Nurturing the skills for nursing
IS nursing an art or a science? Interestingly, it governs both and is a holistic profession. The cornerstone of nursing would be the human touch.
“At Nilai University, we strive to produce nurses with both the heart and mind for nursing. It requires the cognitive ability to make sound clinical decisions, while the art for nursing lies in the ability to make a patient comfortable and promote recovery despite everything else.
“The team of lecturers here always reminds the students to treat patients the way they would want their parents, siblings or loved ones to be treated.
“Every patient is someone’s father, mother, brother or sister. It is a simple rule that works,” stressed School of Nursing head Olive Louisa Lopez.
So, why be a nurse?
“If you ask me, what do you need to be a nurse? In my personal opinion, nursing requires a true and sincere love for people, the humility to keep learning and internal motivation to excel.
“With this, one could acquire and develop the knowledge and the skills to be a professional nurse and to keep growing as a person and a professional,” Lopez said.
Authentically, she advises her students that working as a nurse is immensely rewarding, but they have to acknowledge the challenges, stress and the high possibility of burnout that comes with a caring profession. Therefore, at Nilai University’s School of Nursing, the lecturers inculcate the practice of reflection and teach students the Gibb’s reflective cycle.
It provides a structure to facilitate the reflective process. With reflection, every experience; bad or good becomes a learning tool.
Ready to serve and have a globe-trotting career?
Students who enrol in the diploma of nursing programme directly after their SPM can expect to complete their diploma in three years.
Nilai University will assist students to apply for financial aid or sponsorship from various organisations, private and local hospitals. Upon graduation, sponsors will employ the respective students.
Students with a diploma in nursing will have work for at least two years in hospitals, honing their skills.
Once they have gained the relevant work experience after two years, students may pursue their Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Nursing and then a masters specialising in nursing or healthcare or even business and management.
Some alumni of Nilai University’s Nursing School have taken on established positions in Singapore, Australia, Saudi Arabia and the United States of America.
There are a few niches in nonhealthcare industries such as education, insurance, pharmaceutical, wellness and possibly the military that may require this medical expertise.
Nilai University provides seven types of scholarships where students can enjoy tuition fee waiver from 30% till 100% for its foundation, diploma and degree programmes in a wide range of courses, namely nursing, business and other science-based courses such as Aircraft Engineering Technology.
Speak with Nilai University’s education counsellors on the sponsorships and scholarships available. The July intake is in progress for the Diploma in Nursing and Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Nursing.
For an appointment, call 06-850 2308 or visit www.nilai.edu. my or visit the campus in Nilai, which is open seven days a week except on public holidays.