UAE launches first-of-its-kind national Emirati nurses programme

Dubai: The UAE Readiness and Response Programme “Jaheziya” has launched the “Emirati Nurses” initiative, a first-of-its-kind national programme aimed at developing Emirati nursing leaders and strengthening the country’s emergency preparedness capabilities through internationally accredited training and specialised medical education.

Launched to coincide with International Nurses Day (May 12), the initiative brings together a network of global healthcare and emergency response institutions, including the European Centre for Disaster Medicine, the American Nurses Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and the American Emergency Services Foundation.

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The programme is being implemented in coordination with educational, healthcare, ambulance, police, civil defence and emergency response institutions across the UAE under a unified framework focused on emergency readiness and rapid response.

Dr Adel Al Shamri Al Ajmi, Chief Executive Officer of the Zayed Giving Initiative, President of the UAE Doctors Initiative and CEO of the UAE Readiness Programme “Jaheziya”, said the initiative would act as a national accelerator for Emirati nursing professionals through specialised institutional and community-based training, research programmes and continuous professional development.

He said the initiative aims to enhance critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills among nursing staff while strengthening the long-term retention and qualification of Emirati healthcare professionals.

Fatima Al Hathithi, President of the Emirati Nurses Initiative, said the programme was launched in response to growing efforts by Emirati nurses to establish a national platform that supports internationally accredited specialised training while encouraging innovation and highlighting the strategic importance of nursing within healthcare systems.

Emily Boren, Director of the Nursing Training Programme at the American Nurses Foundation, said the initiative had established the UAE’s first national nursing academy, offering accredited courses, simulation-based workshops and virtual reality training programmes focused on emergency preparedness and response.

She added that the academy has also organised specialised nursing forums and live emergency exercises, which form part of the professional licensing requirements set by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Dubai Health Authority.