wit
The first President’s Award for Nurses in 2001 went to a SingHealth nurse.
Things get better and better Three veteran nurses tell Mary Lim how their profession has evolved through the years Good career opportunities
Malini Krishnan, senior nurse manager, SingHealth Polyclinics – Geylang
Comfortable, nice uniform Diana Sim, senior staff nurse, National Dental Centre
A UNIFORM conveys authority and garners EVEN after more than 30 years in nurstrust. For Ms Diana Sim, a comfortable uniing, Ms Malini Krishnan still describes form allows her to perform tasks quickly her job as “very challenging” and “a joy”. and efficiently. At the SingHealth Polyclinic in Geylang, “When I started out, the uniform was she leads a group of 30 nurses to ensure white and came with a cap. I’d have to get smooth daily operations every it starched so it stayed in shape p y day. y “In the past, throughout my shift,” recalls Ms t, the throu job scope Sim, who w has chalked up 25 years was task-oriof experience. exp ented, and our responsibility was to follow up with doctors’ instructions,” she says. “ Wi t h m o r e opportunitiess for education, n, however, nurssills give es have become me dge and sk fidence. le w o n k d e c n e co Enhan more involved ed n (left) mor Ms Krishna in the patient nt care management process.” ” One area is in counselling, i self-care lf lli Ms Sim says a comf where they advise and guide patients on or un iform improves effi table dietary changes and monitoring blood ciency. pressure, among others. Nurses therefore must possess critical thinking skills, Ms Krishnan points out. She especially appreciates that nurses’ This has made it necessary for confeedback was sought for the current unistant learning. In addition to her nursform worn by nurses under the SingHealth ing certification and degree, she has also Group, introduced in 2007. Incidentally, enhanced her skills with various courses this was also her favourite out of several opin midwifery, community nursing and tions presented then. even leadership. Says Ms Sim: “I like the milky white “Expanding our knowledge gives me colour because it is warmer and friendmore confidence, because patients will lier. I also found the design more practitrust us more. This, in turn, increases job cal and comfortable. So it is easier to walk satisfaction and performance.” and complete our tasks more efficiently.”
Proper work-life balance
Lim Mein Chee, deputy director of nursing, Singapore National Eye Centre YEARS ago, becoming a nurse nearly required one to live like a nun. As a child, that was Ms Lim Mein Chee’s perception of the profession. “Nobody wanted to be a nurse. You had to be very dedicated, because the hours and work were very demanding. So it was difficult to take leave and you almost couldn’t go home,” she recalls.
career, Ms Lim Besides a fulfilling ving family. lo (left) also has a But Ms Lim not only got married married, she also started a family and managed to als pursue her career. Now aged 56 with two grown-up children, she attributes it to strong family support, particularly from her husband, a chartered accountant. She says: “He was very understanding. If I had shift duties, he would spend time with the kids.” She is heartened that nurses now enjoy better work-life balance, thanks to changing mindsets.
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Nurses embody the service, skills, spirit and values that all of us in health care aspire to attain. No matter what you come into a hospital for, the nurse is the one professional you are sure to encounter. In my interaction with staff in our institutions, I am impressed by how driven and committed nurses are to providing the best care for our patients. The genuine desire to heal and restore quality of life drives them to excellent performance. We will continue to nurture, reward and retain such dedicated talent to better serve our patients. To all A SingHealth our nurses, nurse gets 3 sets keep up the of uniforms and great work 2 pairs of shoes and Happy every year. Nurses’ Day! - Mr Peter Seah, chairman of SingHealth
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NURSES — THE PRIDE OF SINGHEALTH
NURSES — THE PRIDE OF SINGHEALTH
thesundaytimes August 1, 2010
SingHealth employs more than 7,000 nurses.
