We Care | Redefining the Frontlines: Nurses Who Are Changing the Game

Nurses are so much more than healthcare providers, they are advocates, innovators and drivers of change who shape the future of healthcare from ground up. As we wrap up our Nurses’ Day celebrations this August, we are proud to spotlight two inspiring SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP) nurses, whose dedication extend beyond the clinic walls. Driven by compassion and curiosity, their research is pioneering new ways to empower patients and transform the future of primary care.

Bridging the Digital Divide for Seniors

Throughout her career, Zulidiah Binte Mohd Mohtar, an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) at Pasir Ris Polyclinic, has carried a deeply rooted belief - exceptional nursing begins with truly understanding what a patient needs.

While caring for seniors with chronic conditions, she noticed a common challenge: many struggled to navigate the digital tools that were designed to help them.

Inside the clinic: Zulidiah engages warmly with a patient during a consultation

"Every improvement starts with someone asking, ‘How can we do this better?" she reflected. That single question sparked her research into digital health literacy among older adults, developing interventions to help seniors navigate digital platforms and telehealth services.

Tech made simple: Zulidiah walks an older adult through modern health platforms

Her findings overturned a common misconception that older adults are highly resistant to technology. On the contrary, with proper guidance and encouragement, seniors are very much capable of building new digital skills. Her research identified key barriers that senior patients face and this study has since guided education and support programmes, helping them use digital health services confidently and supporting initiatives like Healthy 365.

Zulidiah at the 10th Asia Pacific Primary Care Research Conference 2025,
where her research was showcased.

To bridge this gap, Zulidiah advocates for sustained digital support for older adults, ranging from regular coaching, age-friendly app designs to on-site clinic support. “Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that no senior is left behind as healthcare becomes increasingly digital,” Zulidiah says.

As we wrap up a month of Nurses’ Day celebrations this August, Zulidiah shares an inspiring reminder with her fellow healthcare professionals: “Every nurse has the ability to drive meaningful change, and even small ideas can make a lasting impact.”

Opening the Door to Better Sexual Health Care

For Chua Wei Hsin, an APN at Bukit Merah Polyclinic, trust forms the bedrock of patient care. Having served across multiple polyclinics over the years, she has learned that the most important conversations are often the hardest for patients to initiate. Creating a safe, judgment-free space is essential.

This insight inspired her research into sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening in primary care. Observing that patients were not avoiding care out of reluctance or stigma alone, but because of systemic barriers that limited access to care, Wei Hsin was set to make sexual health screening more accessible within the primary care setting.

Creating a safe space for patients: Wei Hsin brings a warm, welcoming presence
to her daily clinic check-ups

In 2024, the Ministry of Health reported a 74% increase in STI cases amongst female Singapore residents. Despite this rise, many asymptomatic carriers go undiagnosed as STI screening is not routinely offered in public primary care settings.

Wei Hsin’s current research explores how to integrate STI screening into routine preventive health screenings. By studying the perspectives of both female patients and primary care providers, she hopes to make early detection and treatment part of a seamless, patient-centred approach.

Her findings showed that this integrated approach is both acceptable and feasible, paving the way for a more holistic, patient-centred model that encourages early detection and timely treatment. “When patients feel respected and understood, they are more willing to discuss sensitive concerns and make informed decisions,” she shared.

Celebrating research excellence: Wei Hsin (second from left) at the 10th Asia Pacific Primary Care Research Conference 2025, where her research was showcased

Looking ahead, Wei Hsin strongly encourages more nurses to step into research and leadership roles to champion critical frontline perspectives. She offers a powerful message to all colleagues: ‘With an ageing population and increasing healthcare demands, we cannot rely on yesterday's solutions to solve tomorrow's challenges. Nursing is not only about adapting to change – we can lead it.”

Caring for Today, Shaping Tomorrow

Both nurses proudly showcased their work at the international stage, sharing vital insights with a wider audience and enriching the conversation on primary care advancement.

Zulidiah and Wei Hsin remind us that nursing reaches far beyond the care given in any clinic room. Their journeys prove what becomes possible when compassion meets curiosity, and that every nurse carries the potential to make a lasting difference, not just for the patients they see today, but for generations to come.