Administrative Intern Palliative Care Quality Improvement (QI)

NUH Internship Programme(Jan 2027 – Jun 2027)

Curious about the inner workings of a hospital Join NUH on a 6-month full time internship to gain a comprehensive understanding of the operational aspects of healthcare organisations. Explore critical functions of hospital administration such as operations, human resource, communications, and quality improvement that support the smooth delivery of patient care.

About NUH

The National University Hospital (NUH) is Singapore's leading university hospital, with a proud heritage dating back to 1905 with the establishment of what's now the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Our strong ties with the medical school have shaped us into a unique institution, allowing us to seamlessly integrate clinical care with teaching and research. As a university hospital, we go beyond the realm of providing tertiary medical care. We are a hub of knowledge and innovation, attracting healthcare professionals who are passionate about pushing boundaries and making significant contributions to the field.

Overview

We are offering a 6-month administrative internship for an undergraduate student interested in healthcare administration, research, and quality improvement work in palliative care. This internship provides hands-on experience working in an acute hospital palliative care setting, where you will contribute to vital research and QI tasks that directly impact the care and support provided to Palliative Care patients and their families. It also provides the intern a chance to experience National level Healthcare related work beyond the 4 walls of the hospital.

Responsibilities

1. Caregiver Survey for Bereaved Families

You will conduct surveys with identified caregivers of patients who have passed away in the acute hospital palliative care setting. This survey aims to gather feedback and insights on the Palliative Care experience and the support provided during the journey of care in the hospital when there are terminally ill. The internship will include training to equip you with the necessary skills to carry out these sensitive surveys effectively and compassionately.

Key Tasks:

- Contact and schedule interviews with caregivers of deceased patients.

- Administer surveys and ensure responses are collected accurately.

- Maintain confidentiality and sensitivity while interacting with grieving family members.

- Provide feedback from the surveys to the palliative care team to improve services and care.

2. Benchmarking for Palliative Care Patients in Acute Hospitals

You will assist in Hospital and National level Palliative Care benchmarking work design by the National Palliative Care Quality Improvement Committee. This important piece of work deep dive into the care provided to palliative care patients admitted to our acute hospital, focusing specifically on symptom severity, including pain and breathlessness, as well as the duration of the unstable phase. You will help gather and analyze data to help improve care delivery for palliative patients during their time in the hospital.

Key Tasks:

- Collect and analyze data on symptom severity for pain and breathlessness.

- Collaborate with medical teams to track the period patients spend in the unstable phase.

- Compile and summarize data to benchmark performance and care outcomes.

- Present findings to support improvements in clinical practices and patient care.

- Training will be provided.

3) Work with a Multi-disciplinary Palliative Care Team

You will have the opportunity to observe the delivery of Holistic Palliative Care via a multi-disciplinary team through participation in the weekly Multi-disciplinary team meeting, collating data for patient requiring bereavement follow up during the weekly mortality round and shadow the various team members (Doctors / nurses / Medical Social Worker / Dietician / Physiotherapist / Occupational therapist / Speech therapist on the care of patients with life limiting illness).

Key Tasks:

- Collate weekly statistics for patient seen by Palliative Care team for both the inpatient and outpatient setting

- Keep track of patient needing bereavement follow up via delivery of Condolence card to family of the deceased

- Prepare summary reports on a quarterly basis and analyse data for QI and process improvement projects

Qualifications

- Currently enrolled in an undergraduate program (preferably in healthcare related fields).

- Strong interest in healthcare administration, research, QI and palliative care.

- Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality and empathy.

- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

- Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

- Basic knowledge of data collection methods and analysis is preferred but not required.

Benefits

- Gain valuable experience in the healthcare and palliative care fields.

- Opportunity to contribute to meaningful research that impacts patient and family care.

- Training and mentorship from experienced healthcare professionals.

- Flexible hours to accommodate your academic schedule.

Kindly note the following:

• Please attach the latest copy of your resume in your application.
• Minimum full-time commitment of 25 weeks from Jan 2027 is expected. Interested applicants are required to indicate their available commitment period in their resume.
• Applications will close on 30 November 2026 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We regret to inform that only shortlisted applicants will be notified.