Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
Fresh out of high school in the early 1970s, Dr Fatima Alsayed Yousef Al Refaei answered a calling that would later leave a lasting mark on the trajectory of the UAE’s healthcare system. Drawn by how science, psychology, and compassion inform patient care, she pursued nursing - a life-long vocation that few of her Emirati peers chose at the time.
Today, Dr Al Refaei is recognised as one of the UAE’s earliest and most influential nursing leaders.
A recipient of the Abu Dhabi Award and a former member of the Board of Directors of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), she has spent more than three decades shaping policy, mentoring future generations, and advancing the profession at every level.
Her story mirrors the evolution of the UAE’s healthcare system itself: ambitious, determined, and constantly striving toward excellence.
Answering a Calling Dr Al Refaei’s journey began when she earned a scholarship to study overseas. It was in Texas, during her early rotations in a paediatric ward, that her understanding of the profession deepened.
She vividly recalled the fear and vulnerability she felt facing severely ill children for the first time. “I did not know how to care for such small patients, and the experience was both humbling, and overwhelming,” she shared in a recent interview with Aletihad.
But with time came confidence, connection, and the gratification of seeing a child’s smile return.
Years later, as she watched her own students confront that same fear, she recognised the moment for what it was: the first step in learning resilience and empathy - “qualities every nurse must master”.
Building a Profession from the Ground Up
In the early 1980s, Dr Al Refaei started her career as clinical instructor at the Ministry of Health’s School of Nursing, then part of Central Hospital, now Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.
At the time, there were few Emirati nurses and even fewer formal structures for education, specialisation, or leadership.
“Having been among the early Emirati nurses, I felt a strong sense of responsibility to set an example and to show others that nursing is a meaningful profession,” she said.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, she participated in national discussions that helped position nurses as essential healthcare providers, not just supportive personnel. Government backing, she noted, played a pivotal role in elevating the profession and creating opportunities for national leadership.
The Covid-19 pandemic marked a turning point. “Nurses made extraordinary sacrifices,” she said. “They led vaccination centres and caregiving units, and their dedication during that period further elevated how the community viewed the profession.”
Today, with strong academic programmes and specialised tracks, nursing in the UAE is recognised as a respected and high-value profession central to patient care.
A Vision Institutionalised: The Emirates Nursing Association
In 1994, Dr Al Refaei became the first Emirati appointed as Director of Nursing at the Ministry of Health.
As she worked to strengthen nursing leadership and education, it became clear that the profession needed a formal body to champion its growth.
In 2003, Dr Al Refaei and a small group of colleagues founded the Emirates Nursing Association (ENA) with just 15 Emirati nurses.
Today, it is approaching 2,000 members from across the UAE and plays a central role in professional development, networking, and policy advocacy.
Over the past three decades, nurses in the UAE moved from primarily supportive roles into positions of leadership, Dr Al Refaei said.
“We have nurses heading departments, conducting research, and representing the UAE in international forums.”
For Dr Al Refaei, the greatest contribution nurses make to the healthcare system is their continuous, round-the-clock care.
“They are the closest healthcare providers to patients, observing, assessing, and responding quickly when changes occur,” she explained.
“Nurses work hand in hand with physicians, technicians, and other professionals, forming the essential link that keeps the entire healthcare system connected.”
The Science and the Art
Dr Al Refaei agreed that nursing is both a science grounded in knowledge and an art defined by empathy, communication, and human connection.
She also emphasised the importance of future-focused qualities in today’s nurses: awareness of global health issues such as climate change, emotional resilience, and ethical engagement with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
More than 30 years into her career, Dr Al Refaei remains motivated by the transformation she has witnessed and the new generations stepping confidently into leadership roles.
“I have always felt that nursing aligns with who I am,” she said. “It is a profession that combines compassion, leadership, and life-long learning.”
Dr Al Refaei believes that nursing is a path best chosen only by those who truly love it.
“Nursing, like all healthcare professions, requires passion and a genuine desire to care for others. It is a human-facing, emotionally demanding, and deeply fulfilling job,” she said.
Have courage and confidence, Dr Al Refaei tells young Emiratis considering pursuing this noble profession, which - she insists - gives back as much as one invests in it.
