The College of Nursing at the University of Human Development held a scientific panel featuring several of its lecturers to discuss various aspects of medical ethics. The panel aimed to commemorate International Nursing Day on May 12 and highlight an important issue in the medical sector: the moral principles and values of medical practice.

The speakers at the panel included Mr Ako Yousif and Mr Shkar Mariwan, both lecturers in the Nursing Department, who delivered presentations, and Dr Bushra Jabbar, the Department Head, who gave an introductory talk about the significance of International Nursing Day. Ms Bayan Salