She is famed for being a service champion in and out of the hospital. So it came as no surprise when Senior Nurse Manager (SNM) Carol Tan Kheng Hiang clinched the Distinguished Star Service Award at the PS21 Star Service Award 2007.

This latest recognition adds to her list of impressive accolades chalked up over her 40 years as a nurse. She won the Individual Service Quality Award for three consecutive years from 2002 to 2004, and was awarded the Silver EXSA (Excellent Service Award) 2003 and Star EXSA 2006 by Spring Singapore.

Under her exemplary stewardship, her Ward 26 also won the hospital’s Departmental Service Quality Award three times in 2002, 2003 and 2006.

PS21 Star Service Awards are presented to public officers who have consistently provided excellent service. Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Defence and Minister in Charge of the Civil Service, was the Guest-of-Honour at the award ceremony held on 10 July 2007.

A total of 80 STAR recipients were honoured at the event which is in its fourth year. Among the winners, eight were singled out by the judges to receive the Distinguished Star Service Award for having gone beyond the call of duty of duty and brought hope and joy to those who needed their help.

A case in point for SNM Carol would be Mrs Sheldon who suffered a fracture after a fall when she was on vacation with her husband in Singapore and was admitted to CGH. During Mrs Sheldon’s hospitalisation, SNM Carol helped to arrange a bed for Mr Sheldon so that he could stay by his wife’s side. She even went the extra mile to help them hire a tour guide, drew up an itinerary for them and rented a wheelchair at her own expense for Mrs Sheldon after she was discharged from the hospital.

Active, capable and a dependable leader, SNM Carol has served in her profession with tremendous energy and passion for 40 years. She is people-orientated and has won great admiration and respect from her patients and colleagues for her excellent care
and service rendered to all her patients.

SNM Carol is also very involved in voluntary work to help the underprivileged. She spends time visiting the Gift of Love Homeresidents and helping out with the laundry. She also provides basic nursing care for the housebound residents under the Serangoon Gardens Neighbourhood Group, and at the Church of St Francis Xavier. Says SNM Carol: "I strive to bring cheer into the lives of others and provide comfort to those in need. I am grateful that I can do that as a nurse!”

I like to express my gratitude to CGH, especially the Nursing Administration, my peers and colleagues for their support and encouragement throughout my career. Special thanks also go out to the staff of Ward 26 for their good and untiring efforts in providing excellent healthcare.
- SNM Carol Tan