Any nurses working in dubai?

[GotMooMilk]

We are thinking of relocating (I know mn hates the Middle East and I get it!). I’m a v experienced nurse but my background is sexual health and contraception…. Does anyone who’s worked or lived in dubai know what I could do there? I have experience with women’s health- menopause, period issues but it still seems so niche.
Any advice on what I could do there?

Join British Expats Dubai FB group and ask there - other nurses in the group will be able to guide you. My guess is that if you're not muslim, muslim women will not prefer to be treated by you if there is a muslim female nurse or OBGYN available and this could make securing a post difficult.

You should also be aware that Dubai is not a country and you can also practice in the other six emirates, should you find a suitable post and obtain the necessary licensing.

Why would Muslim women discriminate on basis of religion in terms of who provides them healthcare ? They (we) will probably prefer a woman, when there’s a choice, but I haven’t seen or ever thought “let me go to x doctor as they’re from the same religious background”. I look at who is the most qualified and most recommended. Also expats make up the majority of population in places like Dubai, so many patients may not even be locals /Muslim . Worth asking on a Facebook group about options

Kings College Hospital has a branch in Dubai so it might be worth contacting them (I’ve been really impressed with their Obs and Gynae care).
I would say that the role of a nurse/midwife is very different here (I went into health education rather than nursing because of this), it can be very doctor led although there are some specialist nurse roles (I see one for diabetes, but only after I’ve seen the Consultant).

@Wutheringheights77 Have you lived in the UAE and worked with Emirati women? Women from the local culture may want to go to an Arabic speaker and someone who understands their culture and lifestyle, in preference to an English-speaking Westerner. I imagine hospitals and clinics will want to recruit staff who are able to meet the needs of their patients, both local and expat.

@Teaandcrumpets86 thats interesting do you work in dubai in a health education role now? I have experience in education in nursing so could be an option.

As someone who has lived in the UAE and worked with Emirati women and girls there can be a preference for Arabic speakers (although most medical professionals aren’t Emirati and an awful lot don’t speak much Arabic or speak a different dialect).

There is a massive expat population here (only about 12% of the population are actually Emirati). Also, a lot of Emiratis (especially wealthy ones who go to the more well known hospitals) will have been educated at international private schools and speak English perfectly.

There are definitely hospitals and clinics that choose to hire Arabic speakers because that’s what their patients prefer, if this is the case then they’ll specify it in the job advert (they’ll often specify male/female too, again this is because it’s what their patients prefer).
However, the majority of nurses here are Indian or Filipina and English is usually the common language used. There are also a lot of American, Irish and British nurses here (especially in management and specialist roles).

Having worked with local women and girls they’re generally happy to be treated/cared for by expats but will usually choose to be seen by healthcare professionals of the same sex (especially for intimate/sensitive procedures or discussions).
Having said that there are so many expats here that hospitals still recruit male obstetricians and gynaecologists because there are enough people who don’t mind (I had a male gynaecologist for a while because it was easier to get a same day appointment!). So being a Western, English speaker isn’t necessarily a barrier to recruitment. There just might be some hospitals where they do specify that the job requires an Arabic speaker.

I have worked in health education here. It has its challenges but it’s rewarding and interesting. If you go onto LinkedIn and type in Health Education UAE you’ll see a lot of the currently available roles (just be aware that some of the roles will be for positions across the country and you won’t necessarily be placed in Dubai or Abu Dhabi- if you want a specific location make sure to ask about that when you apply).

Also, it’s worth keeping an eye on the international schools and universities. They often recruit nurses (somewhere like NYU in Abu Dhabi might suit your background and skills if you’re flexible about location).