UAE: Sheikh Khalifa Medical City receives global recognition

The global credential recognises a healthcare organisation’s commitment to creating a positive practice environment that empowers and engages staff. Till date, only a handful of healthcare facilities outside the US have received this accolade.

“We are extremely proud to be the first healthcare facility in UAE and the Middle East to receive this prestigious accreditation, which is a testament to our world-class nursing team’s hard work, devotion, and passion,” Dr Safa Azaat Al Mustafa, acting CEO, SKMC, said.

SKMC is a flagship tertiary hospital in the country and the largest teaching medical centre in Abu Dhabi, employing 1,312 nurses.

The accreditation highlights its commitment to empowering and valuing nurses for their work.

It reinforces SKMC as one of the best places for nurses to work and underlines its commitment to fostering a healthy and positive workplace culture.

“At SKMC, we take pride in the fact that our nurses are valued, respected and heard, as well as leading change and impacting operations at SKMC. When nurses are engaged, job satisfaction increases resulting in a better patient experience and excellent superior outcomes which, ultimately, results in the best care for our patients.”

As an ‘ANCC Pathway to Excellence’ organisation, SKMC leads the UAE’s efforts in enhancing the quality of care, patient and nursing safety.

It affirms SKMC’s role in delivering the highest standards of nursing care, in line with global best practice.

Aysha Al Mahri, group chief nursing officer, Seha, added, “The accreditation strongly reinforces our commitment to raising the standards of nursing care within the country. SKMC is a leading example of how Seha is paving the way in elevating the role of nurses within the region’s healthcare industry and attracting the brightest nursing talent.”

In order to secure this accolade, SKMC successfully passed a thorough and rigorous review process of all its practices, policies and initiatives specific to nursing.

Multiple nursing staff and leaders worked diligently for three years to develop all required documents with supporting evidence and submitted to the ANCC.

A survey was then conducted by the ANCC to verify all information and compare the results with the feedback of the nurses.

The six pillars of this review were quality, professional development, safety, leadership, shared decision-making and wellbeing.

“At Seha, nurses are the foundation of our network, play a crucial role in patient experience and represent the largest portion of our workforce. As often shown in our patient experience surveys, it is the care and compassion from nurses which often leaves a lasting impression on our patients. We are incredibly proud that our nurses’ commitment to excellent patient care is being recognised through this accreditation,” Al Mahri added.