Keeping calm under pressure
As an Operating Theatre nurse, you have to be smart, be quick on your feet, stay calm under pressure, and work well with a team of experts. Moarie Grace Tan loves being one, and relishes her work in the repair and recovery of patients.
by Charmaine Baylon
Portraits by Nick Tan
When your heart says it’s the right thing to do, trust your instincts and power your way through.
That’s the mind-set that Moarie Grace Tan has had from a very young age. “When I was in primary school, we were tasked to do a journal on what we would like to be when we grew up,” she recalls.
“I did a little booklet on nursing and what nurses do; I decorated it with plaster and things used to apply on wounds. Though I wasn’t sure where I got the idea from, it won me the second prize, and I was proud of it.”
This early memory stayed with her as she progressed through her studies. After finishing secondary school, Moarie had no doubts in choosing her course of study: Nursing. Even if it meant a lot hard work, the thought of excelling and helping people remained a constant inspiration.
“The rest, as they say, is history,” she says with a smile.
The right expectations
After graduating from Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) with a Diploma in Nursing in 2001 and an Advanced Diploma in Perioperative Studies in 2005, Moarie took further training at the University of Sydney, earning a Bachelor degree in Health Sciences in 2007.
Moarie (second from left) at a work event.
After her studies, she worked at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), and is presently a nurse clinician in the Operating Theatre (OT) of Alexandra Hospital, which is currently managed by Sengkang Health.
It’s a career path Moarie is very happy to be on, even though her mother initially discouraged her from working in healthcare. But Moarie remained unfazed.
“I knew being a nurse was not just about taking care of old people and handling bed pans. When I was younger, my mother was admitted to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital for surgery. I remembered how the nurses spent time making my mum feel better when she was uncomfortable after the surgery. They even had time to chat with me, and tried to make my time in the ward as pleasant as possible,” Moarie recounts.
A whole new world
Moarie first stepped into an OT during third year hospital attachment. “I never knew what OT nursing entailed until then, as OT was a specialised area and only Year Threes were allowed in,” she recalls. “I was excited and thought to myself, ‘Hey, how bad can OT be, since it is air-conditioned and I won’t perspire?”
For Moarie (seated at right), operations require the ultimate team effort. (photo courtesy of Moarie Tan)
Her first OT case was assisting with a hernia repair. “I had the privilege of having one of the best senior staff nurses in the General Surgery Department to guide me throughout the surgery,” Moarie relates.
“She praised me and told me that I was better than many junior nurses who joined OT after graduation. That certainly made me happy and awfully proud. I went on to assist in two other surgical procedures during my first week of attachment.”
Moarie’s choice soon became clear. “After graduation, I selected Operating Theatre Nursing in SGH,” she says proudly.
The OT nursing programme was rigorous. At the start of the programme in 2001, “it was the largest group that OT ever had for new recruits,” according to Moarie. The 20 recruits who joined were assigned to different disciplines in OT.
“In 2016, there are now only four of us left from my cohort,” revealed Moarie. “And out of those 20 people, three of us were assigned to the orthopaedic discipline – which was always the most hectic, also because of the heavy items we had to carry.”
Moarie’s determination helped her stay the course. “I was just excited to begin my life in OT. The feeling was indescribable!”
Every day is unique
When lives are at stake in the Operating Theatre, an OT nurse has to be constantly on his or her toes.
“I find it most challenging when a patient is rushed into OT for emergency surgery. The main aim of surgery is to keep the patient alive; and because of the urgency of the surgery, the surgeon will ask for various items almost every second!” Moarie explains.
There is no shortage of memorable days for an OT nurse.
“Once, I assisted in a laparotomy case for an obstructed bowel. This surgery required a vertical cut through the abdomen, exposing the intestines. This patient had suffered from an obstructed bowel for a while and required immediate surgery to save his life. The surgeons found the blockage and cut off the affected portion of the intestine. The moment the abdomen was exposed, the operating room was filled with a pungent smell! After a while, the odour did not matter anymore. Somehow, we just got used to it,” Moarie explains.
