RCSI Bahrain has successfully conducted its first Virtual Programme Advisory Board for the Bachelor in Nursing and Masters in Nursing Programmes on 13th April. The programme board meets once a year to oversee the developments and delivery of the programmes.

Present at the meeting were 26 representatives from RCSI Bahrain’s affiliated hospitals, King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH), Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), American Mission Hospital (AMH), and Royal Bahrain Hospital (RBH), along with representatives from the Ministry of Health, National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA), and Tamkeen. Student and alumni representatives also attended the virtual meeting, in addition to representatives from the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Attendees of the virtual advisory board were supportive of the measures that RCSI Bahrain has taken to ensure continuance of the programmes at this time and appreciate the efforts made to ensure that nursing students return to practice, complete their programme as planned, and are ready to enter the workforce. The advisory board also discussed the arrangements for the continuation of online teaching, both for the theoretical and practical components of the programmes, under the current circumstances.

RCSI Bahrain’s President, Professor Sameer Otoom, commented: “Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, our priority has been to ensure that our final year nursing students were able to complete their degrees in a timely manner and graduate this year as healthcare professionals, so they can join the workforce to help meet the needs of our communities.”

RCSI Bahrain thanks all its stakeholders who participated in this meeting and for their strength of solidarity shown at this difficult time.