Some members of the joint UC-Q and Sidra pilot project are seen with simulators during one of the sessions
Sidra Medical and Research Centre and the University of Calgary – Qatar (UC-Q) are collaborating on the development and delivery of an obstetric simulated education pilot session, which aims to raise practice standards of care in maternal and child health in Qatar.
The collaborative event will be done through the use of the most modern educational methodologies and simulation technology and the current plan was to develop similar initiatives in other specialty areas of patient care.
One of the principal objectives of the initiative is to standardise the way healthcare educational programmes are delivered across the various institutions in Qatar, including the Hamad Medical Corporation.
Collaborations such as this between different institutions are crucial to ensuring consistent shared clinical knowledge and developing expertise, contributing in part to greater breakthroughs and pioneering healthcare efforts within the country and the GCC.
In addition, prior to the opening of the Sidra Medical, the newly developed and piloted programmes will be used by Sidra during the on-boarding phase of staff recruitment and orientation and for Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Educators from Sidra and the UC-Q Nursing faculty have recently organised a special educational workshop for senior Nursing students, which was one of the first collaborative events between the partners with focus on the education of undergraduate nursing students during their Maternal/Child Health course.
The collaboration served as a pilot for fostering joint and standardised simulation-based learning programmes throughout the region and ensuring the quality of facilitator training across institutions.
Participating faculty members included Behi Nikaiin and Leanne Wyrostok from UC-Q and Joanne Davies and Guillaume Alinier from Sidra Medical.
Sidra is currently focused on enhancing women and children’s programmes that concentrate on safe patient care, clinical skills, teamwork, and communication, which aligns with UC-Q’s educational goals. 
Future collaborations are planned between Sidra, UC-Q, and HMC, among other partners to develop more simulation programmes, with the aim of piloting them prior to on-boarding Sidra’s staff and for use as CPD.
On the impact of their recent experience, students of the joint UC-Q and Sidra pilot project observed that the skills session had equipped them with insight for improvement adding that it also helped them to gain a deeper understanding of clinical practice.
UC-Qatar campus dean and chief executive officer Carolyn Byrne said the University was committed to participating in research and educational initiatives that contributed to health and wellness, adding that the programmes would prepare nurses to render excellence in practice.