Nursing has always been my passion as I always looked forward in ensuring every patient gets the best care when they are not in the pink of health. Being down with a sickness or a chronic disease will never be easy for anyone especially when they are in pain, away from their homes and comfort zone. This is when a nurse’s role kicks in, to provide support, the best care and motivation for the patient. As I enrolled myself in my nursing degree, clinical postings were something I looked forward to every semester as I always loved hands-on experiences on real patients, performing different procedures, engaging with different kinds of patients and enhancing my clinical skills. I did come across various kinds of diseases, patients, treatments, and care given. There were pleasant and unpleasant experiences, however its always the lessons learned that is of utmost important. 
One of my patients that I can vividly remember is an elderly man in his late 70s. He was in his last stage of stomach cancer and did not have any family members around for him as his children were working overseas and his wife had passed away. All he had then was the healthcare members for him while being warded. As I was providing care for him, he then told me something that he terribly regrets. He then told me that he was never fond of his children pursuing nursing as a career. I was then curious on the statement said and then asked him his reasons on that statement. He said that he always looked at nursing as a ‘dirty job’ and a job that would lead to them contracting various diseases. However, when he started being admitted in the hospital it was then that he realised that nurses play such an important role in healthcare. He then added that “without the nurses around I wouldn’t be sure if I’ll be alive today as they were the ones looking out for me and taking care of me when I was unable to do things on my own”. He also said that ever since then, he always encourages youths to pursue their studies to become a nurse in the near future. From this incident, I then realised that standing by the quote of “it’s not about how much money you make, it’s about how much difference you make in someone’s life” is something very important to hold on to for a nurse. Nursing is one of the most satisfying, in-demand and secure jobs in many countries right now. Having said that, being a nurse is definitely not an easy task that anyone could take up as a career. It is a very challenging job that requires hard work, dedication and kindness but the non-fungible fulfilling experiences of helping people who are sick and in need is what money really can’t buy. Lastly, it is not only about how good or competent you are at your clinical skills. Patience, love, perseverance and compassion should also come in a package of becoming a competent and most importantly, a caring nurse.
Written by IMU Nursing student Rachel Netto, Edited by Chow Suh Hing & Dr Lim Swee Geok
