Credit: National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)
Nurses may not always get the spotlight when we talk about medical heroes, but their contributions are no less vital.
While doctors diagnose and perform life-saving procedures, nurses are a constant presence – supporting physicians, caring for patients, and often being the first line of comfort and care.
Over the years, nursing has grown beyond its traditional supportive role to become a key pillar in shaping patient care and healthcare practices.
As we celebrate Nurses’ Day on 1 August, we speak to two senior nurses about how their roles have evolved – and what it means to be at the heart of healing.
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Nurses’ Day spotlight: Goh Chee Kun
Credit: National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)
Chee Kun has over 30 years of nursing experience and currently acts as a father figure to his team.
Despite his experience, he actually had a late start in this career, making the switch from the corporate world to nursing when he was 28 years old.
"I wanted a more stable career and I saw an advertisement in the newspaper for nursing so thought I should try it."
He remembers his first contact with nurses, when his mother was admitted to hospital when he was aged seven.
She had asked his sister to buy oranges and biscuits before their visit and Chee Kun was excited as he thought he would get to enjoy some of them. However, when he got there, he realised his mother wanted to give the food to the healthcare attendants.
Chee Kun was accepted into the School of Nursing (SoN) at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). When he joined the profession, he estimated that less than 10% of his cohort were men. He now works at NCCS, which has a total nurse strength of more than 250, with over 20 of them male – which is still roughly the same as before.
While nursing remains a female-dominated field, he thinks it isn’t a barrier, and finds it more important to be humble and make friends with colleagues regardless of gender. Having grown up in a family comprising mostly sisters, he also didn’t find it too difficult to be in such an environment.
He enjoys sharing his experience with younger staff members, so they know what to expect when they take on senior roles.
“If you don't ask questions, you're not learning. It's not about questioning the person, it's about having a better understanding of what they're saying."
Chee Kun joined NCCS in 2019 and currently oversees the operating theatre, making sure the ground is properly staffed and that everything goes as planned. Even though he is comfortable doing his job now, there have been anxious times in the past.
"I was meant to go with my seniors but they couldn't make it so I was very nervous."
He recalls being psychologically overwhelmed by being in the prison. Plus, the team ended up missing some equipment so the surgeon had to improvise.
Credit: Goh Chee Kun
Now a father to three grown boys, he admits that retirement is always on his mind.
"It's something we look towards and we hope to retire at a time when we can still travel."
For now, Chee Kun enjoys his work as a nurse and plans to contribute to the nursing profession for as long as he can.
Nurses’ Day spotlight: Mabel Tan
Credit: National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)
Having been involved in both the Red Cross and St John’s Brigade uniformed groups when she was in school, Mabel felt nursing as a profession became a natural choice in her adulthood.
After graduating from SoN in 1992, she began her career at the oncology ward at the National University Hospital. She later taught nursing at Nanyang Polytechnic, then joined NCCS in 2007.
Her desire to return to clinical care and support cancer patients influenced her decision to return to the field.
She has, however, returned to academia over the years, this time as a student completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Oncology Nursing, followed by a Master of Nursing at the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, at the National University of Singapore. She also went on to earn her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Duke University in 2017, sponsored by SingHealth.
Currently, one of her regular duties involves providing breast cancer counselling to newly-diagnosed patients.
"When patients are newly-diagnosed, most of the time, their mind is blank. They aren't able to remember much so we check if they're ready to listen and they can ask us any questions."
Mabel is also part of the NCCS Breast Care Team and runs the Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic. This involves conducting annual follow-ups with survivors to check for cancer recurrence, interpreting mammograms and referring patients to other healthcare professionals and support services when needed.
Over her 30-year nursing career, Mabel recalls many meaningful encounters with patients.
One career highlight took place in 2012, when she was the project director who obtained an innovation grant from the Ministry of Health to develop a drain pouch for breast cancer patients. The product is now patented under SingHealth and used for patients admitted to SGH for breast surgery.
Patients usually use a safety pin to hold surgical drains (used to remove excess fluid, blood, or pus from the surgical site or wound) in place after they’ve had breast cancer surgery. However, the safety pin may end up injuring their skin when their vision or accuracy isn’t too good.
It's concealed for more privacy and they can go out without others noticing it.
Credit: National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)
Mabel also appreciates when patients remember her and asks how she’s doing.
"It's our day-to-day call of duty to look after them but it's nice when they treat you like a friend."
