I am the Future of Nursing - Nurses Day 2024

Shashi S/O Chandra Segaram Senior Nurse Manager Singapore General Hospital		Visionary Leader In the Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM), we never know what patients we are going to get. As a Senior Nurse Manager overseeing nursing operations, I make sure patients get the best care as quickly and efficiently as possible. To make this happen, I ensure communication within the team is clear and effective and protocols are strictly followed so patient safety isn’t compromised. At the same time, I contribute to staff training and quality improvement initiatives.    It was also exciting to be involved in the designing and planning of the upcoming Emergency Medicine Building on the SGH Campus. As the healthcare landscape evolves, so do the models of care for patients. To ensure we can meet these needs, our upcoming infrastructure needs to be future-proofed and planned efficiently. I take great pride in playing a key role in enhancing future workspaces for my colleagues and healing spaces for our future patients!
Nur A’liyah Binte Razali Enrolled Nurse Singapore General Hospital		Aspiring Coach I work closely with our multi-disciplinary care team to provide comprehensive care for our patients. My day-to-day responsibilities include monitoring patients' vitals, providing care and support for their daily activities and upholding safety standards in the wards. Being a urology nurse allows me to connect with patients on a personal level while providing specialised care and seeing the impact of my support firsthand is incredibly rewarding. Winning the SingHealth Rising Star Award for Enrolled Nurses has affirmed my decision to join the industry and further encouraged me to continue giving my best to patients. In the next few years, I aspire to become a preceptor which is a nurse mentor. I hope to guide and teach new nurses to succeed and thrive. I am also interested in increasing my expertise which will enable me to focus on patient education and better contribute to the overall care experience for patients with urological conditions.
Sunita D/O Daya Ram Senior Staff Nurse Changi General Hospital		Passionate Care Educator I decided to specialise in medical-surgical nursing two years into my career as I wanted to expand my knowledge and skills to be more versatile, and better support my colleagues in caring for patients from diverse disciplines. At Changi General Hospital’s (CGH) orthopaedics and surgical ward, I facilitate patients’ care transition when they have recovered and can go home, conducting practical sessions to empower patients to care for themselves at home in the community and reduce the likelihood of readmission. I also mentor and guide new nursing colleagues in alignment with the hospital’s care and safety objectives. I start each workday with a passion to create a positive impact on both my patients and colleagues and see challenges as opportunities for growth. Outside of my regular work duties, I actively participate in hospital committees, dedicating my time and contributing ideas to enhance departmental workflows. I see learning as a continuous journey, essential for staying relevant amidst constant change. I hope to achieve my ambition of becoming an Advanced Practice Nurse and use my knowledge and expertise to enhance healthcare in Singapore.
Tan Kai Beng Assistant Nurse Clinician Sengkang General Hospital		Driver of Transformation As a member of the Nursing Quality Management Team at Sengkang General Hospital (SKH), I look into elevating nursing standards to drive excellence. I analyse clinical data to evaluate compliance against established standards and participate in quality improvement and innovation projects to improve our nursing competencies. As a key driver of research and innovation in SKH, I led the roll out of the Delirium Care Management bundle, which guides nurses in identifying patients at risk for delirium. This module is essential as it improves care for our elderly patients, such as by reducing the usage of physical restraints. Separately, we are currently assessing novel ways to prevent and reduce the incidence of pressure injuries in these patients. I will continue to further my interest in nursing innovation and research, particularly focusing on initiatives aimed at enhancing patient safety and healthcare quality. I hope more of my fellow nurses will join me on this journey to support and propel one another toward further advancements in patient care and nursing practices!
Jefferson Tan Staff Nurse KK Women's and Children's Hospital		Guardian of Young Lives As a nurse working at the Children’s Emergency in KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), the ability to identify very sick children and maintaining composure during evolving situations is critical. Every day, my priority is to ensure that my patients receive timely and safe care, and to support them in their most vulnerable moments. I remember an instance when my simple gesture of offering a sticker set to a distressed child undergoing a procedure provided her comfort. Paediatric care requires a balance of expertise and emotional intuition, and incidents like this reminds me that the human touch is as crucial as any treatment we provide. I aspire to further enhance my knowledge and leadership skills to better guide my peers and be an even stronger advocate for our young patients and their families.
Adele Woon Nurse Clinician (Advanced Practice Nurse) National Cancer Centre Singapore		Lifelong Learner Nurses have many development opportunities in various tracks such as clinical, research, innovation, education, informatics and more. I care for oncology patients at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and I am grateful to have undergone further training to become an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). As an APN, I have greater autonomy to deliver more holistic care for my patients. Today, I review patients and provide a care plan for them at the Chemotherapy Review Clinic and perform procedures which were traditionally performed by doctors such as bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy. I am also the Chairperson of NCCS’ Nursing Research and Innovation Committee that seeks to foster a culture of inquiry, advance nursing practice through research, and promote the implementation of innovative solutions to improve patient care. I hope to grow as a clinician so that I can gain knowledge and develop services that provide better and more seamless patient care. It is a privilege to journey with my patients and celebrate their strength and grace.
Wendy Mo Nurse Manager National Dental Centre Singapore		Versatile Nurse Mentor After specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology for a few years, I was keen to explore a different area of patient care. I found myself drawn to the unique skill set and opportunities for patient interaction offered by dental nursing. I took up the challenges of a career switch – adapting to a new clinical environment, learning unfamiliar procedures and terminology, and adjusting to different patient populations and care dynamics. Thankfully, with additional training and education, a positive mindset and willingness to learn, I built my skills and confidence. I also received much support and guidance from experienced colleagues and leaders. Going through this journey has helped me in my role as a Nurse Manager, as I can empathise with my staff who face changes at work. I strive to create an environment where the team can feel supported to embrace changes for improved workflow efficiency and patient care.
