Nursing Department

Overview

Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) nurses transform nursing care through clinical practice, education and research. Around 1500 nursing professionals from around the world work together under the SSMC Nursing Department to provide exceptional care for SSMC patients every day.

SSMC nurses are integral members of interdisciplinary teams – essential to the commitment of SSMC’s primary value of “putting patients first through advanced, personalised care”.

Nursing Leadership

Zulaikha Al Hosani, Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)

Zulaikha Al Hosani, BSc, MHA, is the Chief Nursing Officer at SSMC, Abu Dhabi. She has more than 10 years of experience in clinical leadership roles, supporting excellence in patient care and safety.

Since joining SSMC in 2020, Zulaikha has managed the nursing team, ensuring consistency in the standard of nursing practices across all settings. She also provides leadership for the development of strategies of recruitment, retention and recognition of excellence for nursing employees.

Prior to joining SSMC, Zulaikha was deputy chief nursing officer at Mafraq Hospital and held similar roles at Al Rahba Hospital and SEHA Corporate. Throughout her career, she has led a variety of quality improvement projects and initiatives.

Zulaikha received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fatima College of Health Sciences, UAE, and her Executive Master’s in Healthcare Management from Zayed University in the UAE.

SSMC Nursing Professional Practice Model

The SSMC Nursing Professional Practice Model (PPM) is a schematic description that shows how SSMC nurses practice, collaborate, communicate and develop professionally to provide the highest-quality care for patients, families and communities.

The SSMC Nursing PPM has been developed by a dedicated team of clinical nurses, nurse managers, and leaders. Inspired by Arabesque design, the SSMC Nursing PPM reflects Arabic and Islamic traditions, emphasising spirituality and humanity.

Its colours represent the UAE flag, with a central heptagram symbolising the seven emirates and an outer heptagram representing the seven continents. The model reinforces SSMC’s vision of becoming a destination medical centre, where nurses deliver comprehensive care to both national and international patients.

DAISY Award

The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award is an international recognition program that honours and celebrates the skilful, compassionate care nurses provide every day. As a proud DAISY Award Partner, SSMC is continuously recognising deserving nurses. In addition, The DAISY Foundation has provided several grants to support our nurses who continually seek lifelong learning and explore best and evidence-based practices. DAISY honourees are nominated by their peers, physicians, patients and families, and other staff and administrators.

Want to Say Thank You to Your Nurse or Midwife?

To Nominate an Extraordinary Nurse or Midwife, please complete SSMC Daisy Award Nomination Form

Nursing Fellowship Program

Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) is the first hospital in the UAE to earn ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP) approval, recognising its commitment to structured, evidence-based transition-to-practice programs for its nurses.

The nine-month fellowship course supports new nurses at SSMC through a standardised curriculum, guided clinical practice with trained preceptors and structured mentorship.

PTAP enhances clinical competency, critical thinking and clinical reasoning, and professional confidence via simulation-based learning, interprofessional collaboration, and targeted competency assessments.

By earning PTAP approval, SSMC sets a regional standard for nurse fellowship guidance, showcasing its commitment to nurse retention, professional growth, and lifelong learning.