Role of Nurses in addressing the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore

1. Role of Nurses in addressing the challenge of
COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
Dr Shefaly Shorey, PhD, RN, RM
nurssh@nus.edu.sg

2. COVID-19
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly
discovered coronavirus.
The symptoms of COVID-19 include:
• Fever
• Dry cough
• Difficulty breathing

3. COVID-19 in Singapore
• The first case of COVID-19 in Singapore was an imported
case, reported on 23 January 2020.
• Details of first case
- 66 year old man
- Wuhan resident
- Arrived in Singapore from Guangzhou on 20 January 2020
• Contact tracing begun
(Yong, 2020)

4. Singapore Government Measures
• Contact tracing (as soon as first case reported)
• Travel bans and restrictions
• Ban of large social gatherings
• Work from home order
• Homebased learning for all schools
• Mandatory wearing of masks

5. Role of Nurses in COVID-19
• Annual leaves of healthcare workers were frozen as increased
patient volume was expected
• Existing leave applications and holiday plans were to be
cancelled
(Syed, 2020)

6. • Ministry of Health called for trained nurses who were not
practising or in non-nursing fields to come forward and
support the healthcare force.
• As frontline nurses were supporting the response to the
pandemic by attending to COVID-19 patients, demand in
nurses were required for non-COVID patients.
Role of Nurses in COVID-19
(Ministry of Health, 2020)

7. Role of Nurses in COVID-19
After the outbreak of COVID-19 amongst foreign workers
in dormitories, medical teams comprising of doctors and
nurses from hospitals were stationed at all dormitories.
• Attended to unwell foreign workers
• Conducted swab tests
• Assess and manage cases
(Mahmud & Min, 2020)

8. Nurse Educators
• Online teaching
• Leading teams
• Innovative pedagogies
• Managing expectations and Morale

9. Nurse Academics
• Patient education
• Literature reviews
• Establish collaborations
• Primary Research
• Evidence-based practice and education

11. Kindness of our Nurses
• Many nurses donated clean clothes from their homes to
foreign workers who were cleared of COVID-19 as these
workers had no uncontaminated clothing
(Pantai, 2020)

12. Sacrifices made by Nurses
Many nurses were unable to visit their elderly parents as
they did not want to risk the chance of them infecting their
family, especially the elderly and the immunocompromised.
They were also unable to be too close to their family
members such as their children. These nurses made great
sacrifices to support the healthcare sector as apparent in
some of the stories they shared.

13. Sacrifices made by Nurses
• Nurse Nathanael Tan shared that he would take a shower
both before leaving the hospital and upon reaching
home. He also stayed in separate rooms from his wife
and children and did not get to hug or kiss them for
seven months
(Times, 2020)

14. Sacrifices made by Nurses
• Nurse Bernalyn Jane Tay had just returned from maternity
leave and had been deployed to manage both suspected
and confirmed cases of COVID-19. With the travel
restrictions in place she was unable to travel to Kuala
Lumpur where her baby was to breastfeed him. Despite
attaining permission once a month to send her pumped
milk over for her baby, it was still insufficient to
supplement her son.
(Ting, 2020)

15. Sacrifices made by Nurses
• Despite being heavily pregnant, nurse Norashinta
Mansoor continued with her service and even felt guilty
over having to take her four-month maternity leave. She
encouraged her colleagues to rest before taking her
leave.
(Ting, 2020)

16. Nurses who had been tested positive
for COVID-19
• A nurse who had been deployed to a community care
facility, where COVID-19 patients were cared for, had
tested positive for COVID-19 on 2 May 2020.
• A nurse at Ng Teng Fong hospital was reported to have
tested positive for COVID-19 on 23 June 2020.
(Asia, 2020; How, 2020)

17. Appreciation to the nurses and other
healthcare workers in Singapore
• #SGUnited initiative included a round of applause for the
frontliners at 8pm. Applause could be heard from across
the island as people cheered on the healthcare force from
their balconies
• Healthcare workers are entitled to discounts and
promotions for services, at F&B outlets and staycations as
an expression of gratitude for their work
• Nurses Day included discounts and specials at several
F&B outlets for our nurses
(Mustsharenews, 2020; Online, 2020; Times, 2020)

