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Independent Singapore
5 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
‘Why is nursing looked down on?' Student in Singapore pushes back against tired stereotypes
SINGAPORE: A nursing student recently took to Reddit to express her frustration over the negative perceptions people have of her chosen career. In her post titled ' Why are nurses so poorly regarded in society despite how hard they work?' , the student shared that whenever she tells someone she is studying nursing in a polytechnic, she often receives a 'judgy look.' Some even go so far as to ask whether nursing was her 'first choice.' 'Yes! It was my first choice,' she wrote in her post. 'With my O-Level score, I could have gone to JC, but I chose not to. I decided to go into nursing.' She went on to discuss the stigma surrounding the nursing profession — particularly how some people assume nursing is a backup option for students with poor grades. This perception, she said, is far from the truth. She pointed out that the cut-off point for nursing in polytechnics is actually among the highest across all courses, yet the field still suffers from a lack of respect. 'Despite all the bio, the diseases, and the hands-on clinical skills we're learning now, people have this idea like, 'Oh, nursing is for people who didn't do well and have nowhere else to go.' Like, what do you mean? All this stuff I'm learning right now is so hard,' she said. She also raised concerns about the pay gap between nurses and doctors, noting that it contributes to the belief that nurses are merely 'helpers' rather than professionals in their own right. 'People think that nurses are just the helpers for doctors because doctors get paid an insane amount of money, while nurses are paid so poorly. I do agree that nurses help doctors, but we aren't just helpers — we do so much more. Even if I could go into medicine, I wouldn't, because I love how much patient interaction nurses have,' she explained. Despite the stigma, the student expressed pride in her choice, describing her nursing journey so far as 'amazing' and deeply fulfilling. 'Nursing is so versatile. There are so many different pathways to pursue after you start working, and every day is something different. The last couple of weeks have been nothing but amazing, and as of now, I don't regret my decision,' she shared. She ended her post by inviting Singaporeans to share their thoughts on the profession. 'I know that there are also some people who are really grateful for nurses. But anyway, this was just a thought, and I would love to hear what other Singaporeans think about nurses!' 'Singaporean society values prestige and money.' Contrary to the judgments she received, many users in the comments shared that they do not look down on the profession and are, in fact, grateful for nurses. 'I don't regard nurses poorly at all,' one user said. 'Just surprised that people are willing to take up such a demanding and unappreciated profession, especially if they are local. Takes a certain strength of character, nothing but respect.' 'I respect nurses and caregivers 100%, especially during COVID,' another chimed in. 'I can't imagine seeing a patient coughing his lungs out, asking for help while professing to be anti-vax.' Others, however, shared their views on why some people might look down on the profession. A user, who claimed to be a doctor, suggested that it often comes down to pay: 'Doctor here. I would say for SG, it's mainly because of the pay, and as you know, in SG society, getting money = having dignity. If a nurse were paid similarly to a doctor, you wouldn't receive such comments. It also didn't help that the population white paper accidentally called nursing a low-skilled job (which they amended after).' Another echoed this sentiment, stating, 'Singaporean society values prestige and money. If a career doesn't lead to tangible money, it's immediately regarded as inferior. Such is, unfortunately, the sad state of things.' See also Rambo:Last Blood politics explained What's behind the stigma against nurses? Back in 2022, Dr Pamela Cipriano, the president of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), spoke out about why nursing tends to be looked down on in many parts of the world. One big reason, she said, is because of gender. Since around 90 per cent of nurses worldwide are women, nursing has historically been seen as less important or skilled. For a long time, jobs that involve caregiving, such as nursing, have been labelled as 'women's work' and therefore not taken seriously. This outdated view has led to the profession being undervalued, both in terms of public perception and in how much nurses are paid. Dr Cipriano added, 'ICN calls for health systems around the world to invest in nursing and evaluate the gendered pay models toward the nursing profession as a historically female profession. Women and other gender minorities need equal pay for equal work within nursing and the health sector.' Read also: 'Why should I pay for a car I won't use?' — Singaporean upset after parents ask him to pay for family car's COE Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: 'Bonnie and Clyde' TikTok boasts of Brit student who vanished in Thailand...before ending up in court 4,000 miles away on drugs charges
