Emirati women break barriers in emergency health care
Three EMTs explain how they go about their duty in often difficult situations
Emirati women Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) comprise almost 85 per cent of Emirati EMTs at National Ambulance. Thirty woman joined the service over the ast three years and 23 joined earlier this month.
A National Ambulance EMT’s task is to provide immediate medical support to people across the emirates of Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
Gulf News spoke to three such EMTs — Ohoud Al Serkal, Woraija Al Ketbi and Shaikha Al Hefeiti — about their achievements and challenges. They all agreed that the hardest part in the job is responding to an incident that involves children. However, they added that nothing is more rewarding than saving a life or helping someone in their moment of need.
Experience counts
“The more incidents you respond to, the more resilient you become,” Al Hefeiti said. “You gain confidence and are motivated to upgrade your skills and stay fit.”
For Al Serkal, the main challenge always is to stay focused on saving the lives of a patient despite dustactions such as a panicking family member. Alhefeiti admitted that the sight of dead children is still very difficult for her to handle as is seeing the child’s family members in pain.
For Al Ketbi, the language barrier is sometimes a challenge when dealing with foreign nationals.
Memorable cases
Al Ketbi, who was an oral and dental health specialist, before becoming an EMT, recalled a case of a patient who had a severe head injury and shoulder dislocation. “He was a person of determination and had difficulty in communication. I had experience in sign language and was able to calm him down until he was taken to the hospital. I will never forget the smile on his face,” she said.
Child cases are hard
Al Hefeiti, who initially worked as a teaching assistant at UAE University from wher she graduated in molecular biology, said: “I will never forget the day we responded to a little boy who fell from the 11th floor of a building. I had to control my emotions and help to resuscitate him. Unfortunately he passed away.”
Al Serkal said she witnessed many strange cases, but the worst was the abuse of a one-month-old girl by her father. “I could not forget the sight of the baby as a mother myself,” she said.
She added: “We go through a lot of emotional stress, but we can’t show them to patients’ families. I was relieved when we were told that the baby was fine.”