The Singapore Health Quality Service Awards (SHQSA) 2025 recognises outstanding service across public and private healthcare institutions and community care organisations. We are immensely proud that our National Heart Centre Singapore’s (NHCS) HEARTS team clinched the Best Team Award in the Clinical Practice Improvement Category. Additionally, 121 of our colleagues received awards - 7 Star, 41 Gold and 73 Silver. This achievement is a testament to the high standards of service and care we continue to uphold as a national and regional cardiac care centre.
CardioConnect spotlights some of our exceptional Star award recipients and explores their motivation for consistently giving their best.
Leading Through Collaboration
Assoc Prof David Sim
Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology
From restructuring clinic schedules to coordinating patient care, Assoc Prof David Sim’s hands-on leadership has enhanced daily operations at NHCS. He believes that transforming healthcare requires understanding daily challenges firsthand.
Under his leadership, the Department of Cardiology introduced regular cross-departmental meetings where medical, nursing, and administrative staff collaborate on patient care plans. "The best method to get staff feedback is to actively involve ourselves in the workflow on the ground and earn one another’s trust," Assoc Prof Sim said. "When everyone has a voice, the work becomes more fulfilling and we're less likely to experience burnout."
His emphasis on professionalism and respect, combined with practical improvements in patient turnaround time and clinic workload management, has created a more efficient and supportive environment for both patients and staff.
Small Changes, Big Impact
Tina Teo
Senior Nurse Manager, Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory
When patients at the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory experienced head injuries during procedures, Senior Nurse Manager (SNM) Tina Teo sprung to work. To her, each incident was not just a statistic but a necessary call to action. Working closely with her team, they designed a special head protection device that has since prevented any further injuries.
SNM Tina leads by sharing experiences with fellow staff and recognising their hard work through thoughtful gestures, such as buying them sweet treats. These simple acts of appreciation help keep the team motivated in delivering the best care for patients.
When asked which NHCS service value matters most to her, SNM Tina shares: "Teamwork and professionalism go hand-in-hand”. She believes that effective work cannot happen without a team, and professionalism is crucial in fostering patient safety, building trust, and enhancing communication for better patient outcomes.
Swift Action, Lasting Impact
Abirami D/O Nagarasan
Senior Staff Nurse, Ward 56
During a particularly busy shift, Senior Staff Nurse (SSN) Abirami D/O Nagarasan noticed subtle changes in her patient's condition. She alerted the medical team immediately as something did not feel right. Instead of heading home, she stayed beyond her shift to carefully monitor the patient. Her instincts proved correct as the early detection helped prevent serious complications for the patient.
"For me, nursing is not just about treating illnesses," SSN Abirami reflects, "It's about caring for the whole person and ensuring they feel supported, respected, and valued throughout their healthcare journey."
Her passion for comprehensive care sparked another initiative, called the Admission Kit project. As team leader, she led a team to develop standardised kits containing essential items like fall risk wrist tags and swabs. This came from her observation that nurses often had to gather various items separately during admissions. The organised kits ensure all necessary items are readily available in one place, reducing delays and creating a smoother experience while maintaining patient safety.
Innovating for Better Patient Experience
Chan Gim Fong
Assistant Nurse Clinician, Cardiac Clinics
At the Cardiac Clinics, Assistant Nurse Clinician (ANC) Chan Gim Fong identified an opportunity to enhance the patient experience through a simple yet effective solution. She proposed adding treatment room monitoring capabilities to the queue station at the Blood Test Room and Nurse Office at Clinic 5A to reduce patients’ wait time. Working closely with the Operations Team, she implemented this new system where staff at both locations could communicate and update patient arrivals for injections more effectively.
Beyond system improvements, ANC Chan provides comprehensive care including financial counselling and coordinating referrals to our team of Medical Social Workers. Her dedication to patient care has earned her an impressive 117 compliments in a year from grateful patients!
"Treat each patient the way we want to be treated," she says simply, a philosophy that guides her approach to both innovation and patient care. "With good communication and teamwork, we can deliver quality service to every patient."
The Power of Compassionate Listening
Raganit Honor Libranda
Senior Staff Nurse, Ward 56
When SSN Raganit Honor Libranda noticed an elderly patient living alone was struggling after discharge, she did not hesitate to personally deliver his medications to his home.
"Having a deep sense of compassion and the desire to help motivates me to go the extra mile," she shares. "I understand the feeling of fear and loneliness especially during hospitalisation." Beyond patient care, as a senior nurse in Ward 56, SSN Honor also works closely with the infection control team to implement hospital-wide prevention strategies, including conducting roadshow on infection control focusing on preventing infection through proper hand hygiene and reinforcing proper donning of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
For SSN Honor, empathy stands out among NHCS's service values. Through years of listening to patients' life stories, she has learned that being a good listener, especially during difficult times, is just as crucial as providing nursing care. She believes that responding with empathy can significantly reduce patients' anxiety and stress levels, while providing reassurance and support leads to better treatment compliance and a more positive outlook on life.
Going the Extra Mile
Rowena San Jose Delfin
Senior Staff Nurse, Short Stay Unit
It is the little things that matter to SSN Rowena San Jose Delfin. Working in the Short Stay Unit, she remembers an elderly patient who lived alone and had left his medications behind during discharge. Without hesitation, she accompanied him to the pharmacy, ensuring all his medications were properly consolidated before he went home.
"Being a nurse is not a walk in the park," she says. "It requires hard work, patience and dedication to thrive in this career." Besides her daily clinical duties, SSN Rowena is also involved in NHCS’s Joy at Work initiatives and collaborated with our Physiotherapists on an ergonomics video project, where she supported by coordinating the filming logistics.
"We always aspire to provide seamless care to our patients. When unexpected situations arise, we need to take charge by offering explanation, solution or even apologise if needed." To SSN Rowena, this proactive approach to ownership ensures that patients receive the best possible care, even when facing unexpected challenges.
Congratulations to all NHCS recipients of the SHQSA 2025. You make us proud!
