From left to right: Chloe from Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgery Centre, Nadiah and Uttirawathi from Ward 55Chloe moved to Singapore in 2024 and initially expected her career as a CSA to be focused on routine responsibilities. However, as the sole CSA on her floor, Chloe masterfully juggles patient triage, vital sign measurements, and outpatient screenings using EPIC. She also performs simple wound dressings and plays a crucial role in the Minor Surgery Procedure (MSP) room, assisting doctors, monitoring patients under partial anaesthesia, and documenting procedures.
Chloe swoops in to provide words of comfort for her patients in their vulnerable moments. She recalled comforting a nervous pre-surgery patient, demonstrating her keen awareness of the importance of emotional care. It's no wonder patients seek her out post-surgery to shower her with heartfelt thanks!
Initially challenged by medical terminology and the fast-paced environment, Chloe credits her success to excellent mentorship and training.
She began as a part-time Basic Care Associate, quickly impressing the team and becoming a full-time CSA within a year.
Armed with a WSQ Advanced Certificate in Healthcare (Nursing) and powered by her standard order of Kopi-O Kosong, Nadiah performs her daily responsibilities with finesse. The certificate provides her with formal patient care training and nursing-related skills like nasogastric tube feeding and advanced wound dressing. Her team steadfastly supported her development by granting her training leave and facilitating opportunities to apply her new skills.
Nadiah’s journey is far from over, as she plans to pursue a Higher NITEC in Nursing to become an Enrolled Nurse. NUH supports staff development through scholarships for advanced education and skill enhancement, enabling employees to contribute more meaningfully and take on greater responsibilities.
Nadiah's wise words:
Don't be scared to try new things! When you give things a try, you will only benefit [from them].
Uttirawathi brings her prior experience in dialysis patient care to her role as a CSA. After completing her WSQ Advanced Certificate in Healthcare (Nursing), she took on additional responsibilities and strongly recommends the course for its insights into medical practices and protocols.
Uttirawathi's passion for personalised care shines through in a heart-warming account of caring for a patient with heart failure. During the patient's three-week stay, Uttirawathi noticed her discomfort with having her hair washed in the hospital. She creatively transformed her patient’s room into a salon-like environment, providing tender loving care that put the patient at ease. Moved by this thoughtful gesture, the patient's daughter contributed additional supplies to further enhance the experience. This incident, which occurred during the patient's final days, profoundly impacted Uttirawathi. The family's expression of gratitude through compliments and a thank-you card reinforced her sense of fulfilment in healthcare.
Uttirawathi's ability to think out of the box highlights the importance of empathy and creativity in patient care. She leaves us with a powerful reflection:
