UAE | Employment

Rehabilitation centre in need of Emirati nurses, psychologists

Abu Dhabi-based body plans 200-bed facility by end of 2014

  • By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:00 March 31, 2010
  • Gulf News

Careers UAE
  • Image Credit: Hadrian Hernandez/Gulf News
  • Emirati students registering with one of the exhibitors during Careers UAE 2010 at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre on Tuesday.

Dubai: Recruiting Emirati nurses and psychologists was one of the main priorities at the 10th edition of Careers UAE as there are currently not enough medical professionals in addiction rehabilitation centres.

"Even though our organisation was opened in 2002, we managed to employ our first Emirati nurse only a few months ago," said Fatima Mohammad Al Hamedi, psychologist at the Abu Dhabi-based National Rehabilitation Centre.

"Most of the women are scared to join rehabilitation centres because they think that the people we treat are criminals. But we are giving them the message that this is not the case," Fatima said. This is the first time the centre has participated in the career fair, which ended yesterday.

The National Rehabilitation Centre currently has 28 beds. However, by the end of 2014, it aims to be a full-equipped facility with over 200 beds, as well as an outpatient unit, a day care centre, a female unit and a criminal justice unit.

Applications

The Rehabilitation Centre received over 1,000 applications from university students and medical professionals, and officials said they hope to receive more applications on the last day of the career fair. "Through participating at the fair, we want to recruit everybody with a medical background, ranging from social workers to nurses and psychologists."

The centre receives voluntary patients who join the centre on their own will or by the insistence from family members and hospitals, in addition to patients who join either by a court order or a police referral.

Patients at the centre go through several phases, where initially they are assessed in order to be provided with the necessary required service that includes a detoxification programme and psychological intervention. The rehabilitation programme also involves daily activities, physical exercises, and several programmes to enhance their skills to return to the social mainstream.

Job portal launched

A job portal designed to cater specifically to Emiratis has been launched during Careers UAE 2010 to highlight vacancies across the country.

The content has shifted from being an online recruitment portal to one in which news, events, career fairs, resources related to Emiratis is advertised. First Select International, an international recruitment group, launched the dedicated portal www.emiratijobs.ae.

"Emiratisation is seen both as a strategic goal as well as a legal compliance by multinational and private companies and hence we needed to differentiate the service delivery for our Emirati applicants," said Andrew Hudson, Chief Executive of First Select International.

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