The President's Award for Nurses is the highest accolade in Singapore's nursing profession. This national award is given in recognition of nurses who have made significant contributions to the profession and the community, while also displaying outstanding competency, leadership, and innovation. They are also dedicated to nurturing young nurses and committed in contributing their professional expertise in the community.

Our heartiest congratulations to Dr Loh Huey Peng, Director of Nursing, SNEC, on receiving the President's Award for Nurses 2023! 

Dr Loh Huey Peng
Director of Nursing
Singapore National Eye Centre

An astute leader, Dr Loh Huey Peng took on the task of transforming Singapore National Eye Centre's (SNEC) nursing culture when she was appointed Director of Nursing in 2019. Serving with tremendous dedication, she bonded with the nurses she was leading and gained their trust, which has paved the way for the transformation of the nursing cohort within the institution. Thanks to her unwavering leadership, she raised staff morale on the ground, encouraged nurses to work collaboratively on innovative projects, and created opportunities to groom future leaders.

Huey Peng is a nurse leader who works closely with her staff, occasionally scrubbing up to assist in complex cases or when staffing is tight. During COVID-19, Huey Peng was tasked with leading the SingHealth Community Care Facility@Expo. Huey Peng managed to set up processes and workflows that provided much needed care to over 3,000 COVID-19 patients. Her perseverance and humility earned her the respect of staff and leaders within the SingHealth community.

Huey Peng is also a firm believer in developing her staff by providing them opportunities for professional growth and motivation through personalised guidance and mentorship. She organises training programmes and workshops, and is a key-driver in establishing SNEC's Staff Wellness Council which was integral in facilitating the organisation's culture change.

In the field of her research, Huey Peng has contributed to several evidence-based and clinical quality-improvement projects, enhancing surgical practices, patient safety, as well as cost-effectiveness. Alongside her doctorate thesis on Development and Evaluation of Game-based Intervention in improving situational awareness among operating theatre nurses, she has also authored quality improvement papers and book chapters on surgical safety in official publications and journals. Continuing her research and studies in Nurse Wellness and the evaluation of pathways for patients referred to the glaucoma clinic, Huey Peng seeks to promote new methods of care delivery to enhance productivity through innovation and technology.

Huey Peng believes that her role as a Nursing Leader is to inspire, motivate and coach others to be their best. She strives for excellence beyond her role as a Nurse, leveraging her knowledge, skills, and experience to lead the way in healthcare. She hopes that nursing develops more autonomy to practise at the full extent of each nurse's training and education, as well as for the catalysation of new models of care through a multi-skilled workforce to ensure the profession remains adaptable, agile and resilient in the delivery of patient-centered care.