Forum: Let retired nurses help out in times of national need

My wife retired in 2014 as a senior nursing manager after 43 years.

She used to be very active in social services and volunteered for many healthcare programmes in the community during her decades of service.

I recently asked her why she did not answer the call for volunteers during the ongoing pandemic.

She told me that she would need to renew her practising certificate to work as a nurse, for which she would need to pay a fee of around $70. As it has been more than five years since she last worked as a nurse, she would also have to attend a refresher course.

She added that there are many other retired nurses in the same situation as hers.

Perhaps the authorities could consider giving retired nurses who have many decades of service a certificate that recognises their nursing experience and allows them to help out in times of national need. They could perform functions such as triage and giving injections or cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Their experience and knowledge would be invaluable, especially during crisis situations like disasters or the ongoing pandemic.

Ong Soon Leong

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