Rehabilitation centre in need of Emirati nurses, psychologists

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.

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