Here are some reasons why you want to be a registered nurse in Singapore, this will be centered on what is the registered nurse salary in Singapore, do RN’s get paid overtime, gets paid by the government or private sector and top 3 niches of nursing.
Introduction
Nursing professionals in Singapore have many opportunities for development and learning, as well as a strong career path that encourages their desire to help and make a difference in the lives of others. Nurses can specialize in clinical, management, education, informatics, and science career paths, and advance along their chosen career paths.
And with this progression, nurses can expect several benefits including higher base salaries, bonuses, and security of tenure, particularly for foreign professionals working in the country. In this post, we will share some of the things you need to know about working as a nurse in Singapore, particularly about their salaries and benefits.
Video: Filipina Shares Details about Salary and Working as a Nurse in Singapore
The information presented in this guide will focus on nursing professionals’ salaries and benefits based on the provisions of Singapore’s Ministry of Health, Ministry of Manpower, and SingHealth.
Disclaimer: This post is for information-sharing purposes only. If you have any questions or concerns regarding salary schemes and payment for nurses here in Singapore, you may reach out to the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Health, or your private employer, whichever applies to your case. And if you would like to see more content like this, you may follow and subscribe to the vlogger’s channel to get updated on their latest content about their life in Singapore.
According to our resource vlogger, Vena, who works as a nursing aide in Singapore, nurses here earn significantly more than those working in the Philippines. This is because part of their salary covers their accommodation and food expenses. That’s on top of what they would like to set aside for their personal savings AND money to remit to their families back home.
So is it worthwhile to work as a nurse in Singapore? In this post, we will look into some of the average monthly salaries nursing professionals earn based on the type of job they perform. But before we go through each of them, let us first take a look at the ‘levels’ or types of nursing jobs you can pursue here in Singapore.
Nursing professionals here in Singapore can work in various healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. These also play a role in how much you will earn, because the rates are different when you work in public institutions as opposed to private institutions. In the same way, the bonuses and other benefits will also vary.
Average Salary of Registered Nurse in Singapore
In Singapore, the average registered nurse gross salary is S$3,187 per month or S$27.23 per hour (S$ 45,008 per annum). It’s also worth noting that the staff nurse position is regarded as a low-bonus-based position due to the usual lack of involvement in direct revenue creation, with exceptions, of course.
In 2021, the salaries of registered staff nurses in Singapore range from S$2,169 (the lowest) to S$4,054 (the highest).
The average monthly wage of S$3,187 includes lodging, transportation, and other perks. Staff nurse pay varies greatly depending on the following criteria:
Experience,
The higher your experience is as a nurse, the greater the salary scheme is, as well. Youo may refer to this list for a general overview of how much a staff nurse’s salary increases based on experience:
Less than 2-year experience – S$3,350
2 to 5-year experience – S$4,750
5 to 10 experience – S$6,240
10 to 15 experience – S$7,670
15 to 20 experience – S$8,160
20 + experience – S$8,940
Qualifications,
Gender, and
Place of work/specialization
Staff nurse careers are excellent because you have a decent chance of earning enough money for the future and obtaining Singapore citizenship. Moreover, you can bring your family to Singapore if you have Singaporean citizenship.
Job Description of a Registered (Staff) Nurse in Singapore
- Treat and provide general nursing care to patients in hospital, nursing home, infirmary, or similar health care facility.
- Prescribe and administer medications and procedures in compliance with licensed nursing techniques.
- Prepare instruments and assists physicians during medical procedures and tests.
- Observe the patient, note significant symptoms and reactions, and informs the supervisor or physician of the patient’s condition and response to medications, procedures, and significant events.
- A registered nurse’s license is required.
Registered nurses can advance their careers as a Nurse Clinician, Nurse Educator, and Nurse Manager by specialising their nursing abilities in various areas. This would significantly increase the value of their work in the organization, and in effect, increase their salaries, as well.
Nurse Clinician Salary
In Singapore, the average gross salary for a nurse clinician is S$7365 per month or S$42 per hour (S$88,380 per annum).
Job Description of a Nurse Clinician in Singapore
- Assess the health problems of their problems as well. Create nursing care plans, and maintain medical records.
- Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients.
- May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management.
- Licensing or registration required.
- Includes Clinical Nurse Specialists.
- Excludes “Nurse Anesthetists” (29-1151), “Nurse Midwives” (29-1161), and “Nurse Practitioners” (29-1171).
Senior Staff Nurse Salary
In Singapore, the average gross salary for a senior staff nurse working in public hospitals is S$6,240 per month or S$36 per hour (S$74,880 per annum).
What’s interesting when it comes to seniority is the bonuses they receive for their work. Top management and senior staff naturally have larger bonus rates and frequencies than junior employees. Because of the inherent duties of being higher in the hierarchy, this is fairly foreseeable. Employees at the top of the pyramid can easily receive double or triple bonus rates than those at the bottom.
