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Proud to be a male nurse

3/1/2018

Toh Zheng An

If you want something, go get it. Period.

I knew I wanted to be a nurse ever since I was a teenager. My mother had been hospitalised with a critical illness, and I witnessed first-hand how the nurses cared for her – from engaging her in little chats to lift her spirits, to meticulous management of her medical condition to ensure she was comfortable. These nurses truly made a difference in my mother’s stay and ignited my interest in nursing.

Unfortunately, my road to nursing was not without its hurdles. My father had a negative impression of males in the profession and protested against my decision to pursue a nursing diploma after my O levels – he thought that nursing is a job only for females! I enrolled into an engineering course to pacify him, but it grew increasingly difficult to remain in a course I had little interest in. After one semester, I transferred to a course on health management and promotion, and inched closer to my original dream of being a nurse.

Zheng An and his classmates during a class

Zheng An (third from right) and his classmates during a class at the National University of Singapore’s Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing).

My perseverance eventually paid off. After seeing that my decision was not made on a whim, my father’s stance softened. With his blessings, I enrolled into the National University of Singapore’s Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies after my National Service. I am now a proud first year nursing student and a Healthcare Merit Award scholar.

At my recent attachment at Jurong Community Hospital, I was assigned to provide basic care for my patients. That gave me time to interact and learn more about them as people, instead of just as patients in a hospital. My patients really appreciated that! They would immediately wave to me whenever I entered the ward. I was also gifted with food and hugs at the end of my attachment. Knowing that I have made a difference in their lives reminds me of why I decided to pursue nursing in the first place.

Zheng An and his classmates posing on the steps of NUS Nursing.

Zheng An (forefront) and his classmates posing on the steps of NUS Nursing.

As a male nurse, I also want to challenge the old-fashioned perception that nursing is only for females. That cannot be further from the truth – both genders can contribute in their own special ways to the profession. I have managed to convince my father of this reality, and I will continue to do so for everyone I meet.

I am Toh Zheng An and I am proud to be a nurse. Care to join me?