Changing the face of the nursing profession
“A NURSE? Why not a pharmacist, doctor or any other jobs more suited for a man?” is the usual response a man may receive should he say nursing is his choice of career.
The standard response poses no obstacle for two UCSI University’s (UCSI) Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) students – Daniel Chan Kian An and Rooney Saw Sze Wei – whose aim is to one day stand tall and proud among the country’s leading nurses.
The duo is among the many young men who have opted to enter the field of nursing with their female counterparts to do their part in the noble service, shedding a more positive light on the current perception on male nurses.
For Saw, his passion began when he was 17 years old.
He was heavily involved with the St John Ambulance Malaysia Penang medical team and provided medical services to people from different walks of life for two and a half years. It was then he discovered his passion in caring for the sick and needy.
“There are some things you can do that will make a huge difference in people’s lives. Caring for people is one of them,” said Saw.
Echoing the same sentiment is Chan, who argued that men make equally excellent nurses and much of the nursing profession requires physical strength and stamina.
“Once, I saw three female nurses struggling to lift a heavy patient. Their job would have been so much easier if there were more male nurses around,” said the UCSI Student Nurses Association former president as he recalled a hospital experience.
He stressed that a person’s gender should not define how an individual performs professionally.
“We should forgo the societal stigma surrounding male nurses. We can contribute perfectly well to the healthcare system too,” he said.
UCSI is the first private university to receive a full accreditation status from Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) for the Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) programme.
It is also recognised by Malaysia’s Public Service Department and accepted by Nursing Boards in many countries.
That pioneering spirit continues to inspire an innovative curriculum that is carefully designed to develop graduates who are well-prepared to make significant contributions to the healthcare field.
On top of UCSI students having a 100% passing rate for
There are some things you can do that will make a huge difference in people’s lives. Caring for people is one of them.
the Malaysian Nursing Board examinations, collaborations with leading universities such as Deakin University provides an option for graduates to pursue a Master of Public Health or Master of Health Promotion in Australia.
Top nursing students at UCSI also enjoy opportunities to be employed by leading hospitals in Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and the UK, among many others, through its extensive university-industry partnership.
Upon graduation, Chan and Saw are set to be in the employment of Woodland Hospital in Singapore – a new integrated healthcare complex scheduled to be launched in 2022, which includes an acute care hospital, community hospital and nursing home. With over 4,000 companies in the list of UCSI’s cooperative partners, this offers students the opportunity to chart their career trajectory with some of the most prestigious names in the industry.
The Nursing programme’s allure is further boosted by UCSI’s national and global standing. The university is classified in Tier 5 – the highest ranking received by universities in Malaysia — in the Setara rating exercise, conducted by the MQA.
It is also one of the few Malaysian private universities to be ranked in the top 350 of the QS Asian University Rankings for two years in a row.
This is a result of its increasing research output, internationalisation and affiliations with renowned universities such as Harvard University, Imperial College London, the University of Melbourne and more.
UCSI is also in the midst of building Malaysia’s first private teaching hospital at Springhill, Negri Sembilan. The hospital, which will host 1,000 beds, is set to turn Springhill into a vibrant hub of healthcare and learning.
■ To find out more about UCSI University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, call 03-9101 8882 or e-mail www.ucsiuniversity.edu.my/ onlineenquiry.