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Aid for 80 Emirati nursing students

The Health Ministry will sponsor 80 Emirati students annually to study nursing in a bid to encourage locals to be part of the profession.

Health officials said that the ministry’s scholarship programme would encourage the younger generation to study nursing and also plug gaps to overcome a shortage.

Currently, Emiratis make up only three per cent of the UAE nurse force. Only 0.8 per cent (or 339) of the nurses working for the Health Ministry in 2011 were Emirati. Of the Emirati nurses employed by the ministry, the majority (117) work in Ras Al Khaimah followed by 90 in Sharjah and Fujairah. Dubai has 17 while 11 work in Ajman. Seven each work in Abu Dhabi and Umm Al Quwain.

The scholarships are according to a ministerial decision that will allow high school or nursing diploma students to obtain Bachelor of Nursing at Sharjah University and Ras Al Khaimah Medical and Health Sciences University.

The ministry will pay the academic fees, housing and transportation costs as well as a monthly allowance of Dh4,500.

Dr Salem Abdul Rahman Al Darmaki, Acting Undersecretary at the ministry, said: “The ministry wants to encourage UAE’s younger generation to study nursing in order to increase their numbers in the healthcare facilities, improve nursing services, and fill the vacant positions in this field according to international standards.”

“The ministry will nominate 80 students to complete their nursing major with these universities,” said Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Assistant Undersecretary for Institutional and Supporting Services at the ministry.

The ministry is also studying cooperation with Fatma College for Health Sciences for a similar nursing bachelor programme.

Every three months, a member from the Federal Department of Nursing (FDoN) meets the newly graduated Emiratis who have been employed by the ministry to discuss their issues and concerns.

Regarding the professional development of Emirati nurses, many have had the opportunity to travel outside the country and attend international conferences, according to the 2011 annual report issued by FDoN.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com