Theresa Tan WHEN Ms Giam Poh Eng tells her friends and relatives she is a nurse educator, often she is met with blank stares. So the veteran of 39 years says her job is a “nurse teacher”. It is a role that allows the 55-year-old senior nurse educator at the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) to marry both her dreams of teaching and nursing. Ms Giam, who has a master’s degree in clinical education, says: “It’s very rewarding to impart my skills and knowledge, to see nurses learn and grow.” One of her key duties is to conduct orientation programmes for new nurses,
who are nursing diploma holders fresh from the polytechnics, and foreign recruits. The eight-week course grounds them in nursing skills and knowledge. For example, if a nurse is working in the children’s wards, she would be taught all about babies and children and how to care for them. And the lessons are often hands-on. Besides the classroom sessions, the new nurses are supervised in the wards. There are also simulation sessions, for example, where nurses learn how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation on mannequins. For trained nurses, Ms Giam imparts more skills and knowledge to help them
do their job better. For instance, they are taught how to administer certain vaccinations for newborns or be educated on illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. A nurse educator for seven years, Ms Giam also conducts reflective thinking workshops. She says: “These workshops help nurses to develop critical thinking skills. With such skills, they can decide what is best for that particular patient as no two patients are alike.” A senior staff nurse at KKH, Ms Ng Chiew Mei, 30, sees Ms Giam as her mentor and “role-model”. SingHealth ”Nurse Giam is very approachable and nurses were motherly. I can always issued more than call her for advice, such 25,000 uniforms as how to handle patients,” says Ms Ng. and over 12,000
Top honours for SGH nurses
SingHealth has more than 350 male nurses.
Singapore General Hospital is the first in Asia to receive the Magnet accreditation, the highest accolade for nursing excellence and leadership Philip Lee P A ERUPTION of noise is not something AN any hospital would tolerate. a But the Singapore General Hospital ((SGH) made an exception when a large gathering of its nurses and other staff g broke out into lusty cheers at 9am on the b hospital’s ninth floor void deck on April h 27 this year. 2 The reason: the hospital had just recceived an overseas call from the prestigious American Nurses Credentialing Center A ((ANCC) that it had earned the Magnet acccreditation — the highest institutional honour for nursing excellence and leadership. o
pairs of shoes last year.
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Giam (left) is a mentor to KKH senior staff << Ms nurse Ng (right).
Midwives deliver bundles of joy
The appraisal by the US team was stringent, intensive and exhaustive.
KK WOMEN’S and Children’s Hospital (KKH) aims to make the birth of a child a joyful and memorable experience for mothers and their families, with help from its three midwives, Ms Thilagamangai, Ms Julie Tay and Ms Ho Swee Chan. Senior nurse clinician Ms Thilagamangai and nurse clinician Ms Tay run a weekly Friday afternoon clinic set up in March this year. It provides routine antenatal checks for women with no medical problem and normal pregnancies, who are referred there by obstetricians. The patients also get advice on how to cope with labour pains, breastfeeding and other aspects of postnatal care. The clinic, which helps to upgrade the status of midwives, provides services and educational information. This eases
the load for doctors to focus on highrisk pregnancies. Ms Thilagamangai says: “We see and manage our patients and make decisions for them. “We discuss our decisions with the doctors. We are with patients from the start of their pregnancies, during and after their deliveries.” Ms Tay adds: “Our patients are happy with our services. We have requests from patients who want to see us in the clinic.” Patients who need help after discharge can turn to Ms Ho (above), 64, a senior
midwife and grandmother providing postnatal home care services. Already past her retirement age, the veteran with 39 years of experience continues working with new mothers. Says Ms Ho: “I am still healthy and I find joy in doing what I am doing.” One of her former patients, Ms Hamimah Ahmat, says there should be more experienced, gentle and, understanding midwives like Ms Ho. “They perform a national service forr Singaporean women trying to increasee our population,” says Ms Hamimah.
(From left to ri Muhammad have al ght) Mr Nidu, Ms Siah, Prof Lim an l contributed to SG d H’s latest achievem Mr ent.
