Ms Lim Ling, 20, who is representing Singapore at this year's WorldSkills competition in nursing skills, is feeling some pressure.

Her Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) seniors have won four consecutive golds between 2007 and 2013 at the contest in the same health and social care category.

"There's pressure because this is the fifth round and I hope I get gold, but I'll just do my best," said the second-year NYP student.

NYP health sciences lecturer Chew Ling Huo acknowledged the stress of maintaining its winning streak, but said Ms Lim has been training hard under three coaches.

Ms Lim, who won in her field last year at WorldSkills Singapore - the local edition of the contest - has put in nine hours each day for two months practising her skills, from giving injections to monitoring blood glucose levels.

The younger of two daughters of a manager in an air-conditioning company and a housewife is one of 17 participants in her category at this year's international event. Over four days, they need to complete 16 different tasks, such as handling dementia "patients" who will be played by actors.

Contestants will be placed in scenarios such as a hospital, daycare centre and patient's home.

"I've been brushing up my language skills by watching the news and practising at home," said Ms Lim, who completed a Nitec course in nursing at the Institute of Technical Education last year.

She grew to like nursing, especially after her first attachment in 2012 at a community hospital where she interacted with elderly patients.

"I could chit-chat with them and cheer them up. I like to see patients recover over time," she said.

After graduating in 2017, she hopes to work for one to two years before pursuing a nursing degree.

Amelia Teng