| Reflections
from the Country of the Merlion: Singapore
Source: Dean Afaf Meleis
Singapore which means the City of the Lion just celebrated
its 35th Independence anniversary. Singapore is a country
that exemplifies careful urban planning, attention to creating
a healthy environment and the most recent technology. It is
also a country that demonstrates how they mobilized and fought
promptly and successfully the SARS epidemic. The problem was
acknowledged, the government sprung into action and instituted
a plan to treat the infected, prevent others from getting
infection and protect their nation against future infections.
My invitation to go to Singapore was to speak at the 1st
International Ministry of Health Conference on Nursing as
a Research Based Discipline. It could not have been more timely
to have 500 nurses from 10 countries gathering in Singapore.
Nurses in the post SARS era have a new image that is giving
them the confidence to move more vigorously towards establishing
university based education for nurses. It was also time to
celebrate the professional role that nurses played during
the SARS crises.
Singaporean nurses have been trained in 2 years technical
program after completing 10 years of elementary and high school
education (2 years less than those who go for a university
education). However many have completed a BS degree in nursing
from Australia and the U.K. In addition, many have even completed
their MS degree through personal perseverance and scholarships.
We are privileged to have had only a handful of these students
complete their MS from the University of Pennsylvania School
of Nursing. As of this year they have 3 pioneering nurses
who also completed their PhD.
Singaporean nurses, with whom I had many dialogues, want
to move to a university based education system. They cite
their immediate neighbors in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong,
Japan and Korea and have had basic and advanced degrees in
nursing as models for what they want their nursing educational
trajectory to become.
Incredibly the Ministry of Health in collaboration with University
of Singapore developed a masters program with the 1st 15 students
already enrolled. The goal of the program is to prepare nurse
practitioners. Everybody is proud of this program and the
pioneering group of students.
There is a great deal to offer Singapore and to learn from
Singapore. We can partner with the Ministry of Health, the
National Kidney Foundation, the Health International management,
Nanyang Polytech as well as our very own University of Pennsylvania
Penn alumni to provide educational programs for nurses who
want to advance their nurses educational options within the
country. We could collaborate with researchers to mine the
rich data bases that could provide answers to many pressing
questions, and we can support nursing leaders efforts while
working tirelessly towards transforming nursing education
and practice. In addition to seeing the transformation of
nursing while it is occurring, we will learn a great deal
from our partnerships and associations. We will learn about
our colleagues vision, struggle, perseverance and negotiation
outcomes.
I found the students to be highly committed with clear goals
abut the future of nursing. I believe they will play a critical
role in changing the role of nurses in the health care system.
Nurses, students, faculty administrators have a common ground.
They love learning; they are devoted to quality care and to
advancing nursing as a profession. How and when will be determined
very shortly.
Now to the country of Singapore. In Singapore, multiculturalism
is a way of life. There are three major different populations,
the diverse Chinese (77% of the country, Cantonese, Hokkein
and Mandarin), there are the Malays and the Indians as well.
English is the country’s language, but each group study
their own language as a second language. Each culture is well
represented in the country. The sculptured Hindu temple next
to the towering mosque, next to Buddhist temples and to Christian
churches. The food reflects all cultures (and it is absolutely
delicious). Singaporeans say that besides working hard and
long hours, they love to eat and shop. And that they do with
such finesse. Therefore, the glamorous shopping malls compliment
shopping in Indian, Chinese and Arabic bazaars. (I do not
think they call them bazaars though!). The clothes are mostly
western but the colorful head pieces are for the Moslems,
the exquisite saris for the Indians and the Malays are adorned
by matching pants, long flowering knee length shirts and scarves
to match. These are only a sampling of what my students and
colleagues wore daily. What they all have in common is the
English language, the elegance in all what they do, the respect
to each other’s culture, the vast knowledge of each
culture, the hard work and their devoted love to their country.
A moving moment for all who participated in the conference
was for 500 nurses from 10 countries to mourn the loss of
the Malay nurse (Mrs. Hamidah Ismail worked in the first SARS
wards who died from SARS complications) in a Moslem ceremony
that celebrated her life. All cultures come together to celebrate
her life.
high rise building, to accommodate for 4 million population
in a small island, are separated by gardens, parks and a variety
of trees to shade the streets from the scorching year around
sun as well as the tropical rains. The cultural lives of Singaporeans
have been recently enriched with an attractive, massive performing
arts building and a number of musicians that reflect the cultural
diversity of Singapore.
The high rise buildings constructed to accommodate the 4
million population in a small island, are separated by gardens,
parks and a variety of trees to shade the streets from the
scorching year-around-sun as well as the tropical rains. The
cultural lives of Singaporeans have been recently enriched
with an attractive, massive performing arts building (the
landmark building is shaped like two microphones and a number
of museums that reflect the cultural diversity of Singapore
or the controversial Dorain fruit)
Nursing in Singapore is like the Merlion that stands tall
at the mouth of Singapore to symbolize Singapore. The lion
is beginning to roar, Merlion is an odd combination of lion
head and a body of a fish. Therefore it is easily spotted.
The fish bottom is lying in water making waves and the waves
are making ripples across the country.
SARS made nurses visible in the media and much more acknowledged
and appreciated by Singaporeans. Leaders in nursing in Singapore
have an amazing opportunity to use this notoriety in a momentum
to advance nursing. They are being noticed, they are making
waves and the ripples are reaching far and wide. We will support
their efforts.
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