Our Stories

Inspirations to the Nursing Community

Four exemplary nurses from Parkway Pantai Singapore Operations Division have won the 2019 Ministry of Health Nurses’ Merit Award. We speak to each of them to get a glimpse into what motivates them to embrace one of the toughest yet most fulfilling jobs in the world – nursing.

Nursing a Passion

Phua Siew Keing (pictured above, third from left) made her career choice at a young age of five, when she was hospitalised for the first time.

“As a young child who was sick and terrified, the impeccable care and comfort offered by the nurses made all the difference to my hospital stay. I realised that nursing was a noble profession and aspired to be a nurse from then on,” she said.

Fast forward 26 years, Siew Keing is living her dream job as a Senior Nurse Manager at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, with one maternity ward and three medical surgical wards under her wing. Her passion for nursing continues to burn strong, as she immerses herself daily in the joy of helping mothers bring life into this world. Also keeping her spirits high on this meaningful journey are the words of appreciation from her patients which she holds close to her heart.

“One of the most memorable experiences I had as a nurse was when I assisted a first-time mother with a difficult delivery. Back then, I was only a student midwife. The patient was pleasantly surprised that a student midwife could be so knowledgeable and competent. Upon delivery, she gave me a beautiful thank you card and told me she would never have made it without my help. I will never forget how touched I was then.”

A Career Extraordinaire

Desiring a career that is meaningful and remarkable, Constance Koh (pictured above, second from left) took up nursing as her first job at the encouragement of her two aunties who were nurses.

It was a career match made in heaven. Constance relished the immense sense of fulfilment she felt on the job. Seeing how she could make a positive difference in her patients’ lives only fed her passion for nursing even more.

Today, Constance is the Assistant Director of Nursing at Gleneagles Hospital. Armed with four decades of nursing experience across multiple disciplines including medical, surgical, maternity, wound management and pain management, she is a seasoned leader whom many nurses turn to for advice.

A strong advocate of providing safe care and service from the heart, Constance also hopes to inspire younger nurses - as she was inspired back then - to make their mark and pursue their aspirations at Parkway Pantai.

“Although clinical skills and knowledge are important, having the heart, passion and right attitude for the profession will make this a truly meaningful and fulfilling career.”

A Calling to Serve

An industrial accident in 1973 left Tan Mui Eng’s father a paraplegic for years. Having witnessed first-hand the huge difference a dedicated nursing team had made to her father’s recovery, Mui Eng (pictured above, third from left) became a nurse the year after.

Today, Mui Eng is the Deputy Director of Nursing at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital. As an Operating Theatre nurse for close to four decades now, she thrives on the fast-paced environment in the operating room and is energised and renewed whenever she successfully supports a challenging operation.

Mui Eng believes that nurses make an important difference. Recalling an emergency operation that her neighbour was nervous about undergoing, Mui Eng volunteered to scrub for the case and stayed throughout the procedure.

“She was extremely grateful for my presence. It was a small gesture on my part but it made a world of a difference to her peace of mind. I’ve never been more proud of our nursing profession.”

Professionalism at Heart

For Siti Hosier (pictured above, middle), seeing how nurses took care of not only the living but also the deceased was what directed her to a nursing career. “As nurses, we must deliver the same level of professional care, be it to the dead or living,” they replied Siti when she asked them.

That sense of professionalism has served her well throughout her 25-year career as a nurse. No matter what challenge she faces in handling difficult patients or family members, she always does her best to win their trust and cooperation with her expertise and sincerity.

Presently the Senior Assistant Director of Nursing at Parkway East Hospital, Siti credits her career progression to the encouragement and support from her family and colleagues, as well as excellent mentorship and inspiration from Elaine Ng, Group Head of Nursing, IHH Healthcare.

“Nursing is one of the toughest jobs in the world. You need to have the passion to make a difference in peoples’ lives, and not just see it as another salaried job. When the going gets tough, I try to maintain work-life balance and rejuvenate my body and soul through exercises like Zumba and spending quality time with family and friends.”