Track 2

Shirley serves as Chief Nurse of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) and Yishun Community Hospital (YCH), where she spearheads nursing excellence through strategic competency development, talent management, and innovative job redesign initiatives. With nearly three decades of distinguished service in Singapore's public healthcare sector, she has shaped nursing policies and practices at institutional, cluster, and national levels. 

Beginning her journey as a graduate nurse in 1997, Shirley honed her expertise across Singapore General Hospital and Alexandra Hospital before advancing to nursing leadership roles. Her appointment as Assistant Director (Nursing) in 2009 marked the beginning of her significant contributions to healthcare transformation. She played a pivotal role in commissioning KTPH in 2010, leading the inpatient care planning and spearheading the implementation of electronic medical records systems. 

As Assistant Chief Nursing Officer at the Ministry of Health (2011-2013), Shirley was instrumental in developing national nursing policies and leadership strategies. Her role as Secretariat in the MOH National Nursing Taskforce Committee (2012) helped craft a transformative blueprint for Singapore's nursing profession, which continues to influence healthcare delivery today. 

A lifelong learner, Shirley holds a Masters in Health Science (Management) and completed the prestigious General Management Programme at Harvard Business School in 2018. She currently serves as a Board Member of the Singapore Nursing Board and contributes to three of its committees. 

Beyond her professional achievements, Shirley finds inspiration in the arts, nature, and literature. 

As healthcare evolves at an unprecedented pace, we stand at a pivotal moment of reimagining nursing practice. This presentation explores how the intentional integration of nursing roles - Educators, Administrators, Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs), and Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNPs) - creates a powerful collective force that propels us forward as we navigate the waves of healthcare transformation. 

Today's nursing landscape demonstrates the strength of synergistic leadership, with each role illuminating pathways in our expanding healthcare universe.  We're witnessing Educators developing digital-age competencies, Administrators driving innovative care models, APNs expanding clinical boundaries, and DNPs translating research into transformative practice. These strategic intersections between roles create new possibilities for healthcare excellence and system-wide improvements. 

The future holds even greater potential as we build bridges across nursing domains, reaching for new heights of possibility. Through real-world examples and evidence-based insights, this presentation will demonstrate how the deliberate integration of clinical expertise, educational innovation, administrative leadership, and research practice creates sustainable healthcare solutions.  We'll explore how this synergistic approach addresses complex healthcare challenges while elevating patient care outcomes. 

We will examine how strategic collaboration and role integration are unleashing nursing's full potential.  Together, we'll ride the waves of change while reaching for the stars, discovering how combining our unique strengths and expertise can drive meaningful healthcare transformation. The future of nursing lies not in individual excellence alone, but in our collective ability to work together in powerful new ways. 

I joined nursing 40 years ago with considerable years in the critical care of Neuroscience ICU, where the work demands are the highest compared to other ICUs. Through the experiences, I gained a great deal of new skills and knowledge with the guidance from my supervisors, and grow from strength to strength to become a charge nurse, preceptor, mentor and eventually becoming an administrator. Working in the busy Neuro care setting is challenging as the environment can be intense. Nevertheless, the fast pace dynamic environment and the invaluable work experiences have helped me developed multiple skill sets in management, operations and strategic planning.   

I transitioned from a nurse to administrator role since 2008 overseeing nursing manpower and talent management portfolio. I lead Strategic Transformation portfolio (2020 – 2024) and serve as the catalyst to provide leadership in nursing research, education, and workforce transformation. I am responsible for directing the development and alignment of nursing service teams to achieve institution and NHG strategic objectives through capability building, nursing centric workforce programs and organisational transformation. I embarked on a new role in April 2025 i.e. People Experience portfolio that provide strategic direction and drive the implementation of person – centric programs and initiatives focusing on (i) elevating the patient and family’s experience in their care journey and (ii) elevating staff experience focusing on health & well-being, workplace culture and civility.

The role of modern nursing leadership in the new millennium is dynamic and multifaceted, shaped by rapid advancements in healthcare, technology, and evolving patient needs. Modern nurse leaders are not just clinical experts – they are strategic thinkers who help shape the future of healthcare delivery.  

Effective leaders today must be clinically competent, tech-savvy, emotionally intelligent, and politically astute. They are essential in shaping safe, equitable and forward-looking healthcare systems. Leading in the new era demands adaptive, informed and empowered nurse leaders. 

The session will focus on how nurses can grow as leaders, navigating change and shaping institutional policy. 

