Nicholas Finds His Calling In Community Care

Few people have what it takes to explore an entirely different career route, especially when you’re close to 40 years old. Yet this was what Senior Nurse Manager Nicholas Chung did. Despite his friends dissuading him from leaving his stable position in IT for a nursing job, he found courage in the call he felt and the encouragement of his wife, to do so.

“I made my boldest decision ever to switch from an IT engineer to be a nurse at a hospital. I recall being older than most of my nursing colleagues and being unfamiliar with the job, but I was very passionate about it,” he said.

Eight years later, he ventured into community care and joined NTUC Health at our nursing home in Jurong West. The role presented to him its own set of opportunities for learning. “Community care nurses have more responsibilities, but also more autonomy. I made it a point to persevere, be proactive, and continuously learn from fellow nurses,” said Nicholas.

Recalling a moment that touched him deeply, Nicholas shared a story about a resident who had difficulty adapting to the new environment. Nicholas spent more time bonding with him. Before passing on, the resident confided that he had thought it was impossible to find someone he could trust in his last days, till he met Nicholas. “This touching exchange reaffirmed my commitment to nursing,” said Nicholas. In 2021, the Ministry of Health awarded Nicholas with the Nurses’ Merit Award in recognition of his outstanding performance and contribution to the profession. Upon looking back at his career, the 53-year-old has no regrets on his decision and shared that his greatest satisfaction comes from caring for patients.