Nurses from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) care for children who come from around the world. However, nurses rarely get to see the environments and facilities these children are cared for in their home countries. CHOP’s Department of International Medicine, in collaboration with the Department of Nursing, has created a professional development opportunity for CHOP nurses to see the countries firsthand, observe the facilities where children are treated, and meet the clinical staff caring for patients. The first such observerships were held in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Doha in Qatar.

Kelly Shoyket and Meghan Jennings travelled to Doha, Qatar, and conducted a two-week observership at Hamad General Hospital. Margaret McGrath and Heather Hopkins travelled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and conducted a two-week obervership at Sheikh Khalifa Hospital. This immersion provided firsthand experience of the cultures, customs, and the unique needs of patients and families from the region. Upon returning to CHOP, these four nurses are serving as champions in their units for fellow staff members to support the care of Middle Eastern patients and families.