Professor Chong Mei Chan, PhD, is an accomplished nursing academic and leader with over 20 years of expertise in gerontology, maternal-child health, and e-learning innovations. Currently a Professor at the University of Malaya (UM), she holds a BSc in Nursing (UM, 1995), MSc in Community Health (UPM, 2005), and PhD in Nursing (Monash University, 2014). Her research addresses critical public health issues, including Time banking for community-dwelling older adults, Chronic disease management, and nursing education adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond academia, she actively engages in community health promotion and has established international collaborations with institutions in Australia, China, Taiwan, Jordan, Iran, UAE, UK, Japan, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. 

As Head of UM’s Nursing Department (2018–2023), Prof. Chong led transformative initiatives that elevated the program into the QS World Rankings (150–200) and achieved top departmental status in research publications for two consecutive years. Her leadership extends to national policy, having served on the Malaysian Nursing Board, Nursing Council for Higher Education, and the Health White Paper Advisory Council (2022–2023). She also co-authored Malaysia’s strategic roadmap for health workforce development as a member of the Ministry of Health’s Strategic Engagement Group on Health Workforce and Governance. 

An internationally recognized scholar, Prof. Chong has published 100+ papers , authored 6 textbooks, and supervised 66+ postgraduate candidates (40 PhDs graduated).  She is a frequent keynote speaker and external examiner for nursing programs across the Asia-Pacific. Her dedication to advancing nursing education is further demonstrated through her mentorship of early-career researchers and ongoing roles in interprofessional healthcare initiatives. 

Healthcare today faces unprecedented demands - aging populations, complex chronic diseases, staff shortages, and rapid technological change. Yet nurses worldwide are responding with remarkable innovation and resilience. One key initiative is integrated care networks, where nurses break down institutional silos to coordinate seamless patient journeys. By leading multidisciplinary teams, we ensure continuity from hospital to community care, especially for vulnerable patients. Technology adoption has been transformative. Smart wards and mobile health tools enhance efficiency while preserving human connection. Nurses are the bridge - ensuring technology serves patients rather than replacing compassionate care. We are also reimagining workforce support systems. Mentorship programs nurture new nurses, while shared governance models empower frontline voices. Psychological safety initiatives help teams thrive in high-stress environments. Most crucially, nurses are stepping up as leaders and advocates. From pandemic response to policy reform, we're shaping healthcare systems to be more responsive and equitable. These initiatives showcase nursing's unique dual role: expert caregivers at the bedside and visionary changemakers at the system level. By sharing these solutions, we can collectively build a more sustainable future for healthcare. 

James is a Nurse Innovator at Tan Tock Seng Hospital's Nursing Innovation Bunch (NIB), bringing valuable experience from his time in orthopaedic nursing and nursing informatics. These roles have given him a good understanding of both hands-on patient care and healthcare technology. 

At NIB, he works to bring new ideas into healthcare by connecting outside partners with different departments in the hospital. His team looks beyond just nursing and healthcare, they find good ideas from all types of industries and help bring them into the hospital. They work with many departments like Food Services, Materials Management, and Pharmacy to make healthcare services better for both staff and patients. 
 

A key part of his role is helping teams turn ideas into real solutions. He guides projects from the first spark of an idea to making it work in real life.  
 
This includes running workshops to gather ideas, bringing the right people together, testing new solutions, and helping teams adapt to changes. Through his work, he has helped transform small ideas into useful tools that make a real difference in healthcare. 

In today’s healthcare landscape, many nurses feel confined by traditional roles and limitations, with some even leaving the profession because they see no path forward beyond the bedside. This presentation challenges that perception by questioning whether these boundaries are truly real or simply walls we have built around ourselves.  

By reframing nursing through the lenses of nurses beyond boundaries, we see how nurses can expand their impact from direct patient care to influencing systems, shaping protocols and creating solutions that transform healthcare. Stories of breaking boundaries illustrate the shift from caring for a few to improving care for thousands, from following rules to designing them, and from spotting problems to driving innovations.  

With technology amplifying the reach and influence of nurses, the ripple effect of stepping beyond boundaries can inspire and empower others. The message is clear: the future of healthcare depends on nurses who dare to move beyond. Nursing with a Different ‘Hat’  

Hemma Rajendra is a dedicated Flight Nurse with a background in critical care and aeromedical transport. With formal training in aeromedical operations and experience in both ground and air missions, she manages patients in high pressure environments. Guided by the belief that every life is precious, Hemma is committed to delivering safe, compassionate, and timely care, no matter the altitude.

