She gives up $80,000 pay for nursing

Ms Emily Lau Keat Ying, 44, is an assistant nurse clinician at the Singapore General Hospital who gave up about $80,000 a year and a stable career for nursing.

She was an assistant sales manager at Orix Leasing Singapore Limited, which provides loans to sole proprietors and small and medium enterprises, when two family tragedies struck.

In April 2005, her mother suffered a stroke.

Nine months later, on New Year's Eve, her father suddenly fell ill and was admitted to National University Hospital.

He died a week later .

Ms Lau, who is single, said: "It was a big blow, losing someone so close while my mother was undergoing rehabilitation (for her stroke)."

Almost a year later, Ms Lau was at an MRT station when she came across an advertisement by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) .

Inspired by the way the nurses had taken care of her parents and the difference their care made to her life, she decided to undergo a complete career change after several months of deliberation.

Along with 31 others, she took up WDA's Strategic Manpower Conversion Programme and began training to become a nurse in 2009.

TEACHING

Today, as an assistant nurse clinician and clinical instructor, Ms Lau tries to provide good care to her patients and their families in their time of need.

She also tries to engage and motivate her nursing students and other nurses with her knowledge and skills.

She said: "I hope they will continue to make a difference in the lives of their patients."

Reflecting on her journey in nursing, Ms Lau said: "Nursing is a challenging profession, but it is fulfilling.

"I get fulfilment when patients get better and when I see my students graduate to become the future generation of nurses."

This article was first published on August 1, 2016.
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