She is the British student who boasted of her 'Bonnie and Clyde' lifestyle on TikTok, sharing bikini snaps of her lapping up the sun on idyllic beaches in the Philippines. But now, 18-year-old Bella May Culley faces being caged in an ex-soviet jail after being arrested on drug smuggling charges. The teenager appeared to be living a life of luxury, scuba diving and partying on the tropical islands of Palawan and Panay, where she explored coastal caves and played with turtles. But in a posts on TikTok and Instagram, Culley also flaunted huge stacks of cash – showing off a pile of £10 and £20 notes held together by a hairband. While in other clips shared on social media, the nursing student appeared to film herself 'smoking cannabis' riding in the back of a car. 'Blonde or brunette? Erm how about we get up to criminal activities side by side like Bonnie n Clyde making heavy figures and f***ing on balconies over the world,' she bragged in one video on April 1. In a caption she added: 'I don't care if we on the runnnnn baby long as i'm next to uuu.' However, her online posts stopped abruptly last week, sparking fears from her family she may have vanished while heading to Thailand. Her parents were so worried, they jetted out to the country as part of a desperate hunt for the missing teen. Unbeknown to them, Culley had been detained 3,000 miles away in Georgia, after allegedly being caught carrying 30 pounds (14kg) of cannabis in Tbilisi International Airport. Appearing in court today, the 18-year-old alleged smuggler claimed she was now pregnant. A judge remanded her in custody, with Culley now expected to undergo medical examinations to assess the veracity of her pregnancy claim. Should she be found guilty of drug smuggling, the Brit could face a sentence of life behind bars. Culley's last posts on Instagram and Tiktok came on May 9. She was reported missing after family members did not hear from her from May 10. The 18-year-old was reportedly charged with illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia. During an inspection, '34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana were found in the passenger's bag, as well as 20 packages of hashish,' local media has claimed. Appearing in a court in Tbilisi today, Culley did not answer the judge's questions regarding drugs allegations. She told the court she chose to remain silent about the charges brought against her, Rustavi TV channel reported. The judge remanded her in custody. The report said Culley was arrested at Tbilisi Airport after a suspicious subject was found in her bag. The suspected drugs seized are the main evidence in the case. Culley's Georgian lawyer sought her release on bail. They told reporters: 'My client is currently exercising the right to remain silent, so we will provide detailed information later, once they decide how to proceed. She told the court she chose to remain silent about the charges brought against her Culley's alleged offences have been covered by local news outlets in ex-Soviet nation, Georgia 'A formal request must be submitted to the relevant authority, and then more detailed information regarding my client can be provided. 'At this stage, [she is] invoking [her] right to silence, and further developments will be shared later once a decision is made.' She had recently finished a course at Middlesbrough College with the aim of becoming a nurse and was due to speak to her mother Leannae Kennedy on Saturday. Her father Neil Culley flew out to Thailand with his sister Kerrie Culley to try to get answers after they did not hear from her. It then emerged she had been arrested in Tbilisi, nearly 4,000 miles away from her last known location near Bangkok. She now faces time in Tbilisi Prison No.5, Georgia's only female prison. A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report into the lock up previously criticised the 'severely overcrowded' facility after they alongside Amnesty International and Penal Reform International urged the Georgian government to end ill-treatment in their prisons in 2006. All the cells in the Georgian prison were said to have smelled 'strongly of human sweat, human excrement, and cigarette smoke,' according to the 2006 report The alleged suitcase of British citizen Bella May Culley, 18 The teenager had shared her holiday pictures on Instagram regularly and had stayed in touch with her family The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CPT) described the conditions at No 5 as 'degrading', 'inhuman' and as such 'an affront to a civilised society' that same year. A HRW report also detailed the facility as being in a 'state of disrepair' at the time, with 'crumbling' walls and floors with some inmates having to sit on 'two tier metal bunk beds' when they were not sleeping. The bathroom were described as 'decaying and flithy', while all the cells were said to have smelled 'strongly of human sweat, human excrement, and cigarette smoke,' with garbage also found scattered near cell doors. Before police confirmed Culley's arrest, her mother Lyanne told Teesside Live: 'She flew out to the Philippines after Easter with a friend and she was there for three weeks. 'She was posting loads of pictures and then she went to Thailand on about May 3. 'The last message she sent was to me and that was on Saturday at 5.30pm saying she was going to Facetime me later. 'That was the last message anyone has received from what we can figure out up to now. 'I'm just waiting on her dad who is now in Bangkok to get back with any more information. I just want her home and safe or to hear her gorgeous little voice.' Her distraught mother had also told the Sun that she had a bad feeling about the 18-year-old's trip to Thailand. 'I really didn't want her to go to Thailand. I begged her to come home. I don't trust some of the boys over there,' she said. 'But she wanted to meet up with some friends she made over there on a previous trip. I don't know who any of them are.' When Culley's father Neil was told by officers at the Bangkok police station to contact the country's immigration bureau to figure out where she was last staying. The family previously contacted an airline, who revealed that Culley had made a request for a ticket but the payment never went through. Lyanne said: 'When she stopped answering messages I assumed it was because she was flying back to surprise me. But then nothing.' The distraught mother added: 'We think she was last near Pattaya, and was supposed to fly back from Bangkok via Frankfurt according to the itinerary.' 'But I never heard anything about picking her up.'
