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 Ms Stephanie Yeap, Chief Nurse, SCH and Ms Elena Binte Mohamed Ayob, Deputy Director, Nursing, SGH, on receiving the President's Award for Nurses 2024! 

Stephanie's nursing career spanning over two decades at SingHealth took an exciting turn in 2017, when she joined the pioneering leadership team to establish SingHealth Community Hospitals (SCH) – Singapore’s only cluster of community hospitals.

As Chief Nurse, Stephanie played a pivotal role in setting up and overseeing nursing services, standards and operations across three community hospitals, including the monumental work of starting two new community hospitals. 

Her proactive approach, meticulous attention to detail and clear-sighted leadership were crucial in safeguarding SCH and its patients, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Stephanie’s strong sense of purpose, mission and compassion, together with her affable personality and tireless work ethos, has shaped her as an exemplary leader and a mentor to many.

Elena, a compassionate and visionary nurse leader, thrives on fostering human connections and building strong communities. 

As the Nursing Manpower in-charge at SGH, she orchestrates recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies for nurses, leading to an increase in hiring efforts, sponsorship awards, and a decline in attrition rates.

Her commitment to nurturing a caring and supportive culture shines through her co-chairmanship of the SGH Wellbeing Council and her leadership of the Nursing Peer Supporter Programme. Elena’s passion extends to empowering others — she is mentor, not only to the nurses but also some medical department heads and spearheads the Ministry of Health Job Redesign workgroup to upskill inpatient support care staff across Singapore.

Elena’s impact reverberates far beyond the hospital walls, leaving an indelible mark on the nursing profession and healthcare community.