Abu Dhabi: A team of eight nurses from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD) has flown to the United States to spend six weeks with COVID-19 frontliners in Ohio.
In a statement, the CCAD said its collaboration with the US-based Cleveland Clinic during this time highlights the international confidence in Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector, and the readiness of its medical workforce and resources during the pandemic.
“Nurses have played a critical role during the pandemic by providing direct assistance and raising awareness among patients and communities,” said Sue Behrens, chief nursing officer at CCAD.
“Having been on the frontlines of care for the sickest patients during the peak of the pandemic in the UAE, CCAD’s nursing workforce has gained the crucial knowledge and treatment skills required to address pressing needs of patients in the United States. They are ready to support their US counterparts where and when it is needed the most,” Behrens said.
Nimeh Mahmoud, a nurse on the neurological intensive care team at CCAD, said that when she got the call one evening to volunteer in the US, she did not have to think twice.
“I became a nurse to help people in need and give back to the community. So, when I was told that there was an opportunity to help my colleagues in the US, I could not refuse,” Mahmoud dsaid.
Jennifer Yeckley, who is part of the wound and stomal care team at the Abu Dhabi hospital, says that she will be sharing her experience and expertise in treating COVID-19 patients in the UAE with the US team.
“During the peak of the pandemic, we learned a lot about the positioning of patients while they recovered. I’m looking forward to sharing that knowledge and learning more from my peers at Cleveland Clinic,” Yeckley said
