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What is nursing?
 
 
 

What is nursing?

Nursing is a highly-skilled and well-rounded profession with diverse responsibilities. You will:​

  • Manage patients' care
  • Train caregivers to provide basic care
  • Educate patients and their families
  • Assess patients' physical and mental wellness
  • Perform clinical procedures

You can choose to develop your skills in nursing specialties such as:

  • Community health
  • Critical care
  • Ear, Nose and Throat
  • Emergency
  • Gerontology
  • Mental health
  • Medical-Surgical
  • Midwifery
  • Nephro-Urology
  • Neuroscience
  • Oncology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Orthopaedics
  • Paediatrics
  • Perioperative
  • Perianaesthesia
  • Palliative care
"Every day is different. What stays the same is that I make a difference in my patients' lives."
 

Ahmad Zulkarnain

Staff Nurse

Ng Teng Fong

General Hospital

 

Why is nursing rewarding?

Besides the satisfaction of nursing patients back to health, you also have opportunities to develop your career — thanks to the CARE package from the Ministry of Health.

 

Career development

  • Increase opportunities for Enrolled Nurses to upgrade to Registered Nurses
  • Introduce new Assistant Nurse Clinician role
  • Boost support for nurses taking up dual portfolios
  • Redesignate the top nursing job in public healthcare institutions to Chief Nurse
  • Facilitate flexible and part-time work arrangements
 
 
 

Autonomy

  • Expand nurses' clinical accountability and decision-making authority
  • Empower nurses through technology
  • Upskill support care staff to perform work delegated by nurses
 

Recognition

  • Increase in monthly base salary
  • Introduce new Nurse Special Payment of 0.5 month every December
  • Increase number of National Nursing Awards
 
 
 

Education

  • Enhance broad-based post-registration education
  • Strengthen development of
    Advanced Practice Nurses
  • Increase sponsorships for advanced clinical education, degree and masters studies
  • Form a National Council of Nursing Education to drive nursing education excellence
Learn more about the CARE package
 

What can I expect?

Monthly gross starting salary (median)*

 

Enrolled Nurse: $1,800

Registered Nurse: $2,500 with diploma qualifications
$3,500 with degree qualifications

Source: Graduate Starting Salary Tables. Data obtained from graduate employment surveys conducted by local publicly-funded institutions of higher learning.

(Singapore Yearbook of Manpower Statistics 2018, Ministry of Manpower)

*Comprises basic salary, fixed allowances and overtime pay. Does not include bonuses and increments for Honours or National Service for eligible males.

Working hours

Nurses serve round the clock by working in shifts.

Working hours

  • 7am – 3.30pm
  • 1pm – 10pm
  • 9pm – 7.30am

Typical working hours

38 – 42 hours per week

Benefits of shift work

  • Allowance
  • Flexible schedule
  • Work-life balance

Workplace

As a nurse, you get to work in different healthcare settings. These include polyclinics, general hospitals, community hospitals and nursing homes.

National Healthcare Group

  • Institute of Mental Health
    Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
    Yishun Community Hospital
    Tan Tock Seng Hospital
    National Skin Centre
    National Healthcare Group Polyclinics

National University Health System

  • Alexandra Hospital
  • National University Hospital
  • National University Cancer Institute
  • National University Heart Centre
  • Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
  • Jurong Community Hospital
  • Jurong Medical Centre

Singapore Health Services

  • Changi General Hospital
    St. Andrew's Community Hospital
    Peacehaven Nursing Home
    KK Women's and Children's Hospital
    Sengkang General Hospital
    Sengkang Community Hospital
    Singapore General Hospital
    Bright Vision Hospital
    National Cancer Centre Singapore
    National Dental Centre Singapore
    National Heart Centre Singapore
    National Neuroscience Institute
    Singapore National Eye Centre
    SingHealth Polyclinics
"Caring for patients in a polyclinic gives me a sense of achievement and responsibility."
  

Rajwant Kaur

Staff Nurse

National Healthcare Group Polyclinics



 









 

What is my nursing journey?

For O or A level holders, your nursing career begins with a diploma or degree. Upon graduation, you will become a Registered Nurse. You will start your career as a Staff Nurse and advance to one of the following tracks:

Management – Lead a team of nurses and oversee ward operations

Clinical – Provide direct care to patients

Education – Equip fellow nurses with higher nursing skills

For N level holders, you will pursue a Nitec in Nursing and start off as an Enrolled Nurse. You can upgrade your skills to become a Registered Nurse.

How do I get started?

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