OP ED | The Straits Times says: Retaining nurses is a medical lifeline | Singapore hired more nurses.
Filipino Nurses / FEB 29, 2024, 10:08 PM
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Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has announced a slew of initiatives and efforts to recruit more in the last year. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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The Straits Times says
Retaining nurses is a medical lifeline
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The Award for Nurses’ Grace, Excellence and Loyalty (Angel) scheme starts in September.
Of the 29,000 nurses who stand to benefit from the scheme, almost 24,000 will be from public healthcare institutions.
The other 5,000 are expected to be from publicly funded community care organisations and social service agencies, if their employers apply to participate in the scheme.
These employers will need to co-fund the awards, with the majority of the funding coming from the Government.
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Memento Maxima Digital MarketingThe new scheme fits into a complex combination of social needs. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has acknowledged that nurses at certain ages or after a certain number of years in service are particularly likely to contemplate leaving for personal and family reasons.
A retention scheme signals to these officers the need to reconsider their decision and give their careers and the healthcare system a chance.
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READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/retaining-nurses-is-a-medical-lifeline
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Singapore hired more nurses. But can we train this many effectively and retain them?
The challenge in ensuring we have enough nurses is one of training and retention, in addition to recruitment.
Singapore has responded to the acute nursing shortages in recent years with aggressive recruitment and retention strategies targeting both local and foreign nurses.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has announced a slew of initiatives and efforts to recruit more in the past year, in addition to granting permanent residency status to about 700 nurses each year from 2018 to 2022.
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READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/singapore-hired-more-nurses-but-can-we-train-this-many-effectively-and-retain-them
