The late Sister Lim Suh Fen was instrumental in setting up the Singapore Heart Centre in the Mistri Wing at the Singapore General Hospital, which later became NHCS in 1994. She was known to be a role model to many nurses and colleagues for always putting her patients on her top priority. Under her mentorship, she inspired nurses to persevere in their profession and strive for excellence in patient care.
With generous donations from colleagues, friends, and loved ones, the Lim Suh Fen Cardiovascular Research & Education Fund was established in 2020, in honor of Sister Lim for her contributions. The fund is dedicated to advancing cardiovascular education and research for healthcare professionals, ensuring that her legacy of exceptional patient care continues to thrive and benefit countless lives.
Read on to learn about two signature initiatives that were made possible with the help of this fund!
Enhancing mindfulness and wellness in healthcare professionals
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm, and drastically changed the way we work and live. The fight against the pandemic over the next two years was a long and tough journey, especially for our frontliners who had to ensure the safety of our patients. Staff were overwhelmed with the increase in workload and the unknown that laid ahead which led to anxiety and burnout.
To foster staff well-being and wellness, NHCS Nursing Development Unit (NDU) recognised the need to build a pool of staff to be equipped with the right skillset to better support and care for fellow team members, ultimately enhancing patient care and outcomes in the long run. With the help of the fund, the Mindfulness for Enhanced Performance (MEP) programme was introduced and to date, it has successfully trained 30 staff (NHCS Peer Supporters, ICU Care Rounds facilitators, iTHRIVE faculty, etc.) with practical mindfulness techniques, higher levels of perception and skillsets to engage in deeper communication with others.
Ms Tan Boon Cheng, Master Medical Social Worker and one of the NHCS Peer Supporters who attended the course, shared, “The principles of mindfulness and practical skills were useful tools to help navigate and see challenges from a more positive perspective. The sharing of personal experiences by participants were enriching as we could learn from one other and know that we are not alone in what we are experiencing.”
Ms Zeng Wenying, a Nurse Educator who is certified in mindfulness training, has also been conducting mindfulness sessions for NHCS junior and student nurses to help manage their personal and work-related stress to prevent burnout. She shared, “The information from these classes is useful for everyone, especially for those who are new to the concept of mindfulness. It helps us to enhance self-awareness when we communicate with others.”
Due to overwhelming positive response, the MEP Programme has also been incorporated as part of the core training and development programmes for all NHCS staff.
Empowering nurses to advance care through research
The fund has also provided the opportunity for nurses to advance care through research and innovation.
The insertion of peripheral intravenous (IV) cannulas for the administration of medications, fluid and blood products is a common practice in hospitals today. However, this procedure can cause complications in patients such as phlebitis (inflammation of the vein often caused by IV catheters), which can result in potential long-term effects on patients and length of their hospital stays.
The NHCS Nursing Department conducted a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of sesame oil as a safe, readily available, low-cost agent to prevent phlebitis at IV cannula sites in adult patients. The study results indicated potential benefits of using topical sesame oil to prevent and reduce the severity of phlebitis. While further investigation with a larger sample size is necessary for more conclusive findings, the collected data will be analysed in collaboration with a biostatistician to prepare the research for publication.
A living tribute
The Lim Suh Fen Cardiovascular Research & Education Fund serves as a living tribute to Sister Lim, reminding us of the values she stood for - compassion, excellence, dedication.
Donating in memory of someone is a special and meaningful way to remember them. It provides a way to honour their life and keep their memory alive while helping others at the same time. If you would like to make a gift towards the
NHCS Heart To Heart Fund in support of our research and education initiatives that align with the life work of Sister Lim, click
here.
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Stories from the heart
