Materia Medica Malaysiana

Go places with nursing

DISCARD the stereotype of the student nurse as the young female school leaver.

Today, nursing is a profession which is attracting even men and people from diverse backgrounds.

If you think you have a calling to care for the sick and the wounded, and that nursing may be the right vocation for you, just head over to Nilai International College to check out its nursing diploma. Recruitment for next January’s intake is on.

Nursing offers a world of opportunities in clinical practice, research, education and management. Aspirants can even move on to become executive directors of nursing, clinical specialists, researchers or lecturers.

Besides serving in hospitals, surgeries, nursing or residential homes and hospices, nurses can also serve in the prison service, the armed forces or even large manufacturing concerns.

The career opportunities are endless and can prove rewarding for individuals with compassion and good communication skills.

Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said recently that there is a current shortage of about 40,000 nurses in the country. The three-year nursing diploma programme has been introduced to try and meet the demand for more nurses and to achieve the government’s target of about 170,000 nurses in the country.

The diploma programme is approved by the Education Ministry and the internationally-recognised Nursing Board of Malaysia.

Upon completion of the diploma, students can sit for the Nursing Board Examination to qualify as a registered nurse or proceed to a bachelor’s degree in medicine, nursing or hospital management in Malaysia or overseas.

Minimum entry requirements are three SPM credits or equivalent including credits in Mathematics, Science (General or Pure Biology) and one other subject, and a pass in Bahasa Malaysia.

The nursing diploma programme comes with a stint in clinical training at selected hospitals towards the end of each semester.

Nilai International College’s Nursing Unit head Norashikin Abdullah, a lecturer with more than 17 years of experience, said: “The curriculum emphasises critical thinking and information skills, community service as well as lectures and tutorials.

The course aims to prepare top quality nurses who can provide comprehensive care to individuals and families in hospitals as well as elsewhere in the community.”

Course content is 50% theory and 50% practical. In the first year, students are taught basic principles in caring for individuals and families. Later, they can choose to concentrate on specialties such as mental health or learning disabilities nursing.

“Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system. Caring for the sick is only one aspect of what a nurse does,” said Norashikin.

“Nurses have the opportunity to do good in the world everyday and there are many exciting and rewarding opportunities in nursing,” she added.