THOSE who work in the Kingdom's healthcare sector and the Civil Defense lead challenging lives, something that often negatively affects the way their families operate, according to a recent report in Alsharq newspaper. “I'm a male nurse and people in Saudi Arabia simply find it difficult to stomach me,” said Abdullah Al-Mohsen. “They really don't understand how I could be a nurse. Most Saudi male nurses work in the emergency ward as you need to be physically strong, enduring, quick at making decisions and able to work shifts, which is socially unacceptable for Saudi women,” he said. Muna Al-Ali loves her job as a nurse. “Nursing is a very rewarding and humanitarian job. The nature of the job clashes with some of our Saudi cultural and social norms because of the long hours and night shifts,” she said. “This is especially difficult for married women and it can be hard looking for babysitters. That is why you see so many foreign female nurses in the Kingdom,” she added. Najla Ibrahim is another nurse who feels that most female Saudi nurses are misunderstood. “People look at us stereotypically and our families seldom support us. I sense the pressure quite a lot and feel like leaving the profession even though this would affect me financially,” she said. “Saudi men still avoid marrying nurses because of their strenuous working conditions. Nurses are expected to work up to 12 hours a day and sometimes during the night. Nurses also interact with the opposite gender on a daily basis,” she said, adding that this is why only 30 percent of nurses in the Kingdom are Saudi. “There is a need to remove the stigma associated with working as a nurse and the onus is on the media, educational institutions, healthcare establishments and anyone who can make a difference,” said Ibrahim. Salwa Al-Saad feels that nursing is misunderstood in the Kingdom but never completely rejected as a career for Saudi women. “It depends on the nurse's family and background. The most difficult things about nursing are the night shifts and the potential risks such as exposure to poisonous chemicals, radiation and emotional and psychological pressures,” she said. According to Hassan Al-Ali, Muna's father, nursing is not something new. “Women used to treat wounded soldiers in wars. As years went by, people have forgotten how important the role of a female nurses was. It is, however, a tough job,” he said. “Female Saudi nurses find it hard getting married because the demanding nature of their work forces them to neglect their homes and children,” he added. Dr. Saed Al-Durais, general practitioner at an emergency ward in Ahsa, said the riskiest part of his job is being exposed to contagious diseases. “It's difficult fulfilling your family responsibilities as most of the time I work night shifts,” he said. Dr. Mohammad Abdullah, a surgery consultant at King Fahd Hospital, said doctors are required to update themselves constantly on the latest medical advancements and scientific research and that can be demanding. Dr. Asma Ubaid, a gynecologist, said female Saudi nurses and doctors face the same obstacles in their career. “Female Saudi health professionals have a hard time finding Saudi men who are ready to accept them working night shifts and long hours. Gulf men, in general, prefer to have their wives at home with their kids,” she said. “Anyone getting married to someone working in the health sector needs to know the demands of the job and be willing to cooperate to make the relationship work,” she added. Bassam Ahmad, a Civil Defense firefighter, said the nature of his job puts him in a lot of near-death situations. “Firefighters have to deal with carbon inhalation, people who are panicky, bad weather and many other elements that make a firefighter's job more difficult. Firefighters need to be constantly alert,” he said. “When there is a fire you find people running for their lives and forgetting all health and safety regulations. Fire trucks often get stuck in traffic because people panic. Then there is the problem with road signs. There aren't enough of them in Ahsa. As a result, we get emergency calls and people struggle to tell us where they are,” he added. Dr. Ala Al-Said, a psychiatrist, said stressful jobs require a lot of mental energy. “This could negatively affect one's family life as they bring work home. People should be fully aware of the demands of their jobs and should be relaxed when they are with their families to ensure they have a peaceful life at home,” he said.
