International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated every year on May 12 to honour the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, who shaped modern nursing, and to highlight the invaluable contributions nurses continue to make.
On IND this year, we shine a light on some of the nurses at the Eye and Ear who chose to dedicate their professional lives to caring for our patients.
Responding to the question ‘why did you choose to become a nurse,’ our nurses show the depth of their compassion and desire to help others.
Amy – I chose to pursue nursing because I find immense satisfaction in knowing that I’m positively impacting people’s lives and aiding in their recovery process. My interest in the medical field starts from a desire to deepen my understanding of healthcare and be prepared to support my family when needed. The ability to touch lives, offer comfort during challenging times and deliver essential care is what makes nursing such a fulfilling and rewarding career choice for me. The sense of purpose that comes from knowing I am contributing to the well-being of others makes every day as a nurse deeply meaningful.
Malissa – I became a nurse because I wanted a career that was challenging, where I was able to work with a multi-disciplinary team to better the lives of our patients. This was especially important to me because I was going to be a new mum and I wanted the resources to look after my son, if any emergency should arise. I wanted to work in healthcare straight after high school because I admired the healthcare team that cared for my Grandfather when he fell ill. However, life had other plans and I started my training as a mature-age student.
Jeya – I took up nursing since I am very passionate to help people. I have nursed for almost 14 years and I take pride in what I do, although there is always room for improvement. From early on, I realised that I would like to make a difference and I was encouraged by my family since nursing offers a broad clinical exposure.
Ethel – Becoming a nurse was the fulfillment of my childhood dream of being able to extend a helping hand and care for those who are ill. I wanted to take part in giving someone a second chance at living their life fully after recovering from an ailment, especially the young children.
Smitha – Nursing is a great career that has fulfilled my ambition of making a positive influence in other people’s lives. It has given me great opportunities to be able to provide care, support and educate my patients to navigate their health challenges. Advancing my career in perioperative nursing gave me excellent opportunities of providing care to my patients during an often stressful and vulnerable stage of their life, undergoing surgery. Being a nurse educator gives me great satisfaction to empower the next generation of perioperative nurses, to efficiently perform in dynamic theatre team environments, being patient advocates and provide excellent patient centred care.
On behalf of all staff at the Eye and Ear, we thank each and every one of our nurses for their compassion, kindness and committment in providing the best patient experience. Happy International Nurses Day!
