This community nurse enjoys forging meaningful connections with his patients
Published on 23 July 2024
As a member of the Community Care team, Senior Staff Nurse Cherwin Soo provides personalised care and fosters deep connections with his patients.
For Senior Staff Nurse Cherwin Soo, working within the Community Care team at the National University Health System (NUHS) Regional Health System Office (RHSO) has been immensely fulfilling due to the deep and meaningful connections he has been able to form with his patients.
After all, as a community care nurse, Cherwin often has to travel to the homes of his patients so as to get a better understanding of their health conditions, enabling him to customise care according to their needs.
Crucially, these house visits – which demonstrate a level of personal care and attention – also help Cherwin cultivate trust with his patients.
“Community nursing gives me the chance to connect with my patient and see how they live in their own homes. I’m then able to give more personalised advice and care to patients, and that can make a huge difference,” Cherwin explained.
Recounting an instance where building this connection allowed him to improve his patient’s life, he shared, “I once visited a patient who lived alone, had no contactable family, and was suspicious of unfamiliar people.
“At one point, she stopped attending follow-ups at the nearby General Practitioner (GP) clinic because walking there became increasingly difficult.
“By building rapport with her, I realised that if we had not reached out to her, she would have withdrawn into isolation and been left to live the rest of her days alone in her house. Knowing that I made a positive difference in her life reassures me that I'm fulfilling my calling.”
One of the key focuses of the RHSO is to deliver integrated, and seamless care to residents across the care continuum. This includes primary care, acute care, intermediate care, and long-term care, all anchored and integrated within the community.
In addition to caring for their patients, Cherwin revealed that the RHSO team also looks out for one another.
He elaborated, “We are a family-like team at RHSO, caring not only for patients but for one another as well. In community nursing, we believe that we should enjoy what we do, no matter if the days are good or bad.
“It's the best place to be if you're aiming for a career as a Community Care nurse, or if you want to expand your expertise through advanced education, such as pursuing a Masters in Public Health.”
Join NUHS nursing or apply for an NUHS nursing sponsorship today! Visit Nursing Careers in Singapore - NUHS | National University Health System for more information.
In consultation with Cherwin Soo, Senior Staff Nurse, NUHS RHSO
