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Emiratis only 7 per cent of nursing workforce
SHARJAH — Emirati nurses constitute only seven per cent of the total nursing workforce in the UAE, according to a new study carried out by the Emirates Nursing Association.
The current figure is still a far cry from a target of 25 per cent that can partly overcome a critical shortage of nurses in the country, said a senior official from the association.
The study carried out in December 2009 to assess the total strength of the nursing workforce in the country has also showed that currently no Emirati nurse is employed by the private sector in the entire country.
Titled ‘Encourage Emirati students to join the Nursing Profession’, the study was presented at an event to mark International Nurses Day held in Sharjah on Tuesday.
“Though the average Emirati workforce has increased from the previous figure that stood at two per cent in 2007, we still have to meet a target of up to 25 per cent,” said Obaid Al Jenaidi, president of the association while speaking to Khaleej Times.
“It will take time but it will eventually happen.”
According to the study, of the total 23,433 nurses from different nationalities working in the country, only 759 were Emiratis. Of this total, only 12 were male nurse. Indians and Filipinos continued to dominate the workforce.
Also, the study showed that majority of the total number of Emirati nurses (361) were working in Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
“This is of course due to a better salary structure and work environment,” said Al Jenaidi.
The Ministry of Health currently employs 3,658 nurses of which 296 are Emirati. The Health Authority of Abu Dhabi, however, remains the biggest employer with a workforce of 6,750 of which 33 are Emirati.
The Dubai Health Authority employs 3,213 nurses of which 37 are Emirati while the military hospital in Abu Dhabi employs 3,000 nurses of which 361 are Emirati.
The Abu Dhabi Police Medical Department has 224 nurses of which 28 are Emirati while Dubai Police Medical Department has a total of 167 nurses of which only four are Emirati.
“The results are astounding,” said Al Jenaidi. Following up on the study, the association is going to demand a salary hike for nurses as well as work towards changing the image of nursing among local families.
“The salary issues are also preventing Emiratis from working in the private sector and that’s why we don’t have a single local nurse in this sector,” he explained.
Al Jenaidi also said that there was an urgent need to open more universities to impart nursing education, especially for male students.
A number of other factors, such as verbal and physical harassment by physicians, was a reason why nurses worldwide are dissatisfied with their jobs, said experts at the event.
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