Dubai Health Earns ANCC Distinction for Nursing Excellence

The integrated healthcare system becomes the first in the UAE to achieve the American Nurses Credentialing Center's highest accreditation level, recognising exemplary commitment to professional development.

The nursing profession demands perpetual refinement. It requires institutions willing to invest not merely in systems and structures, but in the intellectual and practical evolution of those entrusted with care. Dubai Health has now received formal recognition of this philosophy, becoming the first integrated academic healthcare system in the United Arab Emirates to earn Accreditation with Distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation.

This distinction represents the highest tier of recognition bestowed by ANCC, a designation reserved for organisations demonstrating exemplary practice and sustained excellence in nursing education and continuing professional development. The accreditation process itself rests upon evidence-based rigour, evaluating institutions against criteria designed to ensure that educational programming genuinely advances professional practice, individual performance, and ultimately, healthcare outcomes for patients.

The ANCC framework draws upon the Donabedian model, a foundational approach that examines structure, process, and outcome measures to assess quality. By adopting these standards, Dubai Health has committed itself to a systematic, evidence-based methodology for designing and delivering continuing professional development activities. Crucially, the framework demands that accredited organisations continuously measure their processes and evaluate their impact on nursing professionals’ growth and competence.

Dr. Tarek Fathey, Chief Clinical Officer at Dubai Health, observed that the accreditation reflects the calibre of education provided to the nursing workforce and the organisation’s resolve to build a healthcare system aligned with the highest international standards. He emphasised that nurses within the system have access to learning that evolves alongside clinical practice, enabling them to deliver care that is safe, high-quality and compassionate. This commitment extends the organisation’s Patient First promise beyond rhetoric into tangible professional development.

Abeer Alblooshi, Director of Nursing at Dubai Health, spoke to the human dimension of this achievement. She described witnessing nurses progress from early career stages into confident, highly capable professionals, supported through mentorship, hands-on training and courses designed to inspire continued growth. Such progression, she noted, represents years of institutional investment in the professional journey of individual practitioners.

The accreditation arrives as Dubai Health continues to establish itself as a centre of healthcare excellence. As reported previously, the organisation achieved Epic Gold Star Configuration Level 10 for electronic health records, joining only five percent of global healthcare institutions at this elite level. Earlier in the year, Dubai’s healthcare sector demonstrated robust growth, with 5,931 licensed facilities and 70,566 health professionals reflecting regulatory excellence.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

For nursing professionals throughout the emirate, this recognition signals access to education and development programmes constructed to international standards. It affirms a commitment to continuous improvement in clinical knowledge and practice, ultimately benefiting patients across Dubai Health’s integrated system. The distinction establishes a benchmark for professional development that elevates expectations across the broader healthcare landscape.

More broadly, the accreditation reinforces Dubai’s position as a healthcare destination committed to global standards and evidence-based excellence. It demonstrates institutional maturity and a willingness to subject processes to rigorous external scrutiny, strengthening confidence in the quality and professionalism of nursing care delivered throughout the emirate’s healthcare ecosystem.

Source: WAM