Caption: Experiencing the joy of nursing
“Nursing has given me immense joy. I hope to encourage all nurses to be courageous during the pandemic and to serve from their heart. As nurses, we can be advocates and champion issues that matter to our elderly and healthcare workers. We can impact lives!”
Ms Khoo Jin Rui, 29, comes from a family of healthcare professionals. Her younger sister is a physiotherapist; her elder sister is a nurse and her younger brother recently graduated as a doctor. So it was only natural when she decided to pursue a career in the healthcare sector.
Jin Rui’s passion to help others started when she joined the Red Cross as a teenager. Her sister was then a nurse and doing good in society. After her graduation, Jin Rui spent her first few years in a public hospital. Her interest in the elderly grew as she was keen to find out how they were coping at home after their discharge from the hospital, especially if they live alone.
Caption: Jin Rui getting ready for her home visits in Ang Mo Kio
“As all my siblings are from the healthcare sector, we always encourage one another. Having similar experiences helps as we are able to tap on one another’s expertise to understand and solve issues,” said Jin Rui.
In 2017, Jin Rui joined TOUCH as a community nurse. “I decided to make the switch as I am someone who enjoys having deep conversations with people, to find out about their lives and to journey with them. It makes my job more meaningful,” added Jin Rui.
Caption: Jin Rui (left) monitoring the health of 93-year-old Mr Heng Choon Teck*
During the pandemic, her siblings came together to care for their grandfather in Malaysia who was down with Covid. Jin Rui took leave to return to Malaysia for a month to attend to his needs after his discharge from the hospital.
One of her interesting encounters was when she incidentally discovered that one of her clients, who was in his 80s, was cared for by her sister when he was admitted to the hospital. When she made the connection and shared with the elderly, he was very touched. He said it was “his destiny to meet the both of them’’. The elderly was also glad that Jin Rui could update her sister about how he was faring at home. Seeing the nurses in his ward reminding all patients to take their medication, he would also encourage others who were less motivated. Hence, whenever he lacked motivation to take his medication at home, Jin Rui would remind him how he used to encourage others to gently nudge him to take his medication.
This encounter has made her better appreciate the Government’s efforts to provide seamless care from the hospital to the community – and the role of community nurses.
Jin Rui is also currently pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy so that she can be equipped with creative ideas to connect with her clients.
“Nursing has given me immense joy. I hope to encourage all nurses to be courageous during the pandemic and to serve from their heart. As nurses, we can be advocates and champion issues that matter to our elderly and healthcare workers. We can impact lives!” said Jin Rui.
*Mr Heng passed on in May 2022.