Rejects make good: Modern-day Nightingale

Rejects make good: Modern-day Nightingale

Nursing student Geraldine Soo was turned away four times by two polytechnics.

Each rejection drove her to tears, but the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduate was determined to further her studies.

Ms Soo, 27, was eventually accepted by Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) on her fifth attempt.

She will be graduating with a Diploma in Health Sciences (Nursing) at the end of May as the course's top student.

Ms Soo's 10-year journey to graduation from polytechnic was long and arduous.

She wanted to be a nurse since she was in secondary school, but she was worried she couldn't get into ITE's nursing course.

"I've always been a slow learner in school and I kept failing Maths. It was depressing because I couldn't pass the subject even though I kept practising.

But she credits her teachers for giving her extra lessons, and she eventually made it.

After graduating from ITE, she was an enrolled nurse in Alexandra Hospital for four years.

Her responsibilities include bedside care, such as sponging and changing the diapers of patients in the critical care unit.

NEVER STOPPED TRYING

"To me, it's never a dirty job. In fact, I feel a great sense of satisfaction every time I see a patient looking clean and fresh," said Ms Soo.

During her four years as a nurse, she applied to polytechnic every year.

She recalled the first time she was rejected: "I just thought maybe I needed more experience, and it's not my time yet so I will just keep trying."

And she would keep trying.

On her fourth attempt, she applied to the polytechnics and for a higher Nitec course at the ITE.

Though rejected by the polytechnics again, she was accepted into the ITE course.

To continue her studies at ITE, Ms Soo quit her job and eventually got a higher Nitec certificate which helped her get into NP's nursing programme. This was her fifth shot at polytechnic.

Lecturer Keith Oh noticed that Ms Soo was more mature compared to her classmates. Then 25, she was older than her teenage peers.

Mr Oh said: "She was a model student who was very serious about her work. She always handed up her work on time and was very willing to learn."

Said Ms Soo: "It's not that I didn't enjoy poly life, but I had to work very hard to secure a place in polytechnic."

Even before graduating, Ms Soo has already secured a job with Jurong Healthcare and will be working as a staff nurse at Alexandra Hospital.

"I'm determined that nursing is my calling, especially after my experience as an enrolled nurse," she said.

"I want to do more for my patients and I was willing to keep applying until I got enrolled into polytechnic."

linheng@sph.com.sg

This article was published on May 8 in The New Paper.

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