Job Description of a Senior Staff Nurse in Singapore
- Report to the Resident Physician
- Assist patients, families, caregivers and partners such as nursing homes and general practitioners in understanding patient’s conditions, and monitor continued care plans with these respective parties.
- Visit patient’s homes, general practitioners clinics and/or nursing homes for coordination or ongoing monitoring of patients’ conditions.
Dental Nurse Salary
In Singapore, the average gross salary for a dental nurse is S$2,404.50 per month or S$16 per hour (S$31,204 per annum).
In 2021, the salaries of dental nurses in Singapore can range from S$2,209 – S$2,600 per month.
Job Description of a Dental Nurse in Singapore
- Work closely with the dentist
- Provide assistance throughout a patient’s visit.
- Assist the dentist by preparing the various materials required and ensuring the proper instruments and equipment are available, to cleaning and sterilising the used instruments.
- Additional duties may include helping the dentist to record information about the patient’s oral health, processing radiographs and stock control, working at the reception – making appointments, getting involved in the administration of the practice, etc.
Manager Head Nurse Salary
The average manager head nurse gross salary is S$5,917 per month or S$46 per hour (S$83,573 per annum).
In 2021, the salaries of manager head nurses in Singapore range from S$5,430 (the lowest) to S$9,230 (the highest).
Job Description of a Registered (Staff) Nurse in Singapore
- Manage a ward or department in a healthcare institution.
- Resource, plan, and retain manpower
- Evaluate employee performance
- Review, re-design, and modify policies as needed
It is also worth noting that nurse managers in the public sector make between S$4,900 and S$8000 per month, while those in the private sector earn between S$4560 and S$9230 per month.
In 2021, the salaries of dialysis nurses in Singapore range from S$3,187 (the lowest) to S$4,181 (the highest).
Job Description of a Dialysis Nurse in Singapore
- Perform routine dialysis treatment procedures
- Providing nursing care & overseeing the dialysis treatment from start to finish
- Checking the patients’ vital signs and talking with them to assess their condition
- Perform venipuncture on arterio-venous fistula/graft.
Enrolled Nurse Salary
The average enrolled nurse gross salary is S$2,453 per month or S$17.15 per hour (S$34,642 per annum).
In 2021, the salaries of enrolled nurses in Singapore range from S$1,810 (the lowest) to S$3,050 (the highest).
Job Description of a Enrolled Nurse in Singapore
- Provide assistance to the research team
- Collect data from patients’ medical records and research statistics
- Help document adverse events / reactions that arise
- Perform phlebotomy and venipuncture when required
- Other ad-hoc roles as assigned
Assistant Nurse Salary
The average assistant nurse gross salary is S$1,717 per month or S$13.86 per hour (S$24,246 per annum).
In 2021, the salaries of assistant nurses in Singapore range from S$1,710 (the lowest) to S$2,820 (the highest).
Job Description of a Enrolled Nurse in Singapore
- Monitor patient’s response to treatment or care and report changes in patient’s condition to relevant healthcare team.
- Maintain effective communication with patients, relatives and other members.
- Monitor patient’s response to treatment or care and report changes in patient’s condition to relevant healthcare team.
- Maintain effective communication with patients, relatives and other members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure that appropriate information is shared and patient needs are met.
- Ensure current trends in nursing practice are maintained through attendance of regular seminars and profession affiliation.
- Demonstrate competency in nursing core and special skills.
So now that you have an idea on how much nursing professionals earn here in Singapore, you should also know by now that there are many factors that come into play regarding the salary you might receive when you work here. As a tip, Vena shared that experience plays a crucial role in how much your salary will be, so don’t rush to find work as a nurse in Singapore or elsewhere. Firstly, the experience you’ll gain will not only make your credentials look better, but this will also equip you with the much-needed skills and knowledge about nursing practices and technologies, which you will further enhance once you land a job overseas.
Another important thing is your qualifications. If possible, consider pursuing higher education (MA or PhD) to earn more when you work as a nurse anywhere (even in your home country). This will significantly boost your chances of going up the career ladder, and with it, increase your pay, and ensure job security in your chosen organization. Also, the knowledge and training you’ll get out of this can be an asset to the institution you’ll be working for, making you a top
Conclusion
Singapore is a good place to start building your career. In fact, working here has lots of great benefits for Filipinos, especially nurses and those in the health profession. With that, don’t pass the chance to work here once you’ve gained significant experience and training back home. You will later find out that there are so many opportunities waiting for you out there, if only you choose to be the best nursing professional you can be. Through the help of this guide, we hope you discover a renewed passion and interest in working as a nurse in Singapore or overseas. Let us know what you think by leaving your comments and reactions in the comment section below. We’d love to hear your input and experiences regarding this topic!
