KTPH – Nuraini Bte Mamon
Nuraini Bte Mamon is a Nurse Manager taking care of a General Ward at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Twenty years ago, she went into nursing school and has never looked back since. There is never a dull day in nursing for Nuraini as her job provides her with the chance to meet new patients every day.
Nursing has taught her how to see a person beyond his/her illness. While she has the clinical knowledge to offer the best treatment and care to her patients, she also has to be cognisant of their background, culture, needs, values and beliefs. It is important to know that every patient is different, and respecting that diversity is crucial. Being a nurse manager, Nuraini also finds joy in coaching and mentoring new nurses, and seeing them thrive in their job.
Nuraini shares that there was one particular incident that she will remember forever. She was providing end-of-life care for an elderly destitute man, and he requested for her to call his estranged daughter. Unfortunately, his request to have his daughter present during his last moments did not materialise. Nuraini held the patient’s hand as he was drawing his last breath, hoping that her presence during the patient’s last moments brought him peace and comfort. With nurses’ company during a patient’s last moments, they would not have to walk the final journey alone.
COVID-19 also hugely impacted Nuraini in her course of work. She and other nurses from the general wards took turns to attend ICU training, to prepare to be deployed to the ICU as it expanded its capacity. They also had to empathise with the elderly patients who were unable to see their loved ones due to the restriction in visitors, and assisted them with tele-visits to remain in touch with their families. She shares that nurses have to adapt to rapid changes in protocols and be ever-ready when crisis strikes, and COVID-19 was a good test for that.
The public’s perception of healthcare workers is another challenge that she and her colleagues face. For example, she highlights that healthcare workers have taken steps to ensure that all the necessary precautions and infection control practices are adhered to before leaving the hospital. Hence, she hopes that the public can show their understanding and empathy towards them.