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'Terrified' British student, 18, says she is pregnant as she appears in court on drugs charges after vanishing in Thailand then reappearing in Georgia accused of smuggling 30lb of cannabis
A British student who was arrested in Georgia for allegedly smuggling 14 kilos (30lbs) of cannabis into the former Soviet state has told a court she is pregnant. 'Terrified' Bella May Culley, 18, faces being caged in an overcrowded ex-Soviet jail after being arrested on drug smuggling charges. The teenager took to the stand to announce that she was pregnant in a hearing yesterday at Tbilisi city court, before adding she would reserve the right to remain silent. She will now undergo a medical examination where doctors will assess the veracity of her claims. The teenager appeared to have been living a life of luxury, scuba diving and partying on the tropical islands of Palawan and Panay in the Philippines, where she explored coastal caves and played with turtles. In posts on TikTok and Instagram, Culley also flaunted huge stacks of cash, showing off a pile of £10 and £20 notes held together by a hairband. However, her online posts stopped abruptly last week, sparking fears from her family that she may have vanished while on a trip to Thailand. Unbeknownst to them, Culley had been detained more than 3,000 miles away in Georgia after allegedly being caught carrying 30 pounds (14kg) of cannabis at Tbilisi International Airport. Her lawyer confirmed to MailOnline that her father Neil Culley is now en route to Tbilisi, while a former Georgian police officer warned of the lengthy jail sentences the British teen could face. The nursing student, who has been preliminarily detained for two months as investigations continue, is currently 'terrified and confused', according to the lawyer. It appears she was detained in a planned sting operation by the Black Sea nation's elite Special Tasks Department, a unit within Georgia's Central Criminal Police that deals only with the most high-profile cartel and organised crime cases. Former police general Jemal Janashia, one of the country's foremost drug crime experts, told the Mail: 'The fact that she was detained by CrimPol's Special Tasks Department suggests this wasn't a random search, but a planned operation. 'And the quantity of drugs found on her makes it hard to remain optimistic. 'It's a grim situation - people have been sentenced to eight years or more for possessing twenty times less in the past decade.' Janashia went on: 'Drug offences are one of the key priorities for the Georgian police. Theoretically, given the amount discovered, she could face life imprisonment. In practice, however, that sentence is usually reserved for murderers and high-level organised crime figures. 'Still, a sentence of 15 to 20 years is a very real possibility.' In recent social media posts, Culley - a nursing student - shared what appeared to be clips of herself 'smoking cannabis' while riding in the back of a car. She also often made references to notorious American outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. 'Blonde or brunette? Erm how about we get up to criminal activities side by side like Bonnie n Clyde making heavy figures and f***ing on balconies over the world,' she bragged in one video on April 1. In a caption she added: 'I don't care if we on the runnnnn baby long as i'm next to uuu.' Culley's last posts on Instagram and Tiktok came on May 9. She was reported missing after family members did not hear from her from May 10. The 18-year-old was reportedly charged with illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia. During an inspection, '34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana were found in the passenger's bag, as well as 20 packages of hashish,' local media has claimed. Appearing in a court in Tbilisi, Culley did not answer the judge's questions regarding drugs allegations. She told the court she chose to remain silent about the charges brought against her, Rustavi TV channel reported. The judge remanded her in custody. The report said Culley was arrested at Tbilisi Airport after a suspicious subject was found in her bag. The suspected drugs seized are the main evidence in the case. Culley's Georgian lawyer sought her release on bail. They told reporters: 'My client is currently exercising the right to remain silent, so we will provide detailed information later, once they decide how to proceed. 'A formal request must be submitted to the relevant authority, and then more detailed information regarding my client can be provided. 'At this stage, [she is] invoking [her] right to silence, and further developments will be shared later once a decision is made.' Culley had recently finished a course at Middlesbrough College with the aim of becoming a nurse and was due to speak to her mother Leannae Kennedy on Saturday. Her father Neilflew out to Thailand with his sister Kerrie Culley to try to get answers after they did not hear from her. It then emerged she had been arrested in Tbilisi, nearly 4,000 miles away from her last known location near Bangkok. Neil is now heading to Tbilisi. His daughter now faces time in Tbilisi Prison No.5, Georgia's only female prison. A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report into the lock up previously criticised the 'severely overcrowded' facility after they alongside Amnesty International and Penal Reform International urged the Georgian government to end ill-treatment in their prisons in 2006. