Over 600 staff and service partners from CGH were celebrated at the Singapore Health Quality Service Awards (SHQSA) 2024 for their dedication and outstanding contributions to healthcare, as well as their delivery of quality care to our patients and the community from hospital to home.
A warm touch
If there is one thing Ms Joyce Tan, Senior Patient Service Associate (PSA), CGH, ensures she has an ample supply of, it would be beverages. “A warm drink never fails to calm our patients down. It’s almost like magic,” Ms Tan says half in jest.
Behind her friendly and approachable demeanour, Ms Tan is all serious when it comes to ensuring the comfort of patients at CGH. “Some patients may feel cold because they are unwell. I will keep a lookout for how I can help, such as by offering a blanket and a warm drink to those who need it,” Ms Tan shares.
Providing the human touch comes naturally to Ms Tan, who made a mid-career switch from the hotel industry to the healthcare sector in 2006 when she was 46. The transition from looking after hotel guests to looking after patients and their families when they arrive at the hospital and in the Specialist Outpatient Clinics proved to be life-changing for her, and she has not looked back since.
Eighteen years on, the now 64-year-old is the oldest member in the team. Affectionately known as ‘Mummy Joyce’ among the PSAs, she readily avails herself to guide and mentor younger team members as they learn the ropes of the job.
Technology played a part in streamlining her work as she now spends more time interacting and helping patients at the hospital’s self-registration kiosks, and guiding them on navigating the Health Buddy mobile application, instead of manually keying in details.
Ms Tan also supports the clinical team closely, taking patients’ vitals such as their blood pressure, height, weight and blood glucose levels. A fluent Mandarin speaker, she assists doctors in translating medical information for patients in the consultation rooms when there is a language barrier. To do so, she took the time to learn the medical terms of the disciplines she serves — Orthopaedic Surgery, Anaesthesia Pain, Neurology and Neurosurgery. “It helps that I like to learn new things,” she shares.
“This is more than a job. It is about the patients I get to help, and the things I learn. These add to the sense of fulfilment I derive from my job,” says Ms Tan.
A face of calm amid emergencies
When emotions run high at the CGH Emergency Department (ED) because of the nature of cases, patients or their next-of-kin may display aggressive behaviour. On such occasions, Ms Nennie Fadillah Hasnawi, Patient Service Associate (PSA) Executive, CGH, manages the situations in a firm but positive manner. In addition, Ms Nennie also mentors and coaches her team members on the handling of such scenarios, providing guidance and support to them.
“When patients come to the ED, they are often lost and anxious. I find fulfilment in being able to answer their questions, address their concerns, and set their minds at ease,” she shares. “I enjoy my work because I get to meet and help people from all walks of life.”
Ms Nennie was one of the first PSAs deployed to the Transit Place, a new CGH initiative where PSAs could support and care for patients awaiting admission in a designated space within the ED. During the pilot run, Ms Nennie observed that there were areas where PSAs could support care delivery by relieving the nurses of non-clinical tasks, like delivering meals and helping patients call their families.
This would enable the nurses to focus more on providing care to the patients. Ms Nennie also suggested having more PSAs in the area so that they could proactively explain the steps in the administrative process and alleviate patients’ anxiety.
Ms Nennie joined CGH as a screening officer during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak some 20 years ago, and with the experience gained over the years, she now leads a team of 15 PSAs. “Coming to work feels like spending the day with my friends. We are working but we are happy and motivated to collectively give our patients warm and excellent service. I think that is really important to keep us going in the ED,” says Ms Nennie.
Ms Nennie is also a recipient of the CGH Service Angels Celebration 2022 STAR award — merit award, and the Singapore Health Quality Service Award 2023 — STAR award.
“I believe my work at the CGH ED is important in providing patients with some comfort and clarity in what may be a time of anxiety and confusion for them. Doing my best to address their questions and concerns helps them receive medical care with a peace of mind.”
A champion of safety
A firm advocate of preventing falls in patients, Ms Zhang Qingqing, Senior Staff Nurse, CGH, fosters a culture of vigilance and awareness in her ward, empowering patients with the knowledge and resources to reduce the risk of falls. Her efforts saw staff, patients and their families affectionately crowning her “The Fall Prevention Champion”, and earned her ward the achievement of zero falls over the past two years.
Besides fall prevention, Ms Zhang also promotes good hygiene practices for the safety and well-being of patients and the care team.
Inspired to become a nurse in her teens after her maternal grandparents were diagnosed with cancer, Ms Zhang aspires to be a compassionate nurse and groom the next generation of nurses.
“To be a good nurse, you have to ensure that you are skilful, responsible towards your patients and always empathetic.”
Ms Zhang recounts her experience in caring for a senior patient who was discharged after his treatment for a diabetic foot ulcer. His wife, who was his only family member, was not well enough to fetch him from the hospital, so Ms Zhang accompanied the patient, who was in a wheelchair, to the taxi stand and ensured that he was able to board a taxi, before calling his wife to update her on the patient’s status. “I wanted to make sure he arrived home safely, so I called to check on them and was relieved that he was okay,” she adds.
Dedicated to education and professional development among the nurses, Ms Zhang actively shares her knowledge and conducts trainings for both new and existing members of the nursing team. She also regularly identifies opportunities to enhance work processes and improve patient experiences.
While she was working in a high dependency ward, Ms Zhang observed that essential supplies for an emergency blood transfusion could be gathered beforehand to save the care team time when the need arises. She created a one-stop grab box that contains 11 essential supplies such as syringes, a flushing bag, saline, alcohol swabs and a blood transfusion set — items needed to help patients during emergencies such as uncontrollable haemorrhaging. For such events, doctors use these equipment to conduct a Massive Transfusion Protocol to manually deliver blood to patients.
“In a high dependency setting, emergencies happen often and suddenly. We make every effort by constantly looking into ways to streamline our work and save precious minutes that can make a real difference when saving lives,” Ms Zhang says.
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