“I find joy in empowering patients and new nurses”
Being a nurse was my childhood ambition. When I was young, I saw how my aunt, who is a nurse, cared for her patients and I decided to follow in her footsteps. When I was 14, my grandmother suffered from a heart attack and there was nothing I could do to save her or alleviate her pain. By the time the ambulance arrived, it was too late. I resolved to not let this happen again. My grandmother’s death solidified my decision to be a nurse. Upon graduating from secondary school, I enrolled at Institute of Technical Education (ITE) to study Nitec in Nursing. During my second year, I was attached to a hospital where I had the opportunity to work on an assignment related to kidney failure patients. The assignment sparked my interest to know more about renal nursing. At my school’s job fair, I also got to know of NKF and decided to apply for the role of an enrolled nurse. Gradually, I found joy in empowering and educating my patients and their families on kidney health and dialysis care. I am pursuing a field I love and want to keep on improving.
NKF sponsored me to study for a Diploma in Nursing at Nanyang Polytechnic in 2012 and subsequently, a Specialist Diploma in Renal Dialysis Management in 2020. It was challenging especially being a mother of two. However, with the strong support from my family and NKF, I strove on so that I could develop my skills to benefit my patients. Throughout the course of my career, I was given several opportunities to hone my skill sets and mentor new nurses.
I was heartened to find my juniors taking my advice and incorporating them into their day-to-day operations. They encouraged me to continue my passion in educating new staff.
Being a renal nurse for the past 12 years, I am proud to say I grew up at NKF. My journey was never easy as there were times I wanted to give up. Yet, I am reminded why I continue on this path when my patients thank me and appreciate me for what I do for them. The support from NKF, my colleagues and my family has shaped me into a more responsible and mature individual who advocates for my patients’ well-being.
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