2024 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Alice Lee Centre of Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing), National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, as well as the entire Nursing community in Singapore. One of the most watched Nursing events globally—the 35th International Nursing Research Congress will be happening in Singapore from 25 to 28 July 2024. With an expected turnout of over 800 nurse researchers, students, clinicians and leaders from around the world, we believe the 4-day event will offer a rich platform for our researchers and students to network and learn from others.
I am also honoured and humbled to be among the inductees for Sigma 2024 International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. I would be receiving my award at the upcoming event alongside other international recipients. This honour is conferred on nurse researchers who have achieved significant and sustained national and international recognition for their work, and whose research has positively impacted the Nursing profession and the people it serves. Last year, our professors—Prof He Hong-Gu Linda and Prof Wang Wenru—were also inducted into Sigma 2023 International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.
For a young school which is committed to research that can be translated into impactful healthcare outcomes, we are heartened to have our nurse researchers receive recognition in consecutive years. It is an affirmation and recognition of our efforts and our impact on the global Nursing fraternity and the local healthcare system. Additionally, we are hopeful that my achievements as well as those of Prof He and Prof Wang would serve to inspire aspiring and current nurse researchers such as our very own Research Fellow, Dr Brigitte Woo, within our community.
I cannot agree more with Ms Tan Soh Chin, ex-Chief Nursing Officer, who said that nurses—being the biggest healthcare workforce on the ground and well-distributed across all healthcare settings—have the power to transform the healthcare industry. That is why NUS Nursing is not only committed to nurturing students into clinically competent, empathetic and caring Nursing professionals, but also facilitate their development into capable and knowledgeable Nursing leaders, domain specialists and medical officers.
As the only Singapore university offering a Master of Nursing programme, we have produced over 400 Advanced Practice Nurses since the start of the programme in 2003. We look to ramp up this number in anticipation of the industry demand. In addition, we are not going to stop there. We want to offer other nurses who are equally good and keen to develop themselves opportunities to grow with our suite of new graduate programmes. Notably, for the Master of Community Health and Master of Science (Critical Care Nursing), we will be piloting a new stackable, work-study model that allows nurses to control how far they want to go—stop at the completion of graduate certificate or proceed on to Master’s.
We also have plans to launch the Doctor of Nursing Practice in the near future. Besides equipping nurses with the ability to apply structured thinking and translate research findings into evidence-based implementation in clinical settings, the Doctorate of Nursing Practice programme is expected to empower our nurses to take on higher leadership roles such as hospital management, and even contribute towards policymaking.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung forecasted that we would need another 24,000 more nurses and healthcare staff by 2030. As a leading university in the country and region, we see our role to be developing Nursing leaders to inspire health for all.
Prof Liaw Sok Ying
Head (NUS Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies)