“Before the surgeons could connect the two ends of the cut intestines, it was mandatory to clean out the intestines. The surgeons started squeezing both sides of the intestines, forcing out as much slime as they could. Suddenly, I saw something yellow popping out from one end. It was a piece of corn. At that point, I said out loud that I was never going to see corn the same way ever! The surgeons laughed! That was a light moment during a very serious surgery.”
Anecdote aside, OT nursing is an incredibly intense occupation – one that stretches you to your limits and pushes you to think outside the box.
“There was another case concerning a fracture. The surgery was specially arranged on a Saturday and a few top-notch doctors were called in. I was the scrub nurse assisting in the surgery,” Moarie discloses.
“I was a third or fourth year staff then, and with all the senior doctors around, I boldly suggested them to try something which I thought would help. As it turned out, it worked, and I received a ‘thank you’ from one of the doctors.”
She gained something valuable that day. “Never be afraid to ask or make suggestions – asking questions helps to foster a learning and nurturing environment. I also believe that no question is silly or stupid. Nurses are the patient’s advocates.”
A part of the team
“Nurses don’t just watch from the side lines,” Moarie adds. “Their contribution helps their colleagues perform their jobs better, and most importantly help patients improve.”
Moarie with her nursing mentor, Ms Goh Meh Meh, Deputy Director Nursing OT Services, Singapore General Hospital
“Communication is very important not just in OT, but in the ward [too], to ensure holistic patient care and transfer,” she says.
“Being able to anticipate what the surgeon needs is also essential. However, this takes time to learn, just as experience is required to overcome a lot of things. It helps one to remain calm and collected in a stressful situation. With good communication, good coordination will follow.”
You have to hold yourself accountable for your actions too.
“The ability to own up to one’s mistakes is important, and being able to say the word ‘sorry’ is difficult but essential. It shows humility, and that we are willing to learn, no matter how senior our position. People will be more willing to approach you, to teach or to share what they know with you if you are humble,” she stresses.
“I also believe that we should never talk down to our colleagues or staff,” adds Moarie. “‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ Most importantly, respect is gained and earned, not demanded.”
Hard work recognised
With Moarie’s dedication, and knowing that she has found nursing a satisfying career, her family is now totally on board with her work.
“They didn’t think I would stay long in nursing. They always thought that I would quit and do a sales job,” she declares.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) Nurses’ Merit award she received in July 2015 may have contributed to their changed outlook. “My family was super proud of me. I was surprised to have received the award and I thank SGH Major Operating Theatre for putting in a good word for me in the nomination… 15 years in nursing and still counting.”
The day Moarie (centre) received her MOH Nurses’ Merit Award
And her family benefits from her expertise. “I am like the doctor, health professor and nurse at home. I am expected to know all about medications, its side effects, what kind of surgery is required for what kind of health problems, the kind of food to avoid, etc,” she says with a laugh.
“I am happy to answer their questions but always only after consulting my doctor-friends! It is good to know doctors and nurses from other areas because of the knowledge that they have.”
Great support
Moarie also loves that her family gives her some much needed “me” time. “On days when I get really tired at work, my husband helps me with the kids and he allows me to indulge in the activities that he knows will calm my nerves,” she remarks. “The support me by just being there, and by giving me the space to ‘chill.’”
Moarie (left) and her fellow OT nurses created a balloon arch for a recent Nurses’ Day event.
The flexibility of shifts is a bonus as well. “Being on shifts allows me to have rest days on weekdays, and that means I can spend more time with my kids and bring them out for meals after school. Shopping is a breeze too, with fewer crowds. Plus working afternoon shifts means that I can even catch up on Korean drama serials the night before, as I do not have to wake up early for work the next day.”
And when she has a few more hours to spare? “I like to bake and cook. Home is my haven. The time I spend at home is great as I can be quiet and don’t need to talk to anyone about work,” she asserts.
“Whenever I bake or cook, my colleagues get to be my guinea pigs. They are usually very honest with their opinions and that helps me better myself at baking or cooking!”
