Emirati male nurse inspires UAE nationals to pursue nursing

Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, continues to focus on empowering its Emirati workforce by providing the resources, skills, and opportunities to advance in their field of medicine.

One of Seha’s rising Emirati stars is Majid Salim Al Hammadi. As Seha’s first male nurse, Al Hammadi has been recognised for his talents, and fervour in his field of work. Al Hammadi is currently Charge Nurse at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) Operating Room Department, focusing mainly on sterilising operating theatres and assisting with surgical procedures including general surgery, bariatric surgery, and kidney transplants.

Commenting on his journey with Seha, Majid Al Hammadi said: “I joined Seha in 2015 based on a recommendation from a colleague. At first my journey started as a graduate nurse intern, and eventually being on rotation in paediatric emergency, medical, surgical and operating rooms until 2017. In 2018, I decided to pursue my postgraduate education and enrolled in a Masters programme. I graduated in 2020 with a master’s degree in Managing Care in Perioperative and Anaesthesia Practice from Cardiff University. I have also been accepted into a Doctorate programme in Nursing and Midwifery, and I am currently completing my doctoral thesis from Queens University Belfast. If it were not for the support and sponsorship of Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), and Seha’s confidence in my abilities, I could not have attained these academic achievements.”

With many successes under his belt, Majid Al Hammadi recalled the challenges in his journey of growth, especially when it came to completion of his postgraduate studies at the height of COVID-19. He learned to balance the demands of the job whilst he studied, and later conducted research for his doctoral thesis – the first of its kind – by recording insights and experiences of Emirati nurses, and gathering information on their advanced practices. The data and information yielded promising results and addressed a gap in evidence-based medical literature in the UAE.

Al Hammadi credits Seha for making strides in his career development, by equipping him with the resources to grow and excel both clinically and academically. He has set out an ambitious vision for himself and hopes to one day assume a leadership role in healthcare. Furthermore, Majid is committed to inspiring Emirati youth to pursue a career in nursing. Part of his mission also involves shedding more light on the role of preventive and integrated healthcare, saying, “we can only achieve this goal through empowerment of the community to take more charge of their health, and arm them with the knowledge to curb the rising rates of chronic illnesses and obesity in the country.”

Al Hammadi also expressed his pride in being part of Seha and being an Emirati who not only represents nursing but also advocates for it, especially in an industry with a lower number of males. His position enables him to pave the way for accomplishing new milestones, whilst serving his country.

In addition to his professional and academic achievements, Al Hammadi conducts regular workshops targeting Emirati youth and addressing the pressing need for more nurses in the industry. He believes that with more Emiratis in this field, healthcare can be tailored to more culturally diverse groups of patients and minimise language barriers in delivering healthcare.

With the future generation of Emiratis top of mind, his message to them is, “Trust your capabilities, and be part of the success story for improving the national healthcare sector, to secure a better future for our generation and generations to come.”

 A recent report said Seha treated over 266,000 patients suffering from diabetes from January 2019 to October 2020.

This period also witnessed around a million visits by patients to Seha’s various health facilities to receive treatment, diagnosis, and increase awareness about managing the disease. Seha also conducted a range of educational campaigns to help guide diabetic patients about the management of chronic illnesses in Abu Dhabi.

In 2019, Seha’s facilities treated 152,245 diabetic patients, and 113,796 from January to October 2020. From January to October 2020, there were 391,951 visits and in 2019 there were 590,302.