Jobs in Dubai: More nurses required

With the upcoming of new medical facilities in Dubai, which in its turn responds to a growing population the profession of the nurse is high in demand, and Dubai is looking to attract nurses from the UAE as well as from abroad.

The demand for new nurses to enter the local industry is not new. For the past couple of years, authorities have pointed out the importance of the profession, and developed strategies to generate manpower.

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) recently recruited 531 nurses from various countries such as India, Philippines and Jordan, in order to increase manpower in the medical field.

“The move is in line with the growth of the health sector in Dubai. Few of the DHA’s projects will be completed shortly, therefore we began the recruitment drive,” said Abdulla Balhouma, head of planning and recruitment section at the DHA.

“The recruitment has been based on a detailed work-force plan which takes into consideration various factors such as specialty of manpower needed, number of nurses per hospital bed etc.”

Unfortunately, the reputation of the profession is not always an appealing one. Studies have shown that the profession is generally considered to be little rewarding, and with little incentive to develop one’s skills and ambitions.

The concerned authorities are working hard to change these perceptions. Over the years there has been a rise in awareness levels of the public in general and among young students about the important role that nurses play in healthcare delivery, knows Naeema Muallem, an Emirati nurse who has been working with Rashid Hospital for 16 years.

This has in part been accomplished through several training opportunities for working nurses with the DHA. Since 2012, nurses who have a diploma are provided with the opportunity to obtain a bachelor’s degree within one year, without having the need to leave their jobs.

“Nurses have various options of seeking further specializations and this adds to their expertise. I worked in the maternity department at Latifa Hospital for three years and then decided to pursue a one-year midwifery course that was organized by the DHA along with the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai,” said Khadija Al Sulaimi, who is now a midwife at Latifa Hospital.

There are various colleges in the UAE that offer nursing education such as University of Sharjah, Higher Colleges of Technology, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, Fatma College of Health Sciences as well as international colleges such as the University of Bradford.

With the tie-ups with various nursing colleges in the UAE and abroad, there has been a steady rise in the number of people opting for this occupation, claims the DHA.

“Since 2009, we started receiving a significant number nurses who have completed their graduation from universities in the UAE and so far we are proud that all of them have stayed on with us, they are dedicated to the profession and many of them are seeking further specializations,” said Naeema.

However, while recruitment is important, creating a thriving, sustainable and positive work environment is important to ensure retention of nurses, as the nature of the work of nurses is exceptionally demanding, she pointed out.

“Nurses are in many ways the backbone of the healthcare system and they contribute greatly to the betterment of healthcare services and therefore investing in training, recruitment and further education of nurses is vital for a strong healthcare system.”

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.