In 2000, Priya had moved to Mauritius shortly after marriage, because of her husband’s job. The birth of first her son, and then her daughter three years later, kept
her fully occupied, with little energy to consider anything else.
her fully occupied, with little energy to consider anything else. It was only when her son turned eight that Priya and her husband decided it was time to return to give their children a better education, even though her future back in Singapore was uncertain.
Moving Back Home
“Frankly, I was worried about coming back alone. I knew I definitely needed a job to manage our living expenses. But having been away for 10 years, I didn’t know if I was still relevant and employable,” Priya recounted of her early fears.
All Priya could count on then was her training and prior experience as a nurse. To improve her chances, she wrote to most of the hospitals in Singapore while preparing for their return.
Return to Nursing
Thankfully, she received a reply from the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) shortly after her return and was accepted as an Enrolled Nurse.
“I was both happy and scared when I received the news – happy that a job was confirmed so quickly, but scared because I was out of touch with nursing practices and the various new technologies in medical care,” she recalled.
But her fears were quickly allayed. She was put through a WSQ ‘Return to Nursing’ programme and a number of SGH in-house courses to acquaint her with the latest medical technologies and nursing protocols.
“Those training programmes really meant a lot to me. They refreshed my knowledge and equipped with the skills I needed badly,” she shared about the training experience. “Most importantly, they made me believe I could return to nursing despite my long absence.”
Priya’s first posting was at the general surgery ward, caring for patients recovering for various procedures. Though she was on shift work, she enjoyed her work immensely, and she even made an effort to participate in community projects, such as visits to homes and charity walks organised by SGH.
When asked what she liked best about her work, she shared, “The experience and joy of helping patients get back on their feet is something no other profession can offer.”
Her Greatest Supporters
Priya credits her mother for her smooth return to nursing and for the peace of mind she enjoyed, no matter which of the three shifts she was scheduled to work. Though her children missed her very much during the first few months, she knows she can trust her mother to look after them. And she is confident her mother is able to get her children to follow the schedule she has put in place. “I’m really lucky to have such good support, not just at home, but at work as well. My supervisors are very understanding whenever I need to re-arrange my shift to attend my children’s school events. I can request for my preferred off-days too so I can spend quality time with the kids, and even have some time to myself.
“On top of that, my Supervisors were the ones who encouraged me to further my nursing education and even recommended me for a SGH scholarship. Because of their support, I can now focus on completing my Diploma in Nursing at the Nanyang Polytechnic,” Priya said with a smile.
“I’m very grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way. Life is definitely more fulfilling now. Thus I fully encourage mothers to return to work. To mothers who are considering their options, please find something you enjoy, but build up your family support first, so you can give fully to your work and to your family at the same time.”
- Place-and-Train Programme for Registered Nurses
- Place-and-Train Programme for Enrolled Nurses
- Healthcare Support WSQ
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