The Post Basic Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing
The Post Basic Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing (PBCICN) is the first post-basic nursing course in the Nursing Department. We had ten passionate nurses from Sunway Medical Centre who were fully sponsored to undergo this course. As soon as the Nursing Department was awarded the partial accreditation, the course kick-started on the 3rd of March 2021. During this time, the Covid-19 pandemic was making itself known in Malaysia. We did our classes online, one semester after another due to the lockdown regulations. Ensuring student-centered clinical learning that goes beyond knowledge was a challenge. Approval for clinical rotation was withheld due to the pandemic which had forced hospitals to close all training within their facilities to the students, more so the Intensive Care Units. This has resulted in the nurses returning back to their sponsors while we waited for the approval of clinical placement. After the wait for more than six months, the clinical rotation was finally approved as the pandemic was under control. Two students started off their clinical posting for twelve weeks and then another eight followed. Subsequently, with God’s grace we completed the clinical rotation as required in March 2022. A 6-month course took one year to complete!
The government directives to suspend clinical rotation due to the pandemic was a very stressful period for both the students and the academic staff. As much as we wanted them to complete the training as fast as possible, we were held back by the strict regulations from the public hospital. The frustration, agony and disappointment were beyond expression. Nonetheless, we persevered.
As the saying goes : every cloud there is a sliver lining. Today - 5th July 2022, we witness the graduation of these nurses. There was a sense of relief that the students actually completed their training.
To all our PBCICN student - May peace, health, and happiness be with you in every walk of your life. And may each new moment bring the best for you. All the best.
To all the individuals who participated in the training of these students- internally and externally, a big thank you to all.
“I feel proud and glad that to be the first batch student of Post Basic Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing. It was a great experience for me to learn and gain knowledges and skills throughout this 6-month course. I am grateful that able to complete my study despite of the plan of this course was affected by COVID pandemic. Appreciate on everyone's hard work”.
(Lim Siow Ying, PBCICN 202103)
“Sunway University provided the best of both worlds in academic via virtual online classes (due to pandemic) to build and enhance knowledge prior to clinical practice. With clinical practice and postings at various wards, we were able to learn from multi-discipline expertise to provide the best care towards the critically ill patients.
Best experience of the course was during clinical attachment, when real life experience comes into account, as it was priceless and memorable. Sunway University truly provided a comprehensive curriculum and real-time experience that paves my classroom & experience - A class above.”
(Ms Weng Poh Peng, PBCICN 2021)
