RIYADH, 5 January 2005 — The surgical operation to separate the Polish Siamese Twins Olga and Daria Kotacz would not have been a success had it not been for the help and assistance of Saudi nurses. Like the directors of stage plays, they are the people who work quietly behind the scene to help the show get on.

Mona Al-Huzaia is a graduate of one of the Nursing Colleges in the Kingdom. She is now nursing clinical and teaching assistant working at the King Abdul Aziz Medical City for the National Guard.

Along with two other Saudi nurses, Fatemma Al-Masoudi and Sameera Al-Ghamdi, she was working in the operating room throughout the 15-hour operation.

“There are two sorts of nurses in the operating room: The circulating nurse and the scrub nurse. I was the scrub nurse. I was standing next to Dr. Al-Rabeeah throughout the operating handing him the equipment he needed in surgery,” she said.

Commenting on the performance of the Saudi medical team, she said. “I was so amazed and proud to find such a qualified medical team to work with.”

In her opinion, the most intense moment in the operation was the separation of the spinal cord. Being a member of Monday’s team benefited her in many ways, as she describes. “I gained a lot of things. First of all, I gained experience. I also refreshed my knowledge. I was proud to work along with so many experienced doctors.” The road to being a qualified Saudi female nurse was not rosy, as she had to overcome many difficulties and challenges, starting from family acceptance to her choosing her career to cultural challenges of how society might perceive her.

Currently, Saudi nurses do not represent more than 5 percent of the total nursing staff in government or private hospitals in the Kingdom. The main reason for that is society’s negative image of a nurse, particularly a Saudi nurse.

“People here think of nursing as something that does not offer anything. They don’t really know how important it is,” she said. “It also has to do with the background people have of nursing. Many people think that nurses are only there just to help the doctors. They do not think of it as a team effort,” she added.

Mona also cited the example of how sometimes conservative families can object to their daughters enrolling in the nursing field. “When I graduated, my family still had bad impressions about nursing... but that later changed when they saw me work and the benefits and experience that came with the job,” she stated. “I thank my mom for her support.”

Cultural obstacles, she said, were not just from the male side, but the female side as well. Mona said many Saudi females are reluctant to enter the field because of the interaction between men and women. “Some say it is against our religion,” she added.

She mentioned an example of how some Saudi female nurses already in the profession insist on putting on gloves all the time, thinking that to not do so and to interact with males, would be sinful.

She cited the example of how in the days of the Prophet (peace be upon him) the wives of the companions used to nurse the wounded after battles and that is part of our Islamic history and religion.

Interaction with male patients is also another challenge for Saudi female nurses who have to directly speak to the male patient and understand his needs and concerns. For many, that means breaking the ice, but also, breaking a public taboo which is speaking to the opposite sex.

“It’s hard for Saudi female nurses to get close to male patients,” she said.

Nevertheless, Mona has never regretted being a nurse and serving the human cause of helping others.

She called on Saudi girls who have the ambition of being a nurse but fear cultural reasons to overcome the fear as the first step.

“We need more Saudi nurses. And I say to those girls who are hesitant to enter the nursing field ‘don’t’. Take the step and get into the field. We have good nursing schools. It’s a chance for them,” she said.

“With a little push, they can be better than non-Saudi nurses,” she said.

“I believe nursing is something great. I gained experience, knowledge, and I learned how to help people,” she concluded.

She thanked the Dean of the Nursing College in the National Guard Hospital, Dr. Wafeeqa Suleiman, and the Associated Dean for Administrative Affairs Dr. Bothayna Murshid, as well as the CEO Dr. Al-Rabeeah for giving her the opportunity in taking part in the landmark operation.