Her grandmother was suffering from a chronic illness and she could not do anything to alleviate her pain. At that hour, Ho Moon Liang was determined to be a nurse. Forsaking the more popular JC-route, Moon Liang took up a nursing diploma and over the next six years, painstakingly saved $500 from her monthly allowance for her nursing degree in Perth.  Today, Moon Liang is a nurse at NHGP and more. She is also on her way to becoming Singapore’s first Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) at a polyclinic. APNs are top-notch nurses who take on the role of junior doctors.  APNs provide consultation, order and interpret diagnostic tests, diagnose minor ailments, and furnish medications.      In time, they may even hold their own clinics. There are currently 23 APNs including those undergoing internship across NHG institutions.

Moon Liang, who has just graduated from her NUS Master programme awarded by the HMDP, is currently doing her one-year internship at NHGP. “I am fortunate to be in a polyclinic setting where I can assist in caring for chronic patients who come in everyday.  Previously as a nurse, I was involved in patient counseling and education.  Now I can do much more,” said Moon Liang.

IMH’s Director of Nursing Pauline Tan is the proud recipient of this year’s President's Award for Nurses. The prestigious award will be given by President Nathan on Nurses' Day, 1 August 2006. Pauline, who has 27 years of nursing experience, joined IMH in 2002. She had just taken over the IMH Nursing Director job when SARS struck.  Under her leadership, nursing staff played a pivotal role to keep the virus from IMH’s doors.

Pauline was the first to develop the Advanced Practice Nurse scheme in Singapore.  This scheme aims to train nurses to take on higher value-added roles including that of junior doctors.  She has also been instrumental in numerous initiatives including the Diabetic Nurse Educator position, the ‘Place and Train’ scheme for Healthcare Assistants and Milieu Therapy for inpatients – a structuring of the environment to make any interaction/activity therapeutic and enhance the recovery of patients.

To add feather to her cap, IMH’s nursing competency assessment checklist earned a special citation of best practice by JCI.

Pauline adopts an open door policy for all. She always has a listening ear for anyone who seeks her counsel. Her sincerity has endeared her not only to staff, but also relatives of patients.  During SARS, Pauline read letters from the husband of a patient so as to let the latter know that she had not been forgotten.  

There is also another side to Pauline.  She is also known as the singing matron, having been blessed with a lovely voice and has often serenaded patients and her own nurses during Nurses’ Day celebrations. She will be crooning "The Greatest Love" to all her nusrse during this year's celebration.

Said Pauline, ”The end point of one's contribution is not in winning accolades.  I'm indeed very humbled and honoured to be given this prestigious award.  I would like to share this award with my wonderful and committed team of nurses who believe in the power of a shared vision.  Their relentless pursuit of perfection to transform care has been a great inspiration to me.”