Nursing Middle East - Horror stories
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Nursing Middle East - Horror stories
Hi,
I have had quite a few PM from nurses wanting to work in Saudi Arabia / Middle east - as a result of replies I put out about working in the middle east as a nurse.
I am amazed how little nurses realise how overwealming the culture shock can be out here and how difficult life can be made for new staff - not only from the locals but by health care colleagues and predatory men and women looking for relationships.
So...after you have read the contracts from the nice nurse recruiter and gasped at the money you think you may make out here, I suggest you keep a note on the comments I hope people make on this thread about what can go wrong if you come out here...
To get the ball rolling - About a week ago there was a "party" at one of the compounds downtown ( life in Arabia is all about compound living and sneaking from one compound to another for a party for lots of people )
There was plenty of cheap local "hootch" available, a new staff nurse ( 40's Irish first time away from home ) had a few drinks of the local hootch and went "potty" the hootch is very VERY strong.
For her own protection she was put in a room to sleep it off as she was totally gone, swearing and smashing up the flat.
She managed to force teh window and escape into the night - people at the party became concerned when she could not be found anywhere on teh compound.
She had managed to walk out of the front gate - security is a joke ? despite the terror alerts.
She was found collapsed in a heap by the locals who called the police - by the time she was awake and alert she was at the police station. She made up a crazy story of being " grabbed" off the street and taken off and forced to "drink". Needless to say the hospital security banned all staff to leave the site or the housing compound until a full investigation took place.
In conclusion - some of the hospital staff reported the truth to security , the nurse admitted she had lied and that she had not been grabbed. The nurse, her supervisor ( also at the party) and the guy who had the party were fired and all sent home. Three jobs lost, a social "scene" lost and grand plans of making money out here dashed.
*Caveat Emptor* beware of the local hootch if you come out here. Accept if you are at a "party" and things go wrong that you will be seen as guilty by association if you are caught. Do not risk spending the money you make and taking on too much debt as you never know when you could be asked to leave.
odaat
I have had quite a few PM from nurses wanting to work in Saudi Arabia / Middle east - as a result of replies I put out about working in the middle east as a nurse.
I am amazed how little nurses realise how overwealming the culture shock can be out here and how difficult life can be made for new staff - not only from the locals but by health care colleagues and predatory men and women looking for relationships.
So...after you have read the contracts from the nice nurse recruiter and gasped at the money you think you may make out here, I suggest you keep a note on the comments I hope people make on this thread about what can go wrong if you come out here...
To get the ball rolling - About a week ago there was a "party" at one of the compounds downtown ( life in Arabia is all about compound living and sneaking from one compound to another for a party for lots of people )
There was plenty of cheap local "hootch" available, a new staff nurse ( 40's Irish first time away from home ) had a few drinks of the local hootch and went "potty" the hootch is very VERY strong.
For her own protection she was put in a room to sleep it off as she was totally gone, swearing and smashing up the flat.
She managed to force teh window and escape into the night - people at the party became concerned when she could not be found anywhere on teh compound.
She had managed to walk out of the front gate - security is a joke ? despite the terror alerts.
She was found collapsed in a heap by the locals who called the police - by the time she was awake and alert she was at the police station. She made up a crazy story of being " grabbed" off the street and taken off and forced to "drink". Needless to say the hospital security banned all staff to leave the site or the housing compound until a full investigation took place.
In conclusion - some of the hospital staff reported the truth to security , the nurse admitted she had lied and that she had not been grabbed. The nurse, her supervisor ( also at the party) and the guy who had the party were fired and all sent home. Three jobs lost, a social "scene" lost and grand plans of making money out here dashed.
*Caveat Emptor* beware of the local hootch if you come out here. Accept if you are at a "party" and things go wrong that you will be seen as guilty by association if you are caught. Do not risk spending the money you make and taking on too much debt as you never know when you could be asked to leave.
odaat