FAMILY FIRST

no bossiness “Be on the ground and listen to your staff. When there is a problem, help them solve it. That way, people will come forward to talk to you – and that’s how you can learn a lot.” strong nursing leadership and quality patient care.

She rallied a team of nurses who toiled for six months to put together SGH’s application. Led by Prof Lim, who edited every single page (“I felt like a teacher marking exam scripts!”), the team produced several tomes of evidence to support the application, which collectively measured 15 inches in thickness.

It was enough for the Magnet surveyors to fly down to inspect the hospital – a shock for Prof Lim, as she’d heard that only a handful of hospitals ever make it to this stage.

On the day the surveyors were supposed to call Prof Lim with the results, she booked one of the largest auditoriums in the hospital and invited SGH’s senior management, doctors and nurses. “I wanted to thank everyone for their hard work and to celebrate, regardless of the result.”

As a hush fell over the room, she stood on a stage with a phone, waiting for it to ring. “You made it,” the caller said simply. The room broke into chaos as the staff cheered.

Achievements like this boosted morale and further convinced the nurses that they were in the right profession. With obvious pride, Prof Lim says: “If you ask them, you will find they are proud to say: ‘I am a nurse.’” get your feelers out “Whenever I do my rounds in the hospital, I quietly stand in a corner to take in what’s happening around me. I’ll ask myself: ‘Why are the nurses rushing about? Is it because they have no equipment? Is something wrong with the work process?’ Then I’ll gure out how I can help them.” sharing is caring “Discuss your vision with your team. If you don’t, they can’t move – they won’t know what direction you’re planning to go in.” Prof Lim’s daughter Serene, 26, is a doctor at the National University Hospital. She jokingly says of her mum: “She’s the worst kind of patient because she always downplays her symptoms! She worries about everyone more than she worries about herself.”

Every year, bestows our Woman of the Year award to a woman who has met these criteria: • She is a Singaporean or permanent resident who has attained a high level of achievement in the past year. • Her achievement has had a broad impact on society, or benetted a particular industry and brought her to the public’s notice. • She represents the best of Singapore, at home or abroad, and is an inspiration and a role model.