What does patient-centred care truly mean? To Roslind Lim, senior nurse manager at cancer care provider, Icon SOC, it necessitates a keen awareness of a patient’s every need. “No request is too big or too small. Even if you’re in the midst of something and a patient asks for a cup of water, it is our duty to deliver.”
Roslind began her nursing journey 25 years ago. She was most recently a nurse manager at Singapore Oncology Consultants (SOC) before it was incorporated into Icon Group – one of Australasia’s largest dedicated providers of cancer care – to form Icon SOC.
At Icon SOC, Roslind manages and oversees day-to-day clinical operations. Beyond administering the best possible care to her patients, Roslind’s day consists of chemotherapy dilution, genomic testing, drug dispensing, as well as administrative duties from billing and updating patient files and reports, to scheduling follow-up reviews as advised by the doctors. On top of supporting doctors and providing guidance to her team of nurses, she conducts on-the-job trainings for junior nurses and offers coaching to help newcomers assimilate into their roles.
While the decades of experience come with increasing job demands and new challenges, Roslind never fails to keep her smile. “Being a nurse requires more than just passion – it’s about putting the patient before yourself. I empathise with them because I treat every patient as if they were my own family. I cry with them when I see their struggles. Their victory becomes mine the moment I see them on the road to recovery.”
Roslind recalls a particular patient whom she met a few years ago, who happened to be the same age as her own daughter. “At the time of his diagnosis, this boy had just lost his mother three months before. I took him under my care and treated him like my own son… I stood by him throughout his entire treatment.”
Aside from the quality and level of care she renders throughout the patient journey, nurses under Roslind’s leadership laud her dedication. “I’ve never met anyone like her. She goes the extra mile not just for the patients but also for us. You’ll often see her working past office hours just to train us and see us grow. Yet, she doesn’t expect anything in return. That to me is selfless devotion,” said Soherni Samad, Nurse Manager at Icon SOC.
Roslind (centre) with her team of nurses at Icon SOC Farrer Park
Underpinning her career is the support she receives from her colleagues. “The management, doctors and nurses are the backbone of my success. Without them, I would not be able to accomplish what I'm supposed to. They are my strength, my motivation and I enjoy coming to work every day because of them,” said Roslind.
“My name is Roslind Lim, and my passion is to serve.”