Flight nurses are a specialized group of professionals who care for acutely ill patients outside the hospital environment. We are an essential part of the medical team that transfers patients from hospitals to hospitals, countries to countries, and even continents to continents. These are typically critically ill patients, often attached to ventilators and requiring inotropes. We take them from the ICU environment into an air ambulance and fly long distances to destination hospitals.

To perform these demanding tasks, we must prepare all our equipment such as ventilators, infusion pumps, and monitors which are specially designed to be portable. During transfers, we must remain sharp in our observations and judgments amid constant movements, vibrations, background noises, and while

traversing different time zones. We work in a confined environment, often with limited access to the patient.

Such an unusual working environment attracts only a small group of nurses. It is this passion and the challenges I face, 12 km above ground level, that makes my working career exciting.

Assuming concurrent roles as Assistant Chief Executive Officer (Transformation), Changi General Hospital, and the Development Lead for Eastern General Hospital Campus, a new regional health campus to serve the growing needs in the eastern part of Singapore, Selina looks at developing enablers in infrastructure, technology and innovations. She is also the Director for the Centre for Healthcare Assistive Robotics and Technology (CHART), which performs R&D and drive the adoption of robotics and assistive technology and evaluate its impact. With an eye on Singapore’s future healthcare landscape, she is also working on strategic partnerships as Deputy Co-Chair at the SingHealth-Duke NUS’s Academic Medicine Innovation Institute. 

As an advocate for patients, families, the profession and national health, nurses can play a pivotal role in the development of national policies, influencing the present and future of healthcare. Your voice matters. 

Professor Zhang is a Clinical Professor and Doctoral Supervisor with distinguished contributions to nursing leadership, education, and research. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Hong Kong Academy of Nursing (Pediatrics and Nursing & Health Care Management). 

Professor Zhang holds key leadership positions in national and regional nursing organizations, including Chairperson of the Nursing Professional Committee of the Shanghai Hospital Association, Deputy Director of the Project Management Committee of the Chinese Nursing Association, Vice Chairperson of the Nursing Professional Committee of the Chinese Hospital Association, and Vice President of the Nursing Branch of the Chinese Society of Research Hospitals. 

Her research focuses on health informatics, critical care nursing, and patient experience optimization. Over the past five years, she has led over 20 research projects funded by national and municipal agencies and has authored more than 150 academic publications, including 40 SCI-indexed papers.

Professor Zhang has also played a leading role in developing national expert consensus statements, clinical guidelines, and nursing standards. 

This session, Past, Present, Prospect – A View on Nursing Transformation Across the Decades, will be delivered by the Nursing Director of one of China’s top-ranked tertiary hospitals, a national leader in clinical excellence, education, and research.

Drawing on extensive leadership experience, the talk will trace the evolution of nursing roles from traditional bedside care to strategic positions influencing policy, education, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Attendees will gain first-hand insights into how a top-tier hospital navigates workforce transformation, integrates evidence-based practice, and implements innovative care models that set benchmarks for nursing worldwide.

The presentation will connect historical developments with current challenges, including technology adoption, interdisciplinary collaboration, cultivating talent, and driving sustainable workforce transformation, offering strategies that are adaptable to global contexts.

By blending China’s large-scale healthcare experience with international perspectives, this session will inspire nursing leaders and practitioners to envision a future workforce that is agile, empowered, and prepared to meet the demands of an ever-changing healthcare landscape. 

Ms. Peh Sue Cheng is the Deputy Director of Nursing at Woodlands Health with over 30 years of experience in the nursing profession. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Leadership and an Advanced Diploma in Neuroscience Nursing. Her core expertise lies in nursing manpower and operations. She played a key role in the planning and setup of a new general hospital, contributing significantly to operational readiness and nursing service development. 

Interdisciplinary collaboration is a cornerstone in the successful planning and operationalisation of a new general hospital in Singapore. As healthcare becomes increasingly complex, no single profession can work in isolation to deliver safe, efficient, and person-centred care. The integration of nursing with other disciplines—medicine, allied health, pharmacy, operations, IT, and administration—is vital to ensure seamless patient journeys, optimal resource utilisation, to achieve clinical excellence. 

This presentation will highlight how interdisciplinary collaboration drives innovation, mitigates risks, and strengthens system resilience before, during and after the opening of a general hospital in Singapore. Through case examples and lessons learned, we aim to demonstrate that collaborative partnerships not only improve outcomes but also to strengthen the cooperate culture. 

