Dedicated to the support of healthcare specialists, the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) organized two workshops to train 16 Palestinian Nursing staff from different hospitals across the West Bank (WB) in “Pediatrics and Adult Nursing Oncology” and “Nursing Leadership and Supervision” during the period of April 20-24, 2015. Being a leading provider of learning and professional development for the health care industry, AUBMC has kept the tradition of providing such support and offerings for Palestinian health care professionals operating in the WB through the Medical Welfare Trust Fund (MWTF) Program.
This Special Health Care Program of MWTF was initially conceived by Dr. Joseph W. Tamari to help in the development of Ancillary Medical Services in the WB. The Program started at AUB in 2006 upon signing an agreement between AUB's President then, Dr. John Waterbury, and Dr. Joseph W. Tamari, President of the MWTF, which was originally established by the late Hasib Sabbagh in 1989 to provide healthcare support to Palestinians. The agreement was renewed by President Peter Dorman in 2011. Within the first agreement, a committee was appointed consisting of Dr. Ghazi Zaatari, chairman of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, as chairman, Dr. George Araj, Prof. and Director of Clinical Microbiology, Dept. of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, as coordinator, and Dr. Rima Afifi, Associate Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, as member. This committee acts as a liaison between the MWTF and AUB to implement training programs towards upgrading ancillary medical services manpower and capacity building of the health care system in the WB in addition to working closely with the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health (PA MOH) as well as leading WB medical and academic institutions in order to fulfill this mandate.
Since its inception, several training programs have been organized through coordination between the MWTF committee and AUB Regional External Programs (REP). To date, over 280 WB nurses and healthcare professionals have been trained at different AUBMC units and clinical centers such as the emergency department, intensive care unit, operating room, cardiac care, wound care, neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric oncology unit, psychiatry, clinical laboratory , radiology, nursing and laboratory management, quality management, and infection control. The latest group was welcomed by Dr. Hassan Diab, Vice President, REP, Dr. George Araj, and Mrs. Hera Artinian representing Ms. Iman Al Kouatly, Director of Nursing Services, and representatives from the Clinical and Professional Development Center (CPDC). Speakers emphasized the importance of this MWTF program in helping PA-MOH paramedical staff attain professional skills and management, medical knowledge, evidence based practice and leadership skills , a fact that would reflect positively on patients’ lives and satisfaction.
The main focus of this training round of was to take advantage of the proven educational and practical programs by AUBMC Nursing Services in enhancing the knowledge of healthcare workers to secure patient safety and appropriate care to cancer patients. Members of the oncology group had theoretical and observatory practical training at different nursing oncology aspects and units. The Nursing leadership and supervisor groups were exposed to up-to-date management theories and preceptorships. All attendees received cutting-edge knowledge of theoretical and practical skill of patient care. Group members had a fruitful encounter with a wide range of AUBMC staff including bedside nurses, nursing supervisors, quality officers and other healthcare professionals. Such exposure will empower the trainees and lead them to apply the best clinical practice when caring for their patients.
At the concluding ceremony, trainees were awarded certificates of attendance including credits for ANCC contact hours. VP Dr. Diab expressed the REP continued academic and medical support to people wherever needed in the region especially so to the Palestinians.
Dr. Zaatari stated, “The MWTF program aims at helping Palestinian healthcare providers develop their skills to advance and improve their patients’ medical conditions. This motivates us to continuously support such an endeavor.”
Dr. Araj said, "The primary purpose was for the participants to transfer back home the knowledge of administrative policies, protocols, and chemotherapy updates which could be applied in the different academic, clinical, and hospital nursing services in the WB.” He added, "Such an activity and advanced training program reflect the shining role of AUB and its medical center in serving the people of the region and improving their health especially since it is the first medical center in the Middle East to receive the five international accreditations of JCI, Magnet, CCNE, CAP and ACGME-I."
The representatives from the nursing services (Mr. Walid Rasheed, on behalf of Ms. Iman Kouatly, Nariman Iskandarani, Rafika Zaatari, Randa Soufi and others) enjoyed their constructive interaction with this group, as done with the previous groups from Palestine. They emphasized the importance of sharing their experience with their colleagues back home to make a difference.
The delegation expressed their extreme satisfaction with both the knowledge and clinical experience attained during their stay. They also extended their sincere gratitude to those responsible for the MWTF, AUBMC Nursing services, AUB and AUBMC staff and administrators who made this training opportunity possible to help and support the needy people living under distressed conditions in the WB.