Salary guide for nurses in Singapore (2022)

It's important to know your labour rights especially in a sector as critical and important as healthcare. If you're a nurse or you're looking to get started with a career in healthcare, check out our salary guide for nurses in Singapore to make sure you're getting a fair compensation.

Given Singapore's aging population and the increased caseload brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for nursing jobs in Singapore are on the rise.

Whether you're a seasoned healthcare professional or looking to break into the healthcare industry, it's important to know your labour rights and what sort of wages to expect. Find out in this salary guide about the appropriate salary ranges for different types of nurses in Singapore, across different care facilities such as hospitals and home care.

One of the most important determinants of your salary range as a nurse in Singapore is what type of nurse you are. There are two main categories of nurses in Singapore: registered nurses and enrolled nurses.

Who are registered nurses?

Registered nurses (RN) have higher starting qualifications and start their careers as staff nurses with the opportunity to advance their careers under the following tracks:

• Management - Lead a team of nurses and oversee ward operations
• Clinical - Provide direct care to patients
• Education - Equip fellow nurses with higher nursing skills

Qualifications

Registered nurses are required to be either  'O' or 'A' level holders who attain either a diploma or degree in nursing. 

Job scope

Depending on the exact work setting and specialities chosen, the job scope of a registered nurse may vary.

Common duties and responsibilities of registered nurses, however, include: 

• Evaluating patients' physical health to assess their health concerns
• Providing direct care for care recipients with injuries, and disabilities or who are recuperating 
• Performing and interpreting medical tests to evaluate patient health conditions and deciding on appropriate treatment plans
• Educating care recipients about their medical conditions and the treatment plan suitable for them
• Providing counsel and emotional support to care recipients, their families, close friends and relatives when appropriate
• Supervision of junior medical staff such as nursing aides and assistants
• Communicating medical reports and what they mean to care recipients 
• Maintaining a clean and risk-free working environment
• Designing and enforcing appropriate nursing care plans
• Helping doctors with medical procedures

Who are enrolled nurses? 

Enrolled nurses (EN) possess lower starting qualifications and typically assist registered nurses in delivering comprehensive nursing care for care recipients. Higher nursing responsibilities are given to those who progress to become senior enrolled nurses. 

Qualifications 

Enrolled nurses are 'N' Level holders who have successfully pursued a Nitec in Nursing at the Institute of Technical Education. 

Job scope

Enrolled nurses work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Their job scopes vary but they are accountable for all aspects of delegated care within their scope of practice. 

Some common duties and responsibilities of enrolled nurses include:

• Performing comprehensive health assessments of clients and care recipients such as observation, physical examination and measurements of temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiration, blood sugar levels, etc.
• Monitoring changes in care recipients' conditions and reporting to registered nurses or doctors
• Assisting care recipients with personal hygiene routine and other activities of daily living such as showering, bathing, dressing, and eating
• Implement rehabilitation or exercise programs with care recipients when necessary
• Plan, implement and evaluate nursing care plan in collaboration with RN and other health care team members to improve care recipients' health outcomes
• Administering first aid and assistance during emergencies
• Encouraging and educating care recipients on how to lead healthy lifestyles
• Administering medications according to their scope of practice 
• Promoting safety for themselves and others in all aspects of nursing practice 

Salary range for nurses in Singapore 

As a general rule of thumb, registered nurses can expect to earn more than enrolled nurses as they have higher starting qualifications and have more career progression pathways.

A Registered Nurse, for example, can come to take on senior leadership, management or research roles that are inaccessible for enrolled nurses. Experience and seniority, of course, also contribute to wage differences just like in any other industry.

The Healthcare Services Employees' Union (HSEU)'s agreements with healthcare clusters and institutions in Singapore such as NUHS, SingHealth, NHG, and NTUC Health Co-Operative, however, help ensure wage expectations for nurses in Singapore remain stable and healthy. 

Here are some expected salary ranges you can expect as a nurse working in the public healthcare system. 

National University Health System (NUHS) nurses

Depending on the seniority level and position, NUHS enrolled nurses can earn salaries ranging from $1,700 to $4,400 while NUHS registered nurses can earn salaries ranging from $2,600 to $9,230. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown of the possible salary ranges for NUHS nursing positions:

SingHealth nurses

SingHealth nurses earn similar salary ranges as well. For entry-level positions, a SingHealth enrolled nurse can expect to earn $1,700 to $2,800. 

Here's a detailed breakdown of the salary ranges for SingHealth nurses:

Source: HSEU Collective Agreement with SingHealth

National Healthcare Group (NHG) nurses

National Healthcare Group classifies enrolled nurses as assistant nurses. 

Here’s a detailed breakdown of NGH nursing salaries: 

Source: HSEU Collective Agreement with NHG

NTUC Health Co-operative nurses

NTUC Health Co-Operative uses its job grading system to differentiate between executive (D-E1) and non-executive (A-C1) employees with commensurate salaries being offered. 

It is likely that registered nurses would qualify as executive staff while enrolled nurses would qualify as non-executive staff.

Source: HSEU Collective Agreement with NTUC Health Co-Operative

Farrer Park Hospital nurses

Nursing salaries in the private sector generally can be expected to be a bit more flexible and varied given that they aren't restricted by any union agreements. 

A glance at Glassdoor shows that Farrer Park nurses can expect the following salary ranges:

Homage nurses

At Homage, enrolled nurses can expect to receive up to $23 per hour while registered nurses can expect to receive up to $27 per hour.

For a normal forty-four-hour work week, that easily translates to $4,080 per month for enrolled nurses and $4,752 for registered nurses at Homage.

Unlike traditional hospital or healthcare settings, Homage also offers nurses the flexibility to work either on a freelance or short-term contract basis.

Freelance nurses are free to boost their salaries by taking on more assignments while contract nurses can expect possible monthly incentives or bonuses on top of their base salary if they achieve 100 per cent attendance rate. 

Other job considerations for nurses

While your base salary is important, it is also crucial that you consider other terms of employment when you're searching for a job, especially in a profession that's as demanding as nursing.

Maximum working hours per week

Nurses should expect to work around 38-42 hours per week. 

Be sure to check what working hours your employment contract stipulates before signing.

If you choose to work overtime, make sure that you're fairly compensated and that you aren't being pressured to do so!

Rest days/leave

If you're working as a nurse at a public healthcare institution, you should be entitled to one day of rest per week. 

You would also be entitled to a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of 28 days of annual leave depending on your seniority and years of service. You should always clarify with your HR department if you're unclear about your leave allocation.

As a Homage nurse, you can choose your rest and leave days as and when you wish, whether it be part-time or freelance arrangements. 

Other incentives

Different organisations may also offer their own specific non-monetary benefits such as dental, medical benefits and insurance. 

Make sure you clarify what these are before signing your contract to ensure that they meet your needs adequately.

If you require additional benefits like childcare relief or daycare facilities, it might be a good idea to communicate such needs to your HR department during the negotiation process.

ALSO READ: Best nursing schools and courses in Singapore (2022)

This article was first published in Homage.