WHAT\u2019S NEXT\u00a0<\/p>\n
While Singapore\u2019s retention of nurses is \u201cpretty good\u201d now after rolling out multiple measures, the country cannot rest on its laurels, said Ms Thanaletchimi.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One important area to pay attention to is their workload, she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are the areas that can be improved using technology? What are the areas we can shift to some other job roles and right site the task so that the nurses can practise on top of their licence and do much more value-added jobs?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another common concern is that when nurses take on projects or research work, they typically do not have protected time and have to pitch in outside work hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While nurses are happy to take on these projects because it enhances their profession and abilities, employers should recognise that this is eating into their time and see whether they can be given protected time, said Ms Thanaletchimi.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat means that we may need more nurses, or we need to automate some of the stuff.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Generally, advanced practice nurses are in their late-20s, said Ms Hsu, adding that it is no longer perceived as a very senior nursing role.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she first started seeing patients in the clinic five years ago, they would ask her: \u201cWhy am I seeing a nurse and not a doctor? What do you do? What do I need to pay to see you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the years went by, patients evidently became more familiar with the evolving role of nurses.<\/p>\n
The sky is the limit for the training available, which in turn leads to career opportunities, said Ms Thanaletchimi, pointing out that Alexandra Hospital\u2019s new CEO<\/a> is a nurse.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNever would we have thought 20, 30 years ago, a nurse could be a CEO of a healthcare institution.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n While Singapore has done a \u201cvery decent job\u201d in promoting nursing as a respectable job, nurses\u2019 welfare can still be improved, she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n