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team rt of the nursing pa e ar ) ht ig (r ai d Ms Thilagamang Ms Tay (centre) an mothers-to-be. for manning the clinic
Making life comfortable for patients the drain pouch affordable.” The drain pouch is secure and comfortable, says Madam Zaherah Mohd Saleh, a customer service officer, who used it earlier this year. This creation is an example of how breast care nurse clinicians can improve things for patients. Ms Tan says: “We can re-examine our practices by implementing evidencebased nursing to improve the standard of clinical care and safety for patients and improve their functionability, psychosocial health and comfort.” The Ministry of Health and NCCS are funding the cost of the work on the drain pouch. Clinical trials assessing the level of patients’ satisfaction with the drain pouch or the practice of using a pin to secure the surgical drain, will be completed by the end of September this year. The trials are a joint project, which also involves breast care nurses in Singapore General Hospital and the staff of SingHealth. If the trials show that more patients are satisfied with the drain pouch, it will be manufactured and its design will be patented. The benefits of the pouch will be shared with other hospitals and health care institutions here, Ms Tan says. She adds: “We are thinking of making different sizes of the drain pouch, including those for 24-hour infusion pumps with chemotherapy drugs and for noncancer patients with big surgical drains.” – Ahmad Osman
This places SGH among the elite group of the top five per cent of hospitals in the o world to earn this coveted recognition, w along with renowned health-care institua ttions such as Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Duke University Hospital. H This achievement is also noteworthy ffor Singapore, not just for the hospital, as SGH is the only one in Asia to be Maga net-accredited. n A four-member high-level delegation ffrom ANCC flew in to make on-site appraisals of SGH’s operations from Feb 1 to 4 p tthis year, says Associate Professor Lim Swee Hia, the hospital’s director of nursing. H Magnet refers to the ability of a recognised organisation to attract and retain n professional nurses and attract patients p who seek top quality health-care. w ANCC established 14 Forces of Magnetism that it felt defined an exceptional hospital. These revolve around creating an environment that supports nursing practice, professional autonomy and decision-making at the bedside. It also includes staff involvement in determining their work environment, personal education, career development
and nursing leadership. Of the ANCC recognition, Prof Lim says: “It was like striking an Olympic gold.” The appraisal, she recalls, was stringent, intensive and exhaustive. The team from the United States was at the hospital at 7.30 am to have breakfast with the night nurses who had gone off duty. “They also selected other nurses for lunch. They talked to our doctors and allied health-care workers. “They wanted to see evidence of staff engagement, inter-disciplinary working relationships and how staff from different ethnic backgrounds work together. They also looked into patient satisfaction. “Patients and the public were also invited to give their feedback direct to the assessors via a designated email address.” The accreditation will push SGH to improve further on staff development and patient care, Prof Lim adds. For example, SGH recently completed a programme, Nurse Charting, an online documentation featuring regularly updated data on patients This does away with clipboard notes used previously. All updated patient information are accessible at any time. “Magnet is also about how we engage staff,” says Prof Lim. “We believe in shared governance. We get junior nurses to chair working committees. And the young nurses feel so proud to contribute.” One of them, Mr Muhammad Hafiz bin Hadi, 25, a male nurse, was picked to be the guide to the visiting Americans. He says: “Normally such a job is given to a senior hospital staff but I felt honoured to do it. It shows SGH trusts its young workers.” Ms Rosalind Siah, 27, a senior staff nurse, says that staff morale in her ward shot up when SGH was working towards Magnet. “We felt that our hard work was appreciated.” Mr Nidu Maran, 34, an advanced practice nurse, says: “The Magnet award reflects the empowerment given to our ground nurses as agents of change.” To the 3,300 nurses and allied healthcare workers in SGH, Prof Lim says: “I thank them for their dedication and teamwork. I am also grateful to our senior management for their support and contributions.”
Singapore has Asia’s best nursing school Singapore General Hospital (SGH) is not the only SingHealth institution to have been awarded nursing honours by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The SingHealth Alice Lee Institute of Advanced Nursing (IAN) was accredited by ANCC in 2007 as a Continuing Nursing Education Provider. IAN is the first such institute in Asia, and only the third outside the United States, to receive this recognition for its high-quality continuing education programmes for nurses and para-nursing staff. The nursing institute, established in 1997, provides a comprehensive range of nursing specialisation programmes and practice-based training to groom the competence of nurses locally and in the region. To earn accreditation from ANCC, the institute had to undergo a rigorous assessment and evaluation process. This covers setting goals that are relevant to students, having an established process for assessing needs, planning, implementation and evaluation as well as possessing sufficient human, material and financial resources. The institute must also ensure that feedback is properly documented and used to enhance its activities which must be of high professional standards. Says SGH’s director of nursing, Associate Professor Lim Swee Hia: “Gunning for accreditation with an internationally recognised credentialing centre has enabled us to benchmark our training programmes and processes against international standards. “SingHealth will continue to explore ways to expand the scope of nursing careers and enhance nursing capabilities for the benefit of our patients.” – Philip Lee
Helping hands in an emergency
Over 1,000 SingHealth nurses have served for more than two decades.
A team of nurses create a drain pouch to make things easier for breast cancer patients SOME female cancer patients stay at home after breast surgeries because they do not want to go out with a surgical drain inside their clothes. Comprising a tube and small bottle for draining blood and fluid, the drain is usually at the side of the patient’s body for about seven to 10 days after surgery. A safety pin secures the drain beneath the clothes and it can also be in the pocket of the blouse or pants. Last year, a team of breast care nurse clinicians in National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) came up with the idea for an affordable, safe, durable, water resistant, light-weight and washable drain pouch. It is compact, easy to wear Madam Zaherah (left) has given her thumbs up to and remove, and it can be worn the drain pouch designed by Ms Tan (right) and her in different positions. It has a team of breast care nurse clinicians. strap which can be adjusted to the body frame. “We hope it will improve the patients’ The pouch, with non-allergic and functionality and psycho-social status. non-abrasive padding material, can be Some patients with surgical drains dare worn like a waistband, a string bag, or a not go out of their homes. chain from the neck. “They do not want to be embarrassed It can be worn in the shower and dur- if people notice the drain pinned inside ing sleep. There is no pin that can ac- their clothes. cidentally prick patients, especially the “Some patients say the drain pouch elderly folk with poor eyesight. is like a money pouch and they can also “We hope to make the life of wom- put in things like their MRT cards. en cancer patients more comfortable,” “Patients can wear the drain pouch to go says Ms Mabel Tan who is in the team to markets and socialise with their friends. of breast care nurse clinicians who devel- There is no need for them to stay at home. oped the drain pouch. “We will keep our costs low to make
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— Associate Professor Lim Swee Hia, director of nursing
KKH has a clinic manned by nurses to provide holistic and personalised service for expectant mothers Ahmad Osman
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thesundaytimes
August 1, 2010
Veteran is role model Senior nurse educator Giam Poh Eng, with nearly four decades of experience, now helps to train recruits in nursing skills
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Staff nurse Toh Hui Xian copes with the ups and downs in the fast-paced environment of the emergency room to alleviate suffering and save lives
Straight from the heart
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Last year, a man who had two sons was told that his disease recurred less than three months after treatment. He turned from being a friendly patient to an angry person and often shouted at us during his subsequent visits to the centre. For my colleagues and I, it was very demoralising. About three weeks before he passed away, I finally sat by his bedside while he was receiving treatment. He asked: ‘What do you want?’ I said: ‘I recognise that you are going through a lot of frustration and I am here to listen.’ At that moment, he broke down and cried. He just needed an avenue to vent his feelings and to come to terms with his illness. As a nurse, empathising with his anger and anguish, I felt I needed to first assist a patient in reconciling with himself before becoming his care provider.
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— Nurse clinician Tan Chor Kien (above), 45, who received the PS21 Distinguished Star Service Award in May this year. She has been in nursing since 1987 and is now based at the Singapore General Hospital’s Haematology Centre, which specialises in blood diseases and cancers.
Dealing with very ill patients and anxious relatives is part of Ms Toh’s daily routine.
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PHOTOS: CHONG JUN LIANG, SINGHEALTH
As a midwife, I am privileged to be part of the very important experience where parents welcome their newborn. My job mainly deals with happy events. But there was this case where a patient was going through the trauma of losing her baby. She asked to hold her baby one last time the following day. As the baby was already in the mortuary, my colleague and I made special arrangements with the mortuary department and accompanied the parents there. We placed the baby in the arms of the mother and gave the family some time together. The parents were very grateful and touched by what I’d done.
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— Nurse manager Juay Siew Ngoh (above), in her 40s, from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. A veteran of 25 years, she received the Excellence Service Star Award in 2009.