Fauziah Binte Rahman is a Senior Nurse Clinician with extensive experience in geriatric care and a commitment to advancing the nursing profession beyond traditional roles. Drawing on both clinical expertise and research in nursing leadership, she is keenly interested in initiatives that empower nurses and caregivers as change agents.

Her work aligns with the new nursing paradigm, where nurses not only provide direct care but also drive workforce transformation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient engagement. Fauziah’s contributions spotlight the integration of caregivers and patients as active partners in health innovation, reflecting the evolving landscape of modern healthcare. 

Caregivers are the backbone of patient recovery, yet many face overwhelming physical, emotional, and financial challenges that compromise care quality and increase hospital readmission risks. The CarerLink Programme was created in response to these complex pressures, offering an organized, evidence-based approach to identify, train, and support at-risk caregivers through their care journey.

By enrolling high-risk caregiver-patient dyads, CarerLink provides a personalized curriculum built around key care tasks and links families with community resources for sustained support. The session will present data from 474 screened patients, with 78 caregiver-patient dyads enrolled, highlighting significant improvements: 46% reported lower burden and 50% greater confidence. Importantly, feedback also reveals the nuanced realities of caregiving, as some participants experienced heightened awareness of challenges. Staff perspectives underscore ongoing barriers to embedding CarerLink into clinical workflows, pointing to the need for clearer processes and stronger staff buy-in.

Despite these integration challenges, CarerLink has proven valuable in supporting caregiver mastery, building system-community linkages, and providing timely intervention for those at risk. The programme’s flexible, scalable framework positions it as a model for wider adoption and potential integration with social prescribing to further bridge gaps between hospital and home care, ultimately improving outcomes for caregivers and patients alike. 

Ms. Precilla is an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) at Home Nursing Foundation, bringing over a decade of dedicated experience as a community nurse. Her expertise lies in managing complex and unstable patients through collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches, currently, with a special focus on end-of-life (EOL) care for frail and chronic patients living at home.  

Ms. Precilla actively contributes to the education, coaching and mentorship of fellow nurses, fostering professional development within the community nursing sector and amongst the APN community in Singapore. She is involved in research initiatives, particularly in wound management, nutrition, and EOL care tailored to home care patients.  

In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Ms. Precilla has contributed in shaping national nursing policies and initiatives, advocating for improved community healthcare standards. Currently, she is pioneering efforts to establish APN-led medication prescribing practices within the community setting, aiming to enhance patient access and care quality.

As the roles of domestic helpers increasingly extend beyond traditional housekeeping to include caregiving responsibilities, the transition can present significant emotional, cultural, and skill-based challenges.  

This session explores effective strategies to support domestic helpers in adapting to this evolving and challenging scope of work. 

Participants will gain insight into the psychological, social, and practical adjustments required for new helpers to move from task-oriented cleaning roles to more relational, care-centered duties.  

Ms. Tan Peck Yan is a Senior Occupational Therapist working at the Institute of Mental Health, where she has developed expertise in supporting individuals with mental health conditions. She has experience in inpatient, outpatient and community mental health settings.

She has strong interest in vocational rehabilitation, helping clients develop the skills and confidence needed to re-enter the workforce. She is committed to empowering clients on their recovery journey, enabling them to reconnect with the community, achieve employment and contribute positively to society.  

Work is more than just a source of income. It can be a powerful catalyst for mental health recovery. This session will explore how regaining a worker role can restore purpose, structure and confidence in individuals recovering from mental health challenges.

Occupational therapy services help clients rebuild the skills and resilience needed to re-enter the workforce. It will also highlight our department’s collaboration with the nursing department to develop and run vocational projects within our setting, providing safe and supportive opportunities for clients to regain work readiness.  

Yvonne Yap is a compassionate leader who is deeply dedicated to promoting staff well-being and resilience within the healthcare sector. Currently serving as Deputy Director, Nursing Administration at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Yvonne actively champions and contributes to numerous projects and committees aimed at enhancing nursing practices and patient care. With the support of Chief Nurse, Ms Shirley Heng, Yvonne also kickstarted the formation of KTPH’s Nursing Work-sense Committee, which is dedicated to building culture and empowering healthcare professionals to thrive in challenging environments. She established Personal Development Conversations that deepened professional growth and purpose. Her clinical leadership anchors nursing excellence while fostering meaningful human connections.  

