Ramadan 2022 in UAE: Despite fasting for hours, Emirati nurse says patients always come first

Fasting during the day does not deter UAE national Khadija Hasan Mesbah Alamasi from carrying out her duties diligently as a Nurse Quality Manager.

The first Emirati nurse to join the VPS group, Khadija, first drops her daughters to the nursery and then reaches work by 7.30am every day.

Be it Ramadan or any other month of the year, Khadija feels that not eating has never taken a toll on her work.

As a nurse manager; she says she is always ready to deal with any medical situations thrown her way.

“There should be passion for your work. I feel this is a time of spiritual reflection and self-improvement. We should try and be kinder and humbler than usual. Ramadan also teaches us to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy,” she says.

Khadija has received many accolades for her continued dedication and exemplary work. She has bagged the Pathway to Excellence SKMC achievement as 1st Organization in the Middle East.

The recipient of the Best Emirati Nurse among Seha, she also won the Safety Catch Award among SKMC, recieved an award for the Best Employee of the Month in the ICU Department, has been awarded the Seha Bronze Award among all Seha facility “Project implementation”, won Seha Award for the Most Individual with Innovation and has been recognized by the UAE nursing and midwifery council for the first nurse in the Middle East to get the Prevention of Disease and Wellness of community certificate.

Striving to lead by example, Khadija further highlights why she chooses to clock in so early despite having the option to begin at 9am.

“I want to be a role model to the rest of the teams. So, I come in by 7.30am. Organising one’s time properly is extremely important. Support your team with love and it will all come back to you someday. I complete my administrative responsibilities in the morning, look for gaps and provide support. Then I do my routine meetings with my colleagues."

"I also meet up with doctors and hospital administration team to resolve their demands and requirements. I do patient visits to understand their concerns and whether their expectations are being met or not, and then check my emails to address urgent requirements and escalate the needful. Then there are preparations for the upcoming Joint Commission International (JCI) works to improve patient safety and quality of health care and organizing training for teams among other responsibilities,” she adds.

Khadija brings a wealth of experience to the hospital’s paediatric clinics and emergency services as well as other areas of service, also regularly coordinates with the team of nurses who are on the front-line to carry out vaccination and PCR testing.

Despite winning various awards for her leadership during her projects and training courses and while chairing several committees at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and Seha, Khadija feels there can be no substitute for sincerity.

“Our country’s leadership inspires us to always put in our best so that the nation can be the best. I follow this wisdom and try and do my job as responsibly as possible. I finish by 4pm but often choose to stay back and break my fast with my team and check on the patients.”

Khadija who had also contracted Covid-19 while being on the frontline had expected it to come her way sooner or later.

“I couldn’t have avoided it and I knew that I was quite vulnerable to contracting the virus, which at one point, I did, but by God’s grace and with the support of my VPS family, I recovered quickly.”

She also says that the country has efficiently combated the pandemic, protecting all its citizens and residents alike.

“The crisis has definitely receded, but the disease persists. The government’s proactive approach and the entire medical fraternity’s sacrifice have played a vital role in handling the situation well. I would urge everyone that during this Holy Month, please do not let your guards down. We must continue with a unified and systematic response to the pandemic management. I wish everyone good health and happiness this Ramadan!”

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