Tuesday 23 October 2012

HMC plans to recruit 1,700 nurses next year

Faced with a severe shortage of qualified nurses, the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is planning to recruit 1,700 new nurses next year, including 37 Clinical Nurse Specialists.

The new recruits will be appointed across HMC’s eight hospitals and in the Home Healthcare Services.
The plan is part of a major overhaul currently underway at the nursing department, HMC said yesterday. 
Dr Nabila Al Meer, executive director of the department has been promoted to the role of Deputy Chief for Community Care and SCH Nursing Affairs.

Al Meer’s previous position will now be held by Dr Ann-Marie Cannaby, who joined HMC recently.
Al Meer has had a long and distinguished career at HMC, spanning almost 40 years. She is the first Qatari nurse to obtain a Master of Science in Administration at University of Texas and PhD in nursing from University of Miami, US. 

Cannaby has more than 20 years of experience in a variety of clinical managerial and research posts in large UK teaching hospitals.

In her new role, Al Meer will provide leadership to the residential and community workforce and also help to redefine the model of care for long-term patients and home care services. 

Hamad has growing home care, residential and nursing homes programmes throughout Qatar.  

Over 670 patients are registered in Hamad’s home care programme, which includes community and home healthcare services. 

Close to 140 patients are located in residential and nursing homes that are managed by the corporation. “Experienced and highly qualified nurses who are giving care at the bedside should have direct input into policies, clinical and practice decisions as equal partners in multi-disciplinary care organised around patients’ needs,”  said Al Meer.

The new plans include  recruitment of highly trained specialist nurses, investment in targeted education and research programmes to develop the Qatari nurse leaders of the future, and a commitment to the provision of high-quality, compassionate care to all patients.

The plans will also see a complete overhaul of nursing governance at HMC so that high powered nurse leaders will take their places alongside medical leaders as professional peers, providing multi-disciplinary care and executive leadership. 

HMC’s  managing director Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, while announcing the new appointments yesterday said that a Director of Nursing Education and Research would also be appointed soon.

“Our vision is for expert nurses to promote good health, deliver excellent care and treat all patients with the utmost dignity and respect in our multi-cultural community, across all of our hospitals. We are investing in training and nurturing Qatari nurse leaders of the future to implement that vision,” said Al Kuwari.

HMC has worked closely with the University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) to deliver accredited Diploma and Bachelor Degree courses in nursing. In previous years, 26 students have graduated from the university and joined HMC full-time. A further 20 graduate nurses are expected to follow later this year. 

“We want Qatar’s young generation to seek a career in nursing as it represents a great opportunity for them to exhibit noble values and to become respected professional leaders who will influence the future development of our healthcare services,” said Dr Badriya Al Lenjawi, who will lead the Professional Development of HMC’s Nursing workforce.

In the past year HMC has appointed 17 new Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), with another 37 to be recruited in the coming year. 

CNSs are licensed nurses who have graduate nursing qualifications such as a Masters or Doctorate in Nursing. They are experts at diagnosing and treating illnesses and are responsible for providing evidence-based treatments and interventions.

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