More than 400 public school nurses will gather in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain for a week-long continuing educational programme, accredited by Health Authority Abu Dhabi.
The school health department of Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS) has linked up with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) to improve the nurses’ understanding of medical issues affecting schoolchildren in the UAE.
Nurses taking part in the course will earn 28.25 continuing medical education hours.
Haad requires nurses to complete a minimum of 20 such hours a year to maintain their licence to practise medicine.
The course is the fifth in a series of continuing vocational training programmes for public school nurses aimed specifically at addressing school health issues.
Topics being addressed include smoking, obesity prevention and management, personal hygiene and anti-bullying.
Special training in paediatric first aid, child car safety demonstrations and preventing injuries from falls, drowning, burns, poisoning and suffocation will also be covered.
The programme also reviews the threat perception from the recent incidence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (Mers-CoV) infection in the Gulf region, as well as its symptoms and treatment.
It will also cover cervical cancer prevention, updates on the implementation of the HPV vaccination in school health, and a workshop on child counselling and communications skills.
Focus is also given to care of children with special needs, including physiotherapy management and occupational therapy.
The inclusion of children with special needs within mainstream schools is also being explored as part of the deliberations.
“The programme aims to provide AHS nurses placed in public schools in the emirate of Abu Dhabi with the latest theoretical, clinical and skill development updates relevant to their work,” said Dr Najah Mustapha, director of school health services.
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