Commencement 2024 is upon us. Four Nursing graduates from the Class of 2024 share about their experience at NUS Nursing, and their aspirations.

Shaik Muhammad Hamzah

 Staff Nurse at Changi General Hospital from August 2024

After completing his O-levels, Shaik Muhammad Hamzah had decided to pursue the Diploma in Pharmaceutical sciences (Clinical Practice) at Temasek Polytechnic as he was curious to understand how certain medications could change the way the human body functions. He then proceeded further his studies by applying for a Degree in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and had intended to work in the manufacturing industry and in a research lab.

However, when Hamzah was in the military, he served as a combat circulation medic where he took charge of and led various emergency cases, performed procedures such as ECG taking, wound dressing and venipuncture. His passion for nursing did not ignite until he came across a case of suspected heat injury. A simple and heartfelt expression of “thank you for saving my live” from the soldier after his recovery made Hamzah appreciate the beauty of nursing and its impact. He then made the decision to switch his choice of study from Pharmaceutical Manufacturing to Nursing.

Hamzah took a gap year before entering NUS Nursing to read for a Bachelor of Science (Nursing) (Honours) degree as his Operational Ready Date (ORD) from National Service was after the official start date of school. This gap year enabled him to further hone his nursing skills as he signed up to be a Pharmacy Technician at the Marine Parade Polyclinic where he was given the opportunity to serve the community and gained valuable insights into post-hospital community service.

He was awarded a scholarship from SingHealth while at NUS Nursing, and served as the Vice Chairperson of the SingHealth Nursing Student Council for two years, before continuing his contribution as a mentor to incoming council members. At NUS Nursing, Hamzah served as a Peer Mentor to other students, providing advice and a listening ear for them. Hamzah also took part actively in Open House events and various NUS Nursing activities, such as the Nursing Buddies programme.

   
Hamzah enjoys baking and refurbishing old furniture pieces and baking in his free time.

In his free time, Hamzah enjoys DIY work such as refurbishing old furniture pieces. He also enjoys building Lego blocks and baking. Indulging in these hobbies allows Hamzah to unleash his creativity and practise problem-solving skills, which help in his nursing work.

Kok Hui Wen

Currently interning at the Ministry of Health Office for Healthcare Transformation and will be joining the National University Hospital as a Staff Nurse in August 2024

Kok Hui Wen (right) with her mentor at NUHS.

Kok Hui Wen is graduating from NUS Nursing with a Bachelor of Science (Nursing) (Honours) and a second major in public health. Her interest in public health was sparked when she took a public health module on Global Health as her first ever elective in her first semester of university. She had no idea what to expect then, and did not plan to do a second major when she first took the module. Her lecturer at the time, Ms Suganthi Narayanasamy, described public health as identifying a potential problem, then actively preventing it, nipping it at its bud before its able to manifest into something more sinister.

Hui Wen was bothered most by some patients’ recurring admissions during her clinical postings. She could not help but feel that there must be a more efficient, effective, and sustainable way of keeping people healthy and out of hospitals.

Nurses, Hui Wen pointed out, are given a privileged position that allows them to observe, coordinate and often experience vicariously the downstream effects of social, environmental, and political constructions that affect people’s health and drive them into hospitals. Hui Wen believes that the true potential of  practising nursing with  an eye on public health remains vastly untapped, and she wanted to use them synergistically to empower a more healthful population.

Hui Wen wanted to experience how concepts work in practice and spent whole summer vacations undertaking public health internships with private and government organisations on top of nursing clinical attachments. These experiences gave her broader insights as to how health systems and different players function. Those experiences helped Hui Wen make better sense of recurring issues in the ward and sharpened her eyes in picking out social and environmental causes of her patients’ ailments, as well as represent the needs of the users of health systems, draw attention to blind spots within the system and  innovate solutions.

For her thesis, Hui Wen decided to carry out a secondary research project driven by the pressing public health problem of antibiotic resistance that she had grown acutely aware of during one of her public health internships.

While Hui Wen (third from left) had an incredibly journey learning and honing both fields, she did have a fair share of struggles – especially since she juggled a second major in public health. With the unwavering support of her family and close friends, home faculty, scholarship officer, the guidance of mentors such as, Dr Cecilia Teng, Prof He Honggu, Ms Ng Yee Theng from IQVIA, and Ms Angeline David from NUH, Hui Wen managed to excel in both majors. 