Beyond the hospital, her sustained community engagement has positively shaped the health of the population she serves, while her people-centred approach continues to drive nursing innovation and empowerment. 

Her effort in these areas have led to her receiving the prestigious NHG Young Achiever’s Award and the National Day Efficiency Award, underscoring her passion for staff welfare and unwavering commitment to improving the nursing profession. She has also attained alumni status at Harvard Business School by successfully completing two rigorous programs

This session explores the transformative collaboration between healthcare and aviation through the SIA Care Ambassador programme at KTPH during the pandemic. Discover how service excellence from the skies was adapted to hospital wards and how clinical expertise from nursing professionals empowered SIA crew to care for passengers in-flight. The talk highlights mutual learning, operational adaptations, and the shared heart of service across industries. 

Nazrina Hoque is a healthcare professional whose career journey reflects her commitment to public service and personal growth. After completing her GCE A Levels, she served as a Prison Officer in the Singapore Prisons Service for ten years. Seeking a new challenge, she transitioned into healthcare through the Professional Conversion Programme, earning her Diploma in Nursing. Her dedication to specialised care led her to pursue an Advanced Diploma in Gerontology after two years of nursing practice. 

Currently in her sixth year as a nurse, Nazrina brings valuable expertise to elderly care. Her fluency in conversational Mandarin enhances her ability to connect with patients in Singapore's multicultural healthcare setting. 

Outside of her professional life, Nazrina is a devoted mother to four children, aged 10 to 17, and is supported by her loving husband. She successfully balances her demanding career while maintaining a fulfilling family life. 

Nazrina Hoque's career journey reflects a profound evolution from law enforcement to healthcare, driven by her growing desire to make a more comprehensive impact on people's lives. 

Initially attracted to the Singapore Prison Service for its benefits, Nazrina soon discovered the limitations of her role as a Prison Officer. Despite her desire to help inmates, she found herself constrained by legal boundaries and the inability to provide support beyond prison walls. The absence of inter-agency collaboration and personalised care led to professional burnout after a decade of service. 

The introduction to the Career Conversion Programme opened a new chapter in her life through nursing. This transition revealed that nursing extended far beyond basic patient care – it offered opportunities for holistic healthcare delivery and patient advocacy. As a nurse, Nazrina found fulfilment in being a patient's advocate, working to ensure they receive comprehensive care and support. 

Now in her sixth year of nursing, with an Advanced Diploma in Gerontology, she derives immense satisfaction from ensuring patients receive optimal care, both during hospitalisation and post-discharge. Her bilingual abilities in English and Mandarin further enhance her capacity to serve Singapore's diverse patient population, making her healthcare journey both fulfilling and purposeful. 

Dr. Jalina Binti Karim is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, with experience in nursing practice, education, and research. She holds a PhD in Medical Education (UKM), a Master of Nursing Science, and a Bachelor of Nursing Science (University Malaya), alongside professional qualifications in midwifery and perioperative care.

A registered nurse and midwife, Dr. Jalina is an active member of the Malaysian Nurses Association (MNA), Malaysian Association of Educators for Medical and Health Sciences (MAEMHS), and Malaysian Society for Simulation in Healthcare (MaSSH).

Her areas of expertise include interprofessional education, curriculum development, perioperative and midwifery nursing, and she has given numerous keynote lectures, appointed as external examiner in public and private institutions, and supervise postgraduate and undergraduate research.

Nursing involves a wide range of practice, going beyond the typical bedside role. It comprises advanced practice jobs such as nurse practitioners, midwives, and clinical nurse specialists, as well as administrative positions. At the same non-nursing professionals such as healthcare professionals such as doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, human resource staff, healthcare assistants and IT staffs.

These non-nursing professionals have grown increasingly important in nursing settings in order to support the provision of comprehensive, secure and effective care. With the advancement of technology, a sustainable and productive nursing environment requires non-nursing positions. Electronic medical records (EMR), for example, are created and maintained by IT staffs to improve clinical documentation and lower the medical errors. Importantly, recognizing the value of non-nursing roles fosters mutual respect and interprofessional collaboration.

A collaborative environment allows the team to work collaboratively. Besides it also enhances the patient safety by reducing the risks of medical error. A more unified, responsive, and adaptable healthcare system is the outcome of nurses and non-nurses working together to achieve common objectives, such as safety, quality, and patient happiness. As a result, interdisciplinary cooperation becomes essential to successful healthcare teams.