Interviews by Yeo Suan Futt
Esther Au Yong THE patient’s mobile phone rang, but instead of picking it up, staff nurse Toh Hui Xian stood still, almost transfixed on the screen as its shrill sounds echoed in the emergency room. The patient — a Chinese man in his 40s — had just been pronounced dead after failing to be resuscitated from a heart attack. Ms Toh, 24, who has been working in the emergency department of the Singapore General Hospital since 2006, quickly recovered and answered the patient’s mobile phone. It was his wife on the line. “I could only ask the patient’s wife to come to the hospital as soon as she could. I could sense the anxiety of the wife when she learnt that her husband had been sent to the hospital. She kept asking me if her husband was all right. “I felt terribly sorry that I could not reveal the truth to her over the phone. At that moment, I felt so helpless as there was nothing I could do,” recalls Ms Toh, who was one of the recipients of the Healthcare Humanitarian Award this year. That episode happened just a few weeks after she joined the department. Since then, she has been through several more of these incidents, but “it is still very heart wrenching every time I am faced with the death of a patient”. Emotional experiences like these are what nurses in the emergency departments go through as part of their everyday work.
Ms Toh, who was inspired to become a nurse after witnessing what happened to helpless patients during the Sars period, works in shifts that are rostered monthly, and different duties are rotated among all the nurses. “For example, one day I may be assessing patients when they come in at the triage area to quickly gauge their problems, another day I might be in the critical care area for patients in need of urgent treatment. “I am also trained to help in the resuscitation area for the most serious cases, like people who are brought in after a serious road accident. “Each area will require me to wear a different hat within the role of a nurse in order to provide the most suitable patient care or support to the doctor,” she explains. Besides being well trained for the many aspects in emergency care, certain attributes are required too, she says. “I have to be a reliable worker whom my colleagues trust or count on. “I also need the ability to multitask and think on my feet as the work environment is ever changing.” She also faces challenges like managing the expectations of tired, worried and anxious family members of the patients. “It is common for us to face anxious relatives who can be demanding and nasty towards us. We need to be patient and compassionate when dealing with these situations,” she says.
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The dynamic work environment in the emergency department also means that we need to be versatile and knowledgeable about our work.
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— Staff nurse Toh Hui Xian, emergency department of the Singapore General Hospital
“The dynamic work environment in the emergency department also means that we need to be versatile and knowledgeable about our work. “I am glad that the department sends me constantly for upgrading courses to equip me with up-to-date skills and knowledge.” As part of her training and voluntary work, Ms Toh also went on humanitarian missions to Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami, and to Myanmar two years ago to render aid to cyclone survivors. Clearly, no two days are the same in Ms Toh’s line of work and she relishes it. “The fast-paced environment keeps my adrenalin going and I know that I will never get bored in such a dynamic, yet satisfying, working environment,” she says.
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NURSES — THE PRIDE OF SINGHEALTH
thesundaytimes August 1, 2010
Male nurses play key role Once a rare breed, there are more male nurses now because of a new mindset, reports Esther Au Yong HISTORICALLY, nursing has been a woman’s job, but in modern times, it has grown to be a rewarding career for men as well. Says senior nurse educator Jonathan Sim Guan Hua from the National Heart Centre: “I am glad that this perception has changed and that society today is more accepting of male nurses. More men are becoming nurses, with the number rising rapidly in the past few years. “We are seeing more men take up key positions as well. Actually, there are situations where having male nurses around may be more helpful. For instance, they can help lift heavier patients, especially in orthopaedic wards. In mental health facilities, male nurses may better restrain violent patients. “Besides that, some male patients find it more convenient to talk to male nurses.”
Mr Sim, who is in his 50s and single, says his parents initially objected when he joined the profession in 1984. He was inspired to become a nurse after a stint as a medic during his national service. “Being a nurse is one of the most rewarding and meaningful careers,” he says. Mr Sim, who motivates and educates other nurses now, has had a long and rewarding career, including working in a neurosurgical intensive care unit and being part of the team that evacuated the victims of the SQ006 accident in Taipei in 2000. He says: “My parents have accepted my job as they grow older and experience the care I give them when they fall sick.” Mr Tan Wee Tai, a senior staff nurse at Changi General Hospital, also had to overcome parental misperception when he decided to embark on a nursing career in 2003.
