“I want to make my family proud”: Displaced nurse reflects on experience joining UHNM

A Palestinian-Lebanese nurse who came to the UK as part of a programme to support displaced nurses has spoken about his experiences and challenges whilst integrating into life at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM).

Mahmoud Dahsha originally trained as a nurse in Lebanon, where he worked in hospitals and even ran his own home care service business, before successfully applying for the Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB) scheme. 

The 33-year-old arrived in the UK in 2022 on a working visa sponsored by UHNM and has since completed all his exams and is now a registered nurse in the Royal Stoke University Hospital’s Critical Care Unit. 

Mahmoud decided to leave Lebanon, which has faced years of economic issues and political turmoil, to work abroad to further his career when the opportunity arose. 

“My first dream was to be a doctor. Growing up in the atmosphere I was living in, I needed to do something to help others, and I thought I could do that through medicine. But back home it’s so expensive to go to university, and my family couldn’t afford for me to train. So, I was told that by becoming a nurse, you can reach a level that’s nearly that of a doctor, so I thought I would take this pathway and see what I can achieve next.”

After graduating with a degree in nursing in 2011, Mahmoud followed the advice given to him by his father, and made the difficult decision to continue his career abroad. 

Mahmoud said: “My father told me, if you get the chance to live outside this country, go to the West, so I took his advice. I was searching for something to do outside of Lebanon because there were a number of political and financial crises happening in the country.. It was a harsh decision for me - leave your family behind and go look after your dreams and future or stay with your family and struggle and face what is going on at home. 

“I had my own profitable business offering home care services, a new concept for a town which had a shortage of hospital beds, but it wasn’t my long-term plan.”

He added: “I started to apply for opportunities in other countries and one day had a call from the agency to say I had an offer from a hospital in the UK. UHNM has been very helpful and supportive from the day I arrived. I told the International Nursing team what my career intentions and goals were, and said if you are able to support this, I am happy to work here.”

UHNM is one of 12 NHS Trusts across the UK to take part in the TBB scheme, initially employing six displaced nurses like Mahmoud. 

Like many other internationally recruited nurses, Mahmoud had to work as a healthcare assistant (HCA) in Critical Care, prior to working as a nurse which he says helped him get used to life in the UK and the NHS. 

“Whilst the clinical facilities are not so different, the main difference between healthcare in Lebanon and the UK is here, there are more polices to adhere to, but also more support from colleagues. Back home, it’s just you and your patient. There is also a deeper level of trust between staff and patient here in the UK. In Lebanon, I would get asked more closed questions from patients and their families. One of the first things I worked hard on here, was expressing myself better to gain trust from the patient and their families, as you need to explain more, and talk more about their care,” he said.

In addition to his challenges settling into working in the UK, Mahmoud says he feels “devastated” to watch what is currently unfolding back home in Lebanon. 

He said: “It’s very hard and devastating to watch what is happening back home. I am here as a person, by my mind, heart, and feelings are back with family and friends. I ring, call, and message on the Whatsapp groups during every break to check what is going on, asking are you safe, have you any food or electricity- the major questions we’re not used to asking. I just want an, “I’m OK”. 

“My close friend lost his nephews with an air strike attack on his house. Another friend lost his brother due to lack of hospital beds. 

“You feel more stressed and desperate, because you are here in a safe place, but your family and friends at constant risk. I feel greedy if I am eating nice food here and they’re not eating. I feel I need to apologise to them because I am enjoying my life, but I am not happy because they are not happy.

“But I need to be steadfast. Because once I enter the hospital, I need to throw everything to the back of my mind. It’s not my patient’s fault what is happening in Lebanon. I’m here to help them and focus on why I’m here. We’re human being and human beings feel compassion for one another. I have people to work with, patients to look after.”

Now working as a fully qualified registered nurse, Mahmoud said he intendeds to pursue further qualifications and experiences in nursing at UHNM.

Mahmoud said: “ I have a commitment and dedication to UHNM, because this hospital has brought me here, and is helping me on my journey. I would like to thank both UHNM’s International Nursing team and my Matrons and colleagues on Critical Care for their support and helping me to achieve what I wanted.

“I lost my father two years before I arrived in the UK. He was dreaming that one day I would leave and achieve what I am achieving now- he believed in me. When I remember all his advice, I am doing this for him, to make him happy. And also, I’m working to make my mother and sisters proud and happy, they all believe in me. 

“My childhood in Lebanon was a manhood. You need to look after your family from the age of ten, looking forward and making plans on how you can support them, because we live in an area of conflict. Once you overcome these hard moments you will be a strong, brave and resilient man. I’m proud to be raised to believe if you want something you need to find a way to go get it for yourself.

“Despite all that is going on, I need to carry on and work hard. Moving to the UK has deprived me from a lot of things, like being with family and friends, but it has made me who I am today. I have been down a lot of times, but I continue to stand up, because the more you go down, the stronger you stand back up.”