Proud moment: Rajpal at the conferment ceremony.
EXCELLENCE in healthcare is rooted in lifelong learning.
It is a commitment Rajpal Singh Baldev Singh first observed in his mentor Datuk Dr Balakrishnan Ratnam, an orthopaedic surgeon who received training at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).
That influence inspired his ambition to one day join the community of fellows at the medical education institution in Dublin – a goal he recently achieved when Rajpal, a nurse leader, was formally conferred the Fellowship of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the RCSI on Dec 8.
The honour recognises nursing leaders who have contributed significantly to the advancement of the profession and to the improvement of patient care.
Rajpal, whose leadership in nursing spans Malaysia and Indonesia, described the honour as one that belongs not only to him, but also to the nurses and healthcare professionals in the region who continue to improve patient care, shape clinical innovation and advance professional excellence.
He expressed hope that the fellowship would inspire the next generation of nurses in South-East Asia.
For the Perakian, who was born and raised in Ipoh, nursing is not only a profession but also a purpose.
This lesson – bestowed upon him by his mother, who worked as a clinic nurse – is a constant reminder to Rajpal, whose family has served in healthcare for three generations.
His grandfather was one of the earliest radiographers in Malaysia and trained in Australia in the early 1960s.
Rajpal’s siblings and wife also serve in the healthcare profession in different capacities. One sister is a nurse-cum-patient experience officer, another is a nursing tutor, while his brother is a military pharmacist. His wife Sharanjit Kaur Randhawa is a perioperative nurse.
Rajpal, a PhD candidate in healthcare management, currently serves as the corporate head of nursing at a healthcare group in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he leads nursing transformation in seven hospitals, with several more under development. His work focuses on quality improvement, accreditation, patient safety and international nursing standards.
His achievements include greenfield hospital commissioning, international accreditation, nursing workforce development, patient experience innovation and digital healthcare transformation.
The Fellowship of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the RCSI is one of the most prestigious professional qualifications awarded to nurses and midwives. It allows fellows to join an extensive professional network across the world and access numerous research and networking event opportunities.