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CPT) described the conditions at No 5 as 'degrading', 'inhuman' and as such 'an affront to a civilised society' that same year. All the cells in the Georgian prison were said to have smelled 'strongly of human sweat, human excrement, and cigarette smoke,' according to the 2006 report A HRW report also detailed the facility as being in a 'state of disrepair' at the time, with 'crumbling' walls and floors with some inmates having to sit on 'two tier metal bunk beds' when they were not sleeping. The bathroom were described as 'decaying and flithy', while all the cells were said to have smelled 'strongly of human sweat, human excrement, and cigarette smoke,' with garbage also found scattered near cell doors. Before police confirmed Culley's arrest, her mother Lyanne told Teesside Live: 'She flew out to the Philippines after Easter with a friend and she was there for three weeks. 'She was posting loads of pictures and then she went to Thailand on about May 3. 'The last message she sent was to me and that was on Saturday at 5.30pm saying she was going to Facetime me later. 'That was the last message anyone has received from what we can figure out up to now. 'I'm just waiting on her dad who is now in Bangkok to get back with any more information. I just want her home and safe or to hear her gorgeous little voice.' Her distraught mother had also told the Sun that she had a bad feeling about the 18-year-old's trip to Thailand. 'I really didn't want her to go to Thailand. I begged her to come home. I don't trust some of the boys over there,' she said. 'But she wanted to meet up with some friends she made over there on a previous trip. I don't know who any of them are.' When Culley's father Neil was told by officers at the Bangkok police station to contact the country's immigration bureau to figure out where she was last staying. The family previously contacted an airline, who revealed that Culley had made a request for a ticket but the payment never went through. Lyanne said: 'When she stopped answering messages I assumed it was because she was flying back to surprise me. But then nothing.' The distraught mother added: 'We think she was last near Pattaya, and was supposed to fly back from Bangkok via Frankfurt according to the itinerary.' 'But I never heard anything about picking her up.' In her last social media posts before her arrest, she shared a post on Facebook which wrote: 'Ppl hate when you begin to better yourself. Because they liked you better struggling.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Nursing student living in car with 2 kids after losing home to LA wildfire
The Brief Kahnai Jackson, a single mother and nursing student, lost her rented room in the Eaton Fire but lacks the paperwork to qualify for government assistance. Without support, Jackson and her children are living out of her car and motels while she juggles school and side jobs. Determined to provide a stable future for her children, Jackson started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for housing. LOS ANGELES - While many families are celebrating this Mother's Day, 27-year-old Kahnai Jackson is just trying to hold her life together. The single mother of two is among a growing number of renters who fall through the cracks during disasters — not because they weren't impacted, but because they don't have the paperwork to prove they lived where they did. Jackson was renting a room in an Altadena home when the Eaton Fire swept through the neighborhood and destroyed everything. She didn't have a lease or utility bills in her name, and because of that, she doesn't qualify for any government assistance. "Being a renter, you don't get anything like the owners do," Jackson said. "I just didn't have the documents to get the help they were giving." With no support and nowhere to go, Jackson and her children — 5-year-old Jeremiah and 8-year-old Jenia — have been living out of her car and bouncing between motels. She's also a full-time nursing student attending classes during the day and picking up side jobs whenever she can. "I'm working, doing side jobs, or whatever I can to get money," she said. "But I can't work as much as I want to because I'm in school most of the day. Then I have to pick up my kids by 6 — it's a lot." Despite everything, Jackson is determined to give her children a better future. She recently launched a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of raising enough money to secure stable housing. "I'm just trying to be strong and give them a stable foundation," she said, holding back tears. "So they won't think this is normal." A GoFundMe page has since been launched in hopes of helping Kahnai and her kids. Those looking to help can click here.