In addition to her studies, Hui Wen was the programme head for Project Barrios, a nursing-led project that focused on providing health education for people were ‘helping homes away from homes’. The project was initiated as an overseas CIP, however, due to COVID-19, Hui Wen and her team restructured the project to focus on underserved local communities, such as the elderly, migrant workers and less privileged children. They ran education programmes for these communities over the span of a year to help them become more aware of the common ailments that their environmental or social constructs may subject them to, and on the strategies of prevention, early detection and where to reach resources and helplines.

Hui Wen’s favourite way of destressing during the hard times was to surf. She would travel to Lombok, Desaru and Sri Lanka for surfing when time permitted. She was also a member of NUS Canoeing and NUS Kayaking.

Tan Min Kai

Staff Nurse at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital from August 2024

Tan Min Kai, who is 35 years old this year, is graduating from NUS Nursing from the Career Conversion Programme for Registered Nurses (CCP-RN) (Degree) course.

Prior to studying at NUS Nursing, Min Kai had earlier graduated with a Diploma in Biomedical Sciences from Republic Polytechnic, and worked with the Singapore Armed Forces as a combat medic from 2009 to 2016. Subsequently, he furthered his studies by attaining an Advance Diploma in Paramedicine from Nanyang Polytechnic and a Bachelor in Commerce, Major in Hospitality and Tourism Management by Murdoch University.

Min Kai then joined Singapore Airlines as a flight attendant from 2016 to 2022. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, he was one of the few selected Care Ambassadors deployed to hospitals to mitigate the manpower crunch. He was introduced to the programme by a Nurse Manager in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH), who was in-charge of the Care Ambassadors back then.

During his five-month stint at KTPH, Min Kai observed the professionalism and passion of the nurses he worked with, which inspired him greatly. With encouragement from the Nursing Manager, he decided to apply to study under the CCP offered by NUS. Min Kai is grateful to have the opportunity to study at NUS Nursing and he is now a Registered Nurse, looking forward to serving the community.

Khaider Bin Khalid

Staff Nurse at Ng Teng Fong Hospital from August 2024

At 59, Khaider Bin Khalid is the oldest student to graduate from the Career Conversion Programme for Registered Nurses (CCP-RN) (Degree) course  at NUS Nursing. Khaider had a long-running career in a bank for 26 years. In his last three years there, he found that the excitement and motivation that he initially possessed had gradually reduced, and he was no longer enjoying the work. The initial rush he felt chasing personal ambition, building a career and wealth, gradually fizzled out after witnessing several of his colleagues come down with stroke or hypertension and had to be hospitalised, or who passed away. Khaider started to wonder about the point of having money, status, and power if he is not healthy. He also wanted to spend more time with my family. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Khaider had to work from home, and he realised that he had been missing the time spent with his family all this while.

Khaider Bin Khalid (second from left) carrying his grandchild and having a meal with his family.

Khaider felt that his banking career was a busy but with no sense of direction. Just as he began to search for more meaningful goals, happiness, and fulfilment in life, he came across the CCP and degree for Nursing. After finding out more information about the programme, he felt that nursing was a noble career that would allow him to give back to the patients and community. He was initially worried about the pay cut and its significant impact on his finances. After a discussion with his family and receiving their blessings, Khaider took a leap of faith and resigned from his banking job.

It was with mixed feelings that Khaider stepped into NUS after 33 years. He needed to adapt to study with his peers who were about the same age as his youngest child. However, Khaider had a great time learning from them. He made great friends with his classmates and they helped each other to get through all the lectures, tutorials, assignments, quizzes, clinical practice, and exams. Khaider felt that he has become more mature now and is not afraid to speak up.

Now, Khaider aspires to become a nurse who can bring joy to his patients and help them. He also wants to be involved in more volunteer work to contribute to the community. Khaider feels a sense of satisfaction when he sees patients recover, be discharged to go home and receives compliments from them. Khaider is bonded to Ng Teng Fong Hospital for three years and he is looking forward to find more happiness, fulfilment, and set meaningful goals in his new career.