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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

Median monthly gross starting salary of entry-level nurses

Gross starting salary comprises starting base salary, fixed allowances and overtime pay. Figures shown here are from the Graduate Employment Survey 2020, which surveyed graduates in 2020. 

 

2020 median gross starting salary

Enrolled Nurse: $1,766

Registered Nurse: $2,600 with diploma qualifications

                                 $3,500 with degree qualifications

Note: Bonuses and increments for Honours or National Service for eligible males are excluded from the median monthly gross starting salary.

Source: Graduate Starting Salary 2020, Singapore Yearbook of Manpower Statistics 2021, Ministry of Manpower. Data obtained from the Graduate Employment Surveys conducted by local publicly-funded Institutes of Higher Learning.

Monthly starting base salary for Public Healthcare (*Revised in July 2021*)

From July 2021, fresh nursing graduates seeking employment at public healthcare will receive higher starting base salaries. Figures shown exclude fixed allowances and overtime pay, unlike the median monthly gross starting salary above. Publicly-funded community care organisations have also been supported by the Ministry of Health to match the salaries of entry-level staff in the PHIs. Beyond starting salaries, there are annual increments factored into pay, and increases in salaries as staff move up and progress in their career and their skills/competencies. Click here for more information about progression pathways in nursing.


​

​Monthly starting base salary in PHIs
​
 ​Before July 2021
 ​From July 2021
​Enrolled Nurse:
 ​$1,740
 ​$1,900
​Registered Nurse (diploma qualifications):
 ​$2,300
 ​$2,500
​Registered Nurse (degree qualifications):
 ​$3,250 — $3,650
 ​$3,350 — $3,750
Note: Fixed allowances, overtime pay, bonuses and increments for Honours or National Service for eligible males are excluded. 


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

Community care organisations

  • Ang Mo Kio – Thye Hua Kwan Hospital
  • Assisi Hospice
  • All Saints Home
  • Bright Hill Evergreen Home
  • Dover Park Hospice
  • Econ Healthcare
  • HCA Hospice Care
  • Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital
  • Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home
  • MWS Bethany Nursing Home
  • MWS Home Care & MWS Home Hospice
  • Home Nursing Foundation
  • NTUC Health Nursing Home
  • Pacific Healthcare Nursing Home
  • Ren Ci Community Hospital
    Saint Theresa's Home
    SATA CommHealth
    Singapore Association of Mental Health
    Society for the Aged Sick
    St. Andrew’s Community Hospital
    St. Andrew’s Nursing Home
    St Luke’s ElderCare
    St Luke’s Hospital
    The Salvation Army Peacehaven Nursing Home
    Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities
    Thye Hua Kwan Nursing Home
    TOUCH Community Services
    The National Kidney Foundation
    United Medicare
    Vanguard Healthcare
"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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