Over 8,800 nurses and midwives working across hospitals, clinics, and homecare services under Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), were recently honoured during an event to mark the International Nurses Day (IND), celebrated annually on 12 May.
Dr Nicola Ryley, Chief Nursing Officer at HMC highlighted that nurses and midwives are among the most trusted members of the patient care team. She said that nurses support their patients through some of the most significant moments in their lives, including birth, death, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. She also said that nurses and midwives are highly trained clinicians, with over 70% of HMC nurses and midwives, being university graduates. Many of the nursing and midwifery leaders working across HMC also hold advanced qualifications, such as a Master of Science in Nursing degree.
Without skilled and dedicated nurses, the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate care at HMC would not be a reality. Nurses are the most visible and trusted members of our patient care team and International Nurses Day is a great opportunity for our multi-disciplinary care teams to come together and celebrate the good work that we do.’
Dr Ryley also spoke about the importance of developing and supporting Qatar’s future healthcare leaders. Nearly half of all the senior nursing and midwifery leadership positions at HMC are currently held by Qatari nationals and HMC’s leadership team is committed to helping more nationals develop the right skills and experience to take on leading roles in the organisation.
Nursing Now Qatar
In support of the ongoing efforts to both raise the standards of nursing and midwifery care at HMC and the public profile of nursing, the healthcare provider recently announced a partnership with the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH). The partnership saw the establishment of Nursing Now Qatar, a campaign that aims to improve healthcare globally by raising the profile and status of nurses worldwide and supporting nurses to lead, learn, and build a global movement. The Qatar chapter is the first in the region.
Mariam Al Mutawa, Executive Director of Nursing at Rumailah Hospital, said the initiative, Nursing Now, provides opportunities to raise the status and profile of nursing, designed to empower nurses to have greater influence in designing and developing healthcare and in addressing the health challenges of our times.
HMC has had a longstanding commitment to developing the professional role of nurses and midwives and has established a Nursing and Midwifery Strategy, which is refreshed every three years. This strategy provides the roadmap for the development of a world-class nursing and midwifery service at HMC. The next update is due later this year.
For more information about HMC, visit their website at hamad.qa.