19. Appreciation to the nurses and other
healthcare workers in Singapore
Examples of the efforts to show appreciation to our
healthcare workers include the following projects:
• Home Nursing Foundation
• Contribute.sg
• The Courage Fund
(Pek, 2020)

20. Appreciation to the nurses and other
healthcare workers in Singapore
Home Nursing Foundation
• Donations were collected to purchase protective gowns,
scrubs, face shields and transport to keep our frontline
healthcare colleagues safe
Contribute.sg
• Collects donations of new medical masks and sanitizing
items to pass on to front-liners and various sectors who
may need them

21. Appreciation to the nurses and other
healthcare workers in Singapore
The Courage Fund
• The courage fund was first started in 2003 to support
those affected by the SARS outbreak in Singapore
• The courage fund currently includes various schemes
including one that provides monetary relief to healthcare
workers who had contracted COVID-19

22. Summary
• We are same as anyone of you across Nations
• Remembering the bigger purpose kept us all going
• Role-modelling and Professionalism
• Importance of support and Understanding
• Knowledge and Skills-Training
• Self-Care
• Adaptability to new-norms
• Keeping up the keep going attitude!

23. Thank you!

24. References
• Asia, C. N. (2020). Singapore reports 191 new COVID-19 cases, including nurse at Ng Teng Fong hospital.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-cases-singapore-community-citizen-pr-jun-
24-moh-12865432
• Healthcare Workers Can Enjoy Discounts For Staycations, Dining, Attractions At These Places. (2020).
https://www.todayonline.com/8days/seeanddo/thingstodo/healthcare-workers-can-enjoy-discounts-
staycations-dining-attractions
• How, M. (2020). S'porean nurse deployed to Expo facility diagnosed with Covid-19.
https://mothership.sg/2020/05/sporean-nurse-deployed-to-expo-facility-diagnosed-with-covid-19/
• Mahmud, A. H., & Min, A. H. (2020). COVID-19: All foreign worker dormitories to have medical teams of
doctors and nurses from hospitals, polyclinics. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-
foreign-worker-dormitories-medical-teams-doctors-nurses-12640818
• Ministry of Health, M. (2020). Indication of Interest for Nurses to Support COVID-19 Response. Retrieved
from https://form.gov.sg/#!/5e7c501c44018700118de369
• Mustsharenews. (2020). 5 Nurses Day Promos To Thank Frontline Workers For Their Hard Work During
Covid-19. https://mustsharenews.com/nurses-day-promos/
• Online, T. (2020). Healthcare Workers Can Enjoy Discounts For Staycations, Dining, Attractions At These
Places. https://www.todayonline.com/8days/seeanddo/thingstodo/healthcare-workers-can-enjoy-discounts-
staycations-dining-attractions
• Pantai, P. (2020). Supporting Our Foreign Workers.
https://www.parkwaypantai.com/newsroom/newsblog/singapore/main-blog/2020/04/29/supporting-our-
foreign-workers

25. References
• Pek, C. (2020). Covid-19: How To Show Your Support For Frontline Healthcare Workers in Singapore.
https://sg.asiatatler.com/life/support-healthcare-workers-on-the-frontlines-covid-19-coronavirus-
singapore
• Syed, N. (2020). Coronavirus: Singapore's healthcare workers forced to cancel holiday plans.
https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/coronavirus-singapores-healthcare-workers-forced-to-
cancel-holiday-plans/213730
• Times, S. (2020). No hugs, no kisses... for now. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/no-hugs-no-
kisses-for-now
• Times, S. (2020). Singapore gives those on coronavirus front lines a round of applause.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-gives-coronavirus-frontliners-a-round-of-
applause
• Times, S. (2020). Singapore gives those on coronavirus front lines a round of applause.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-gives-coronavirus-frontliners-a-round-of-
applause
• Ting, W. P. (2020). The Big Read: The untold sacrifices by frontline healthcare workers as they soldier
on against COVID-19. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid19-the-big-read-
untold-sacrifices-by-frontline-healthcare-12538406
• Yong, M. (2020). Timeline: How the COVID-19 outbreak has evolved in Singapore so far. Retrieved
from Channel News Asia website: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-
covid-19-outbreak-evolved-coronavirus-deaths-timeline-12639444