Abu Dhabi :  Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, has announced that the Nursing Department in Al Ain Hospital has been recognized by the American Nursing Association for meeting all the requisites set out by the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI). NDNQI monitors 19 quality indicators in nursing units, encouraging world class standards and quality, and allowing for hospitals to compare nursing performance in terms of results, patient safety, and staff satisfaction with similar hospitals locally and internationally. 

Dr. Aysha Al Mahri, Group Chief Nursing Officer, SEHA, said: “Nurses are the cornerstone of every robust healthcare system, and at SEHA, we are fortunate to have empowered the nursing community to be our foundation. Being the largest part of our network’s workforce, SEHA’s nurses dedicatedly embrace compassionate patient-first healthcare values, always strive to fulfill their roles and responsibilities, and continuously pursue opportunities to learn, develop and improve. It is a privilege that Al Ain Hospital’s Nursing Department has been recognized by an esteemed organization such as the American Nursing Association. This strengthens our commitment to providing the nation’s population with the best people, talent, and expertise – thus providing the high quality of care and promoting health and wellbeing at all times.” 

Dr. Ghazala Belal Balhaj, Medical Director, Al Ain Hospital, said, “We are thrilled about the recent recognition of our Nursing Department. The unwavering support of SEHA and its commitment to harnessing talent has been the foundation of our success. By meeting all the requirements laid out by the NDNQI, we are guaranteeing the provision of world class healthcare across our services, particularly the adult intensive care and pediatric intensive care wards.”

“I extend my deepest gratitude to every member of the Al Ain Hospital Nursing Department for their dedication, compassion and hard work – this accomplishment would not have been possible without the efforts of each and every member of the team. I would like to especially thank Sheikha Juma Al Shamsi, Acting Chief Nursing Office of Al Ain Hospital for her inspirational leadership,” continued Dr. Balhaj.  

The nursing quality indicators measured at Al Ain Hospital include patient accidents such as falls, turnover of nursing employees, infections associated with delivery of care, ventilator associated diseases or conditions, nursing hours per patient days, and job satisfaction of resident nurses, among others. As part of NDNQI, medical facilities may participate in as many or as few indicators, according to the eligibility of their units. 

Shaikha Juma Al Shamsi, Acting Chief Nursing Officer, Al Ain Hospital said, “We are both pleased and humbled by the recent recognition from the American Nurses Association. Being part of Al Ain Hospital and the SEHA network, the Nursing Department is given abundant opportunities to develop, widen our career horizons, work with talented leaders in the field of medicine, and continuously accelerate the advancement of the care we provide to our patients.” 

NDNQI was established in 1998 by the American Nurses Association to examine the link between nursing care and patient outcomes. More than 2,000 U.S. hospitals and 98 per cent of Magnet-recognized facilities participate in the NDNQI program, including 36 international hospitals.