Xiao Li Nurse Clinician (Advanced Practice Nurse) National Heart Centre Singapore		Advocate for Patient Safety Guided by our common purpose to put ‘Patients. At the Heart of All We Do’, I am constantly looking for ways to uphold our patients’ safety, provide better care experience and improve clinical outcomes. Through my day-to-day work, I noticed that central venous catheter dislodgement can potentially delay treatment or cause detrimental complications from inappropriate removal process. As such, I formed a multidisciplinary team to look at preventing such risks. We explored the root causes leading to such incidents through analysing clinical incidents, reviewing literature and guidelines, and collecting feedback from stakeholders. Thereafter, we developed a package that guides ground nurses in assessment, dressing and caring for patients using the central venous catheter. While it was challenging to lead a group of individuals from various departments, it was rewarding at the same time to be able to overcome obstacles together and finally, see our ideas translate to positive impact for patients and colleagues.
Ho Sook Leng Assistant Nurse Clinician National Neuroscience Institute		Pillar of Support I am the first nurse in the National Neuroscience Institute to hold a hybrid role – besides being a neuroradiology nurse, I also help patients living with epilepsy manage their condition as an epilepsy specialist nurse. Epilepsy affects a person in many ways – physically, psychologically and socially. I recall a young woman with epilepsy who lost her job due to her uncontrolled seizures. Because of this, she struggled emotionally and lost her confidence in life. I offered her a listening ear during my clinic reviews, and together, we took small steps to help her regain control of her seizures and rebuild her life with confidence. I was elated when she called me to share that she had successfully found a job. Her story was a strong testament that nursing offers us the opportunity to make meaningful connections with our patients and journey with them during moments of adversity. I have also expanded my role, including covering night on-call duties which allows me to maintain and train my skills as a neuroradiology nurse. Each call is crucial because every second counts in saving neurons and allowing patients to have better recovery.
Joanne Ng Staff Nurse Singapore National Eye Centre		Voice of Compassion I am an ophthalmic nurse, working in a day surgery ward at the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC). I provide comprehensive care to patients with eye conditions, both pre- and post-operatively. This includes administering medications, educating patients about their conditions and treatments and providing support and reassurance throughout their care journey. I also collaborate closely with ophthalmologists and other healthcare professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients throughout the whole operation process. It is exciting to work in such a fast-paced environment that offers a variety of cases and challenges while still allowing for high level of patient interaction. The sense of sight is incredibly precious and I find it fulfilling to be able to directly impact and protect one’s vision. Our role involves providing personalised care, empathy and compassion so that patients feel supported in navigating vision challenges. I also believe in maintaining open communication not just with patients but also their loved ones, so that we can foster trust and collaboration to help our patients recover well.
Seah Hwee Ling Senior Staff Nurse Outram Community Hospital		Pioneer in Nursing Informatics Working in the domains of nursing and technology gives me room to use both competencies to make a change in the healthcare setting. As the first Informatics Nurse at SingHealth Community Hospitals (SCH), I had the opportunity to lead in several projects that have significantly benefited our patients. One such project was the implementation of automated printing of drug additive labels for non-bolus injectables, which enhances medication safety and improves health outcomes for our patients. As an Informatics Nurse, I am also involved in maintaining our electronic medical records (EMR), implementing new software systems, and training staff on various digital tools to improve patient care. By combining bridging the fields of nursing and technology, we can create a more effective, patient-centric healthcare system. I aspire to continue exploring innovative technologies that can improve patient outcomes and streamline hospital operations. In the next 2-3 years, I hope to integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning into clinical decision making and establish a robust data analytics platform for ongoing performance improvement.
Wan Nursharazilla Binte Abdul Rahman Assistant Nurse Clinician Sengkang Community Hospital		Champion of Dementia Care In 2022, I was part of the team to establish and build up our dedicated dementia ward in Sengkang Community Hospital (SKCH). What motivated me to develop my specialisation in dementia care was seeing the impact I have made on my patients and their families. Every day in the dementia care ward brings new opportunities for me to grow and learn as I personalise my care routine to ensure that each patient gets care that is tailored to their specific needs. Patience, empathy, communication skills, and collaboration with other colleagues are some of the skills that help me to manage challenging behaviours and build trust with my patients. Caring for our elderly patients is a team effort! Since joining SCH, I was also inspired to get my advanced diploma in Gerontology to elevate my knowledge and nursing skills in caring for our elderly patients!
Nur Juliyana Binte Abdul Rahim Senior Staff Nurse SingHealth Polyclinics - Tampines		Beacon of Strength Mothers and their young children are a vulnerable group in our community and in times of need, we hope to be their beacon of strength at SingHealth Polyclinics’ Integrated Maternal and Child Wellness Hub (IMCWH). My role involves providing comprehensive and holistic care for both mothers and their young children. When a mother with post-natal depression is identified, I provide emotional support and offer resources, helplines and appropriate referrals based on the mother’s needs. I also provide lactation support to breastfeeding mothers and share my knowledge on breastfeeding issues and recommendations on their techniques. In addition, I conduct questionnaires and autism screening for young children and share valuable insights to parents on how their child is developing. I was further involved deeply in setting up of the IMCWH at SingHealth Polyclinics-Tampines, including the training of my fellow nursing colleagues, so that we can create a safe and conducive environment for our patients. When I see my patients’ joyful faces, it reminds me that we provide not just clinical assistance, but also support them in navigating the challenges of motherhood.