President's Award for Nurses 2005

01 Aug 2005

Three outstanding nurses who have demonstrated high standards of professionalism and excellent service will receive the President's Award for Nurses this year. They will receive their awards from President S R Nathan at the Istana on Nurses Day (1 August). Into its sixth year, the President's Award for Nurses is the national accolade for the nursing profession. The prestigious award honours nurses who are good role models who can help pass on strong professional values to their peers and inspire the nursing fraternity with their passion and dedication.

The three award winners for this year are Ms Kwek Puay Ee, Director of Nursing, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Ms Lina Ma Yee Sheung, Manager (Clinical Administration) of Lions Nursing Home for the Elders and Ms Cynthia Pang Pui Chan, Senior Nurse Manager, KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

They have been awarded the honours because of their excellent service and significant contributions made to the profession and the community at large. Mdm Halimah Yacob, Chairman of Health GPC, chairs the Selection Panel.

The award winners will each receive a trophy, a certificate as well as $6,000 which can be used to attend conferences and training programme of their choice for professional and personal enrichment. 

The three recipients are:

Ms Kwek Puay Ee, Director of Nursing, Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Puay Ee is a passionate nurse with excellent leadership qualities. She speaks with conviction about the value of nursing.

Her drive to improve patient care through innovations resulted in better patient outcomes in Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Her projects had also received several awards.

Puay Ee actively drives research-based initiatives such as commissioning a study to determine nursing workload and staffing requirements. She has also delivered papers at overseas conferences like the China Healthcare & Hospital Summit in Shanghai and the International Council of Nurses Quadrennial Congress in Taipei.

She displayed exceptional bravery and leadership skills during the SARS outbreak. Her regular presence in the wards, optimism and words of encouragement motivated staff to fight on. She also helped boost morale in the fight against SARS. For her contributions, Puay Ee was awarded the Medal of Valour and the Courage Star.

Puay Ee is a source of inspiration to her nurses and is a role model on how to maintain family and work-life balance.

Ms Lina Ma Yee Sheung, Manager (Clinical Administration), Lions Home For The Elders

Lina is a committed and dynamic nurse. 

As a clinician, Lina has been instrumental in developing many projects and programs at the Lions Home to raise the standard of care and improve the quality of life for the elderly. This includes setting up the Dementia Care Unit, 'Nurse-Led Sheltered Home' concept, specialist nurse support and job redesign.

As an administrator, Lina adopts a flexible and people-centred approach. She manages her staff with care and concern and has initiated enhanced career development for them.

Lina tirelessly explores and publicises the value of making nursing homes a learning environment while offering placements to facilitate learning in gerontological nursing. She frequently delivers lectures on dementia and management of caregivers' stress.

Lina is a strong advocate of evidence-based practice. She has written articles and presented conference papers on care issues in nursing home.

Lina also actively participates in the Jurong Health Connect Focus Group and is a volunteer with the Lions Befrienders and Dover Park Hospice.

Ms Cynthia Pang Pui Chan, Senior Nurse Manager, KK Women's & Children's Hospital

Cynthia is an exceptional nurse who has chosen to specialise as a Lactation Consultant. In Singapore, her name has become synonymous with breastfeeding. She has contributed significantly to increasing the nation's breastfeeding rate.

Working passionately to promote total breastfeeding, she has helped many women to breastfeed successfully. Her dedication is evident by the follow-up phone calls and home visits that she makes in her own time. Cynthia has conducted numerous courses on lactation and breastfeeding and is responsible for developing many lactation consultants in Singapore.

She was awarded the National Day Efficiency Medal in 2002 and the Excellent Service Award in 2004.

Cynthia participates actively in research and contributed to the development of MOH's nursing clinical practice guidelines on breastfeeding.

Cynthia's contribution in the community is notable.  She is a member of the Sale of Infant Formula Ethics Committee and volunteers with Beyond Social Service.  She also provides regular expert advice to the media and is a respected speaker, locally and abroad.