Introduction
King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, with a bed capacity of 1501, commenced its operations in May 1983. Since then, it has continued expanding while serving a rapidly growing patient population in all of its catchments areas. Today, King Fahad National Guard Hospital has evolved to be part of the King Abdulaziz Medical City with many other prominent medical centers. Since its inauguration in February 2001, and within a short period, KAMC has been recognized as a distinguished healthcare provider.
The Emergency Care Center at KAMC is the best Trauma Nursing Services, Central Region (NS, CR), and is a large and complex department. It functions autonomously to maintain
professional nursing standards and scope of practice. It collaborates with Medical and Non-Medical leaders to develop program-specific strategies, goals, policies, and standards of care. The Department incorporates a multinational workforce of almost 4,000 personnel comprising professional nurses, para-nursing, auxiliary, and support staff. Additionally, it provides professional oversight to Nurses who work in other departments.
NS, CR’s internal organizational structure is flattened deliberately to facilitate clear, expedient, and open communication between the bedside clinical staff and patients, with those in Nursing Services leadership positions.
The Nursing Executive Committee drives Nursing Services strategy, sets standards of nursing care, and monitors and actions data pertinent to Nursing-sensitive components of care delivery, operational efficiency, patient satisfaction, Nursing Saudization, and staff recruitment and retention. Sub-committees are established, which include frontline clinical bedside experts.
At an organizational level, the Associate Executive Director for Nursing Services is a Central Region Executive Management Committee member. Directors of Clinical Nursing collaborate formally and informally with their affiliated Medical Chairmen and Heads of Service to align Nursing Services with the direction and vision of Medical Services and NGHA. Nursing Services representatives also participate in interdepartmental committees, task forces, and working groups.
Ward Managers, Clinical Instructors, nursing and non-nursing direct care providers collaborate directly with the patients, family, and healthcare team to deliver the proper patient care.
Nursing Services educational activities are accredited by the California Board of Nursing for Continuing Education. Specialized and sub-specialized professional nursing programs and skill enhancement courses are provided, in addition to training programs for para-nursing and support staff. Nursing Clinical Teaching Units and cross-appointments have been established to support the clinical placement requirements of the King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University, College of Nursing BSN curriculums.
Recruitment and retention of competent nursing personnel are crucial due to the complexity of services and imminent expansions. To meet this objective, strategies have been developed to maximize and expedite Saudization. The Nursing Services aim to ensure stability, balanced with maintaining expatriate staff recruitment and retention to meet operational needs. These strategies are multifaceted and are implemented in collaboration with numerous departments, including Clinical Nursing Recruitment Services, Training & Development, Post Graduate Education, Administrative Affairs, Scholarships Office, Employee Relations, and the King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences.