The mentorship programme is part of the UAE’s five-year National Nursing and Midwifery Strategy to create a collaborative, sustainable future for students and professionals.
June 16, 2023
On Thursday, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) marked the official launch of Nebras, a new national research programme designed to enhance the skills of nurses and midwives through collaborative partnerships between mentors and mentees. The initiative, run in partnership with Pfizer, also aims to help both nursing students and professionals play an integral role in the research and development of clinical practice supported by scientific evidence.
Dr. Sumaya Mohammed Al Blooshi, Chairperson of the National Committee for Nursing and Midwifery, joined by Dr. Fatima Rifai, Board Member of the Emirates Nursing Association and International Council of Nurses, and Dr. Sumaya Khalifa Alrubaei, Section Head — Workforce Regulations & Standards, Healthcare Workforce Planning Division, Healthcare Workforce Sector at the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, addressed Nebras as a valuable opportunity for participating nurses and midwives in the UAE to gain new perceptions in the field, stay ahead of trends, and adopt the latest international practices to provide high-quality care to patients.
Maryam Al Blooshi, Director of Nursing at the Dubai Academic Health Corporation, who was among the attendees at the event, said: “This is a long-awaited initiative, and I believe it will help us bridge various gaps in theory, practice and knowledge, which are essential to build and guide clinical decisions and evidence-based policies in nursing and midwifery. A specialised platform for that is very important because our contribution to healthcare involves accompanying the patient on a journey of healing.”
She added that not many multidisciplinary fields focus on patients' emotions, reciprocation to treatment, or how different factors affect patient experiences, but nursing research can bring this to the forefront. “Nebras is much needed, not only for the profession and healthcare as a multidisciplinary sector, but also for patients themselves, and to improve care outcomes and the quality of life,” she said.
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In an exclusive interview, Dr. Sumaya Mohammed Al Blooshi told Omnia Health that the UAE has made significant strides in nursing and midwifery in the last decade. From the globally renowned International Council of Nursing (ICN) to the World Health Organisation’s Meeting of Government Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers, she added that the representation of Emirati nurses and midwives has also increased.
“We have a national strategy that we are proud of because it is a roadmap for all health facilities and institutions to create a good framework for their nurses, who are working to strengthen their current system and make it an attractive prospect for Emiratis to join the nursing profession. We would also like to add a lot of specialised roles for nurses clinically to make them competent and autonomous in practice and give them the ability to show abstract presentations on international platforms,” she said, adding that the collaboration of these efforts empowers the nursing profession itself.
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Dr. Sumaya Al Blooshi also revealed that publication among UAE nurses has grown in the last two years, with strategies underway to increase the number of articles to establish the country’s own journal dedicated to nursing and midwifery.
“The number of Emirati students is also on the rise. We have great efforts at the government level. We would like to thank the great visionary leadership we have at the country level. The Nafis programme and its collaboration with medical universities are also playing a great role in supporting student admissions alongside new bylaws supporting students’ sponsorship and abilities,” she added.
Nebras is part of the UAE’s wider National Nursing and Midwifery Strategy (2022-2026) that aims to address existing and emerging challenges in healthcare and build a sustainable future in the nursing profession. Dr. Sumaya said that more initiatives under the National Strategy are in the pipeline to strengthen and empower the nurses at the country level to make nursing an attractive profession for the talented youth in the UAE.
“We are proud to have a number of male nurses currently enrolled in UAE universities and are looking to increase their numbers,” she concluded.
Commenting on Pfizer’s role in the new MoHAP initiative, Pfizer Gulf Medical Director Dr. Nadine Tarcha said: “Pfizer has a long heritage of supporting the development of evidence-based nursing practices across the Gulf region, particularly in the UAE. We are honoured to partner with MoHAP on the Nebras initiative to advance the crucial role of nurses in research, and we look forward to contributing to the efforts of the National Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery.”
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The official committee sends out invitations to scientific research experts in the fields of nursing and midwifery to become mentors in the programme.
Mentors are selected based on predefined criteria, and they participate in a three-day introductory and preparatory workshop for the programme.
The initiative opens the door for nursing staff and midwives to submit their research ideas in nursing and midwifery to become mentees within the programme.
Once appropriate ideas are chosen by the committee, each mentee is paired with a mentor, and together they develop a mentorship plan and set a mutually agreed-upon timeline, all coordinated through an integrated digital platform.
At the end of the programme, participants will be recognised, and their achievements and research results will be highlighted. The programme cycle culminates with the publication of these achievements and a comprehensive report detailing the programme's outputs.
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