Becoming a Nurse in Malaysia

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“Why do I feel like I like taking care of people? I need to be needed, and I enjoy helping people who are elderly or disabled.”

“Because you are most likely a very compassionate person. You need to be needed. You can meet your own needs while also making the world a better place by helping others. You were destined to be a good nurse.”

One of the reasons most nurses say they became nurses is to help people. Despite this, nursing shortages have been a problem since 1998. According to projections, there will be a need to hire up to a million new nursing professionals by 2022 to meet the growing demand.

The Basic of Nursing

What is Nursing?

Nursing, as an essential component of the health-care system, includes the promotion of health, illness prevention, and care of physically ill, mentally ill, and disabled people of all ages in all health-care and other community settings. Individual, family, and group “responses to actual or potential health problems” are phenomena of particular concern to nurses within this broad spectrum of health care.

Nursing is an extremely rewarding career path in which you can make a significant difference in the lives of others. But, at the same time, it is a lot of hard work.

As nursing is a specialized profession that focuses on caring and educating people within the healthcare system, you can expect to gain knowledge as a nurse not only through these subjects, but also through hands-on experience in any healthcare setting.

Different Types of Nursing Specialties

There are many types of nursing professions, each with its own challenges and responsibilities. Here are some very popular ones:

Registered nurse

Provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the general public on various health issues

Pediatric nurse

Provide basic medical care for children ranging in age from new-borns to adolescents and young adults

Oncology nurse

Provide care for patients facing critical illness

Geriatric nurse

Provide care for elderly patients with injuries or illness

Cardiac nurse

Provide care and surgery assistance for cardiac patients

ER nurse

Perform a series of tasks after careful assessment and stabilization of the patient in the emergency room

Mental health nurse

Diagnose and treat mental disorders in patients and provide counselling service

Orthopedic nurse

Focus on musculoskeletal problems and diseases such as fractures

Nurse Midwife

Provide care for pregnant women

Public health nurse

Advocate and educate communities about important health information for their society

The Subjects You May Learn in Nursing Course

During your course in nursing, here are some of the subjects that you will be studying:

  • Pharmacology
  • Nursing skills and practice
  • Medical sciences
  • Psychology and sociology
  • Medicine and surgery
  • Health promotion

The Essential Skills You Need to Become a Nurse

Choosing to become a nurse is a big commitment. If you want to pursue a career in this life-changing and highly sought-after field, here are just a few of the essential skills you will need to succeed:

#1 Effective Communication

The ability to effectively communicate is presumably the single most important skill in any workplace, but especially so in a hospital. Nurses must communicate with their patients, their family members, and the larger medical team on a daily basis. Therefore, you must be able to listen to and understand your patient’s concerns as this is critical for assessing conditions and developing treatment plans.

#2 Attention to Detail

When working closely with drug doses and administrations, it is critical to be aware of the finer details. Thus, you must be detail-oriented because many of the situations you handle are life-or-death and must be precise in ensuring that patients receive the right treatments, in the right dosages, and at the right time.

#3 Adaptability

Every day on the ward is different, from the patients you care for to the unexpected and sudden situation you must deal with. This means that as a nurse, you must be able to change your priority, schedule, and responsibilities at any time.

#4 Teamwork

No employability checklist would be complete without mentioning the importance of teamwork, and nursing is no exception. Nurses frequently work as part of a medical team to provide comprehensive patient care. Hence, you must be able to collaborate and communicate with other team members in order to achieve a common goal for your patients.

General Pathway of Becoming a Nurse in Malaysia

Step 1

After SPM/O-Levels, you are required to complete a Foundation in Science, Diploma in Nursing or other Pre-University course such as STPM or A-Level.

Step 2

Proceed to a Degree in Nursing either Pre-registration or Post-registration. Pre-registration is open for students who have completed SPM (or equivalent) and a Pre-University or Foundation course. Post-registration is catered to nursing students who have completed a diploma.

Step 3

After completing the degree, you will need to pass the Malaysian Nursing Board Exam and then you register with the Malaysian Nursing Board.

Step 4

If you want to specialize in a particular type of nursing care, you can pursue a Postgraduate Degree.

General Entry Requirements to Study Nursing in Malaysia

Below are the minimum requirements you would need to fulfill in order to be eligible to enter this programme in university:

Diploma in Nursing (3 years)

  • SPM/O-Level: Minimum 5 credits, including Bahasa Melayu, Mathematics, and a Science subject. English is compulsory to pass

Degree in Nursing (Pre-Registration) (4 years)

  • STPM: Minimum CGPA 2.5; or
  • A-Level: Minimum of 3Cs; or
  • Australian Matriculation: Minimum of ATAR 60; or
  • Foundation in Science: Minimum CGPA of 3.00; or
  • Diploma in Science: Minimum CGPA of 2.50

Degree in Nursing (Post-Registration) (2 – 2.5 years)

  • Diploma in Nursing; and
  • Minimum 3 years clinical working experience; and
  • Registered with Nursing Board Malaysia; and
  • Possessed Annual Practicing Certificate (APC)

Note: Universities may have different requirements. To learn more, get in touch with us!

Recommended Universities in Malaysia

When it comes to selecting the best nursing school to pursue your dream, it can be a difficult decision. Below are some suggestion we prepared for you where you can pursue a nursing program in Malaysia:

#1 International Medical University Malaysia (IMU)

Programmed Offered

Bachelor of Nursing (Hons)

Total Duration

4 years

General Intake

September

Indicative Fees (2022)

Contact us 

Key Highlights

  • Malaysia’s First and Most Established Private Healthcare University
  • Better Preparation for Patient Care
  • Curriculum Benchmarked to International Standards
  • Opportunities to Work Overseas
  • Build Your Future Healthcare Professional Network

Campus

  • Bukit Jalil University (main campus)
  • Seremban, Batu Bahat, & Kluang (clinical campus)

For more information regarding the fees, program structure and entry requirements, contact us now for free consultation!

#2 MAHSA University

Programme Offered

Bachelor of Science (Hons) Nursing

Total Duration

4 years

General Intake

August

Indicative Fees (2022)

Contact us

Key Highlights

  • MQA Accreditation
  • Recognized by the Nursing Board Malaysia & Ministry of Health, Malaysia
  • Mobility Programme
  • Eligible to gain certification in Masterclasses
  • Professional courses

Campus

Jenjarom

For more information regarding the fees, program structure and entry requirements, contact us now for free consultation!s

#3 Nilai University

Programmed Offered

Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Nursing

Total Duration

4 years

General Intake

January and July

Indicative Fees (2022)

Contact us

Key Highlights

  • Obtained a score of 89% under the Teaching & Learning criterion in SETARA 2017 
  • Exposure to Diverse Cultures
  • ‘Total Student Experience’ with engaging clubs
  • Observe strict guidelines of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) & Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE)

Campus

Nilai

For more information regarding the fees, program structure and entry requirements, contact us now for free consultation!

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About The Author

Zhee Ying

Bello 🙂

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