Jean Cabreros
Nurse Manager
“My tiniest actions could be what the patient remembers in their last moments”
My name is Jean and I’ve been at St Luke’s Hospital since 1998. I’m currently a Nurse Manager in the palliative ward.
Growing up in the Philippines, I went to nursing school because my aunt supported me. It’s one of the most expensive courses in the Philippines and I’m really grateful for her help.
As the eldest in my family, I was motivated to further my studies abroad to provide for my family. I grabbed the chance to come to Singapore in 1998 as a Nurse Aide at St Luke’s Hospital.
The staff here are a close-knit family and that helped me deal with how home-sick I was at the beginning – I had left my one-year-old daughter back in the Philippines to come to Singapore and through regular meetings, fellowship and prayer with other staff, it helped me get through that period.
When I became a nurse manager, I realised it was a calling to serve the people. Looking at how everything had been divinely provided for, I felt like I had to stay here and continue my work.
Being in the palliative ward for the past two years, I’ve seen patients from all walks of life, and even helped some to fulfil their dying wish. From not knowing the patient’s name at the start to interacting with their family members, this connection helps me remember that even though I am one person, my tiniest actions could be what the patient remembers in their last moments.
In the general wards, patients come to the hospital to recuperate and go back to the community. In the palliative care ward, the goal is to improve their quality of life in their final days.
How we show care is to understand the situation, make patients more comfortable, and be more intentional in the way we interact. When they are grieving or suffering especially, knowing that we can help them pass on peacefully has kept me motivated to continue working in this ward.
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