Nursing colleges in the UAE are failing to recruit Emirati nurses, despite government-funded sweeteners including full scholarships, the dean of a prominent nursing school has claimed.
Dr Vijaya Kumaradhas, dean of Ras Al Khaimah College of Nursing, one of the country’s largest nursing schools, has said Emirati students remain significantly under-represented – a fact that is contributing to the country’s nursing shortage.
“There is a definite shortage, but Emiratis will not become nurses. There is a stigma where nursing is concerned. In our college, we don’t have any local student.” she said.
The RAK facility, which opened to students in 2006, has yet to receive a single Emirati student.
“I’m not sure what else can be done to encourage them. The government is trying; there are full scholarships. But nursing is a hard profession. It’s not an easy career, so perhaps they aren’t motivated,” said Kumaradhas.
According to the most recent figures from the Ministry of Health, Emiratis comprise less than 10 percent of the national nursing population.
Of the seven emirates, Sharjah has the highest percentage of national nurses at around 13 percent. In Umm Al Quwain, only four of the emirate’s 212 nurses are nationals.
The UAE, which is almost entirely dependent on expatriate health workers, has battled a nursing shortage for decades. The latest statistics from the World Health Organisation reveal the Gulf state has a ratio of 3.5 nurses per 1,000 population.
By comparison, the UK and USA have 12.8 and 9.4 nurses respectively per 1,000 population. “We are too dependent on expats,” said Kumaradhas. “We need to produce our own nurses, to help staff the workforce.”
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