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The UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council that was launched on Monday will in an indirect way push for salary increases in the future if that is what is required to make nurses retain their positions and pull locals into the fray, said senior officials at the launch.
The council will also work at dispelling the negative image surrounding the professions by making the roles more professional and desirable.
“The council seeks to develop clear strategies for five years,” said Dr Hanif Hassan, UAE Minister of Health during the launch in the presence of Princess Haya bint Hussein, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Dr Fatima Al Rifae, Director of the Federal Department of Nursing at the health ministry said the council would ensure that the public has access to safe and competent nurses and midwives.
“If the council finds the salary structure of a nurse is affecting her dealing with the public, then it will coordinate with the federal department at the ministry to review the salaries,” she told Khaleej Times. “The image of nursing is not supportive enough to encourage Emiratis to join the profession,” she said.
At present only a handful of UAE national nurses are employed by the ministry, with Indian and Filipinos making up the majority of the workforce. Salary disparity is also a bone of contention - while a local nurse is paid a minimum between Dh6,000-7,000, an expatriate nurse gets between Dh4,000-5,000. Besides the low salary structure, UAE families consider the profession as lowly.
“The country also lacks unified regulations that can ensure competence and skill maintenance,” she explained.
The council will also develop a unified scope of practice as well as national standards for education, practice, service and registration.
“Princess Haya’s support will vastly help in improving the image people have of the profession,” said Dr Suzan Ahmad, head of the Health Information Department at the ministry.
Dr Suzan’s nation-wide study to identify factors that can make government hospitals a better workplace so as to retain nurses will be part of the research projects under the council.
Her study titled ‘Nursing and Quality Hospital Care in UAE’ which is due to start soon is the result of a pilot project showing nurses from the ministry hospitals do not have job satisfaction mainly due to low remuneration and lack of involvement in decision-making.
Currently, there are approximately 23,000 nurses and midwives employed by the ministry.
The number of nurses in the UAE is half that of other developed countries, said Dr Lauren Arnold, who has been involved in the formulation of the council.
“We hope to increase the number by 25-30 per cent,” she added.
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