How to Apply for a Nursing License in Dubai Health Authority (DHA/DOH)

Requirements:

Among the licensure exam I took, Dubai's nursing licensure exam was different because it was an oral exam. Usually with the other countries, it is a written or computerized test. The requirements for the application for DHA are found on their website www.dohms.gov.ae 

Upon completion of the requirements, I personally went to their office to submit them. If you are applying with a sponsor, the sponsor will send the requirements thru their online account. I decided to take the exam without a sponsor because I wanted the privilege to choose where to work if I pass. If I took the exam with a sponsor, then I have no choice but to work with them. Anyway, upon submission, they will give you a return slip. It is indicated here when you can come back to check if you are qualified to take the exam or not. 

When I knew that I was qualified to take the exam, I scheduled my exam date. Here you have two choices, regular or urgent dates of exams. The regular schedules are usually available in a month or two. With the urgent dates, I was able to scheduled my exam in the next 3 days. They asked me if I was ready since it was only a few daysaway. Well I had to take it because the next urgent schedule available was for another 3 weeks and I really wanted to work ASAP :)

The exam fees I paid for an urgent schedule with no sponsor was 2,020 AED. It was almost 25,000 pesos. If I took the regular schedule then the payment was only half of the amount. If you have a sponsor, then the sponsor will only pay 160AED.

Exam Day:

My schedule was in the afternoon. Before the exam starts, somebody will inform the nurses on who will come first and so on. There were 3 nurses in the panel. The questions they asked me were based on my work experience. It took around 10 to 20 minutes. Then they informed me check the website for the results after 3 - 5 working days.

Results:

I was really trying to assess myself if I made it or not. I kept on checking the results online every now and then. You need to enter your registration number. Then when I saw that I was fit to work as an RN. I was relieved. Ready to work. You can print the result online which you can show to your employer when applying for work.

My online interview result

License Card:

Dubai Health Authority will not issue the license unless you have the employer. You have 1 year to find an employer or you need to take the exams again.

License card - valid for 1 year

Employer:

Once you have found a place to work, you need to download from the DHA website the form that should be filled out by your employer to get your license. There in no payment here. You need to bring a copy of your Malpractice Insurance (which your company should provide). Also bring a 2 x 2 picture. That will be the one that will appear in your license. It only takes 5 minutes to print the card.

Renewal:

License renewal is done online via your employer. Then you need to go to the office to get the card. You need to again bring a copy of the renewed malpractice insurance. 

This was my experience in 2009 in applying for a DHA Nursing License here in Dubai, UAE. I am not sure if there are any changes. I hope that my fellow nurses who are interested in taking the exam will benefit from my experience because when I applied/took the exam, I needed to come back and forth to the DHA office.

UPDATE:


For the New Computerized Licensure Application Procedure

(1) CREDENTIALING

-create an account at DHA http://eservices.dha.gov.ae/DHAWeb/default.aspx
-check the complete list of requirements DHA Nursing Licensure Requirements
-payment of 210 AED for credentialing 

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED (kindly visit DHA website to verify if there are any changes with the requirements) 

Applicants for licensure must provide the following: (source: http://www.dha.gov.ae/EN/SectorsDirectorates/Directorates/HealthRegulation/MedicalComplaint/Documents/Nursing%20%20Midwifery%20Licensing%20Requirements%20August%202011%20V%206%20(2).pdf )

1.Copy of school certificate.Evidence of successful completion of an approved nursing  educational program.

2. Nursing transcript - a full transcript clearly stating the breakdown of theoretical and clinical hours per subject of the nursing program. Note: Mark sheets are not acceptable

3. Official certificate of experience signed by an authorized person from Human Resources, Nursing or from a Medical Director.

No experience required for new graduates. Employment is permitted only in hospitals, day surgical centre and polyclinics under the direct supervision of a licensed Registered Nurse.

4. Valid practice license in country of graduation and/or country of last employment.

5. Valid Good Standing certificate from previous licensing authorities testifying to good conduct and not charged with a criminal act (if the licensing authority does not issue good standing certificates then a letter of good standing from previous employer.)

6. Passport copy. 

7. One (1) colour passport size photo.

Please note that the above mention list is not conclusive and additional documents may be requested to justify the application for registration and licensure.

Health Regulation Department in DHA will carry out Primary Source Verification (PSV) for each applicant. Qualifications attestation by the UAE embassy and/or Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not required.

Applicants who knowingly submit falsified documents will be liable for prosecution as per UAE Federal Law. This would also include an automatic termination of the licensure process and/or of the DHA licensure if already issued by the Health Regulation Department.

create your account at DHA website

payment procedure

after payment, this will be the status of your application

you will receive this message on your email (from DHA)

you will receive this message on your email (from Dataflow - for PSV)

(2) PSV (Primary Source Verification) is a process whereby the applications credentials including the applicant’s education, experience and license are verified from the source of origin- this is, the country it was obtained from).
-payment of 724 AED for PSV (just follow the email instructions that you will receive from dataflow)


(3) COMPUTER BASED EXAM
-visit prometric website to schedule your exam http://www.prometric.com/default.htm
-select DHA (Dubai Health Authority)
-payment of 170 USD for the computer based exam
-once you passed the exam, you have 1 year to find an employer (your exam will be considered void after 1 year)

About FAQ on prometric exam 

http://www.prometric.com/NR/rdonlyres/e4evtqqd3cdfi3nr2ppvdxbazpqbqfdi73otoynrulfchimhlfdzwhiiy5wm2m453tsmjfxtuqngq7m5skclcp2gieb/FAQDHAver3last.pdf

suggested  reference materials for registered nurse (from Prometric.com)

Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice, 2005, 8th Edition.

Fundamentals of Nursing, 2006, 3rd Edition.

Fundamentals of Nursing-Standards and Practice, 2006, 3rd Edition.

Brunner and Suddarth`s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing, 2006.

All-In-One Care Planning Resource, 2004.

Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery, 2003, 12th Edition.

Nurse's Quick Reference to common Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 2006, 4th Edition.

Additional Info:

I noticed that there are some application inquiries not tackled above. For the benefit of those who are not in Dubai (for you to save long distance calls to inquire) I called DHA this morning and got the following information.


-PSV #of days or weeks for processing - no definite time frame. sometimes 2 weeks or more.


-They said that the applicant should apply for PSV before applying for an exam schedule.


-The 2 year work experience that is waived for the fresh graduates - this only applies for UAE nursing graduates.


-Company nurse, clinical nurse are considered as work experience.


Disclaimer: These were the answers that were given to me by the DHA customer service 800DHA as of feb 2012. For verification, please get in touch with them because new rules might apply on your application date. I hope you guys find this helpful.