Singapore, 25 July 2024 – Singapore's largest public healthcare group, SingHealth, announced the launch of the Centre for Global Nursing today. Established under the auspices of SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute (SDGHI), the Centre for Global Nursing aims to advance nursing practices worldwide, improve care delivery, enhance health equity and shape healthcare policies both at home and in the international arena.
This global nursing perspective is aligned with the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Strategic Directions for Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery and the first-ever State of the World's Nursing 2020 report[1], developed by WHO in partnership with the International Council of Nurses and the global Nursing Now campaign.
Committed to forging a healthier world and future
Global health encompasses a comprehensive approach that focuses on improving health and achieving equity in health for all worldwide. It elevates the focus from managing diseases and specific health issues in individuals to enabling health in populations by tackling the underlying social, economic, and environmental determinants of health.
For the past two decades, SingHealth has actively engaged in collaborative programmes in different clinical domains with countries around the world. With the establishment of SDGHI in 2018, many of these have since matured significantly. SingHealth nurses have played crucial roles in multidisciplinary projects in countries such as Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, with the aim of advancing nursing practices and leadership.
"Nurses play a critical role in achieving positive patient outcomes," said Clinical Associate Professor Tan Hiang Khoon, Director of SDGHI. "This is especially so when we need our nurses to work across multi-disciplinary teams in modern healthcare delivery. The Centre for Global Nursing is a timely and important pillar of SDGHI as we look into advancing care practices across borders, empowering both our local and global nursing counterparts to advance healthcare initiatives at the systems level. We hope that by doing so, we can make a lasting impact on global health outcomes."
Elevating nursing across borders
The Centre for Global Nursing embodies the principles of global health through a holistic and collaborative approach to nursing. By centralising nursing resources and expertise, it aims to enhance the delivery of nursing programmes regionally and internationally, with a focus on sustainability and capacity building. Importantly, this initiative provides the platform for nurses to contribute their skills and expertise beyond the local arena to enrich their perspectives on different healthcare systems abroad and how these impact clinical outcomes. It also gives them the opportunity to learn, share best practices and apply their knowledge, working with multi-disciplinary teams in different countries and clinical environments that will nurture a more holistic nursing outlook.
"We want to ensure that our nurses have a fulfilling and meaningful career with SingHealth, one that is aligned with their passion and interests so that every nurse can nurture a deep sense of purpose in his or her work," said Adj Professor Tracy Carol Ayre, Group Chief Nurse, SingHealth. "The Centre for Global Nursing will establish collaborative, long-term relationships with regional and international counterparts to open up new avenues to create meaningful and sustainable nursing solutions that allow our nurses to make a global impact, enriching their understanding of diverse healthcare systems and the sociopolitical and cultural factors that affect health and nursing."
"With the Centre for Global Nursing, SingHealth nurses have the opportunity to contribute their nursing expertise in various global nursing projects, allowing them to deliver patient care in a variety of clinical environments and contribute towards elevating nursing standards worldwide," said Adj Associate Professor Sabrina Koh, Head of the Centre for Global Nursing.
Celebrating SingHealth Nurses
SingHealth employs over 13,000 nurses. The Centre for Global Nursing was launched during the SingHealth Nurses' Day celebrations, which was graced by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health, as Guest of Honour, and Ms Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of Health. During the celebrations, 198 awards and scholarships were presented to outstanding SingHealth nurses for their exemplary contributions.
Among them, 120 nurses received awards and scholarships supported by the Wee Foundation. The Wee Foundation Nurses' Day Awards recognise nurses who have inspired others with their exemplary performance, leadership, and commitment to the nursing profession. The Wee Foundation Nursing Scholarships provide opportunities for nurses to undertake post-graduate qualifications to advance leadership in their chosen career paths.
[1] State of the world's nursing 2020: investing in education, jobs and leadership (who.int)