“My family, as well as my friends, were generally supportive of my decision. “However, my parents did express their concern initially as they felt that it was a ‘dirty’ job, especially when dealing with blood or human waste, and feared that I was not up to the task,” says the 30-year-old bachelor. While he can care for his patients competently, including cleaning those who are dependent on him, Mr Tan says that a nurse also has to see to the needs of a patient’s family. “In nursing, it is not only the patient that we have to nurse, but also the patient’s family members. For example, on one occasion, a terminally ill and dying patient had requested to pass on in his own home. “His family members decided to discharge their father and bring him home. “However, they were not sure how to take the best care of the patient at home and expressed their concerns.
“ We a d dressed theirr concerns. Though the patient subse-quently passed on, the family wrote in to express their gratitude for our efforts,” he recalls. “I a m Mr Sim (left) proud t hat and pa ssionate abo Mr Tan (right) are my team ut their chos PHOTOS: CH en profession. had worked ONG JUN LI ANG, SINGH EALTH well together and made it possible for thee patient’s family members to be fully present, paent and in making the pa tient’s last moments as gentle as possible.” This is why Mr Tan sees nursing as “a service to mankind”, regardless of a nurse’s gender.
Interesting lives at work and play Beyond their dedication to the profession, many nurses also find time to pursue their own interests, discovers Theresa Tan
h Ms Tan Tiew Ya
Ms Ng Wa i May
Support group advocate ocate
Grassroots activi G activist istt
A CHANCE encounter with caring, compassionate nurses inspired Ms Tan Tiew Yah to join the profession. Now 50, the senior staff nurse has served for 33 years. The mother-of-two says: “I feel it’s my calling to be a nurse. I have learnt a lot about life from my patients and I have never thought of quitting.” She is with the National Cancer Centre Singapore, where her duties include counselling cancer patients and co-ordinating their treatment. Her compassion for patients has led her to start a support group for women with cancers of the reproductive system over a decade ago. She says: “If we could get patients to get to know others with the same condition, they could find support in one another, like one big family.”
MS NG Wai May’s idea of service extends beyond her patients. The 35-year-old nurse clinician at the National Neuroscience Institute spends her after-work hours serving the community. She is the vice-chairperson in the Admiral Garden women’s executive committee, a member of the Woodlands citizens’ consultative committee and part of the Admiral Garden community club management committee. She says: “It feels good to be able to do something for others.” Her grassroots work involves helping to organise activities such as dance clubs and looking into residents’ feedback. The mother of three children also tries to involve them in grassroots activities. “My aim is to cultivate in them a sense of volunteerism.”
m Ms Siah Wai Su
Chorus singer
AT the Singapore National Eye Centre, you may find staff nurse Siah Wai Sum humming or singing during her breaks. The 28-year-old grew up listening to her seamstress mum sing while doing her chores, and music has become a part of her DNA. Last year, Ms Siah – who assists the surgeon in the operating theatre – joined the chorus group at the Singapore Soka Association. She now spends about four hours a week training her vocals, and has also performed at community events. “I feel I’m contributing to society when I’m performing with my chorus group. It’s like we are bringing joy to others,” says Ms Siah. Besides, singing helps her to relieve stress and fills her life with “hope and joy”.
Special al ● PROJECT EDITOR Karen Teng ● WRITERS Ahmad Osman, Philip Lee ● CONTRIBUTORS Esther Au Yong, Mary Lim, Theresa Tan, Yeo Suan Futt
Ms Ramah Pra bah
Currency collector
COLLECTING currency has given much joy to senior enrolled nurse Ramah Prabah. The 42-year-old works at the National Dental Centre and assists the anaesthetist in the operating theatre, among other duties. She picked up her hobby from her father. “I was intrigued by my dad’s collection. The colour, design and value of the currencies fascinate me.” Fifteen years ago, she started her collection with notes from just four countries that her dad gave her. Today, the mother of two children has amassed dollars and coins from about 40 countries, thanks to friends and relatives who help her to build up her collection. A nurse for 23 years, she says: “These notes have sentimental value. I feel very happy and relaxed just looking at my collection.”
● ART AND DESIGN Kimmie Tan, Vikki Chan ● PHOTOGRAPHER Chong Jun Liang EDITOR
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Martin Boey (9620-1358), Alfred Lee (9673-3578) For reproduction of articles or reprints of photographs, call SPH's Information Resource Centre: 6319-5508 or 6319-5726. E-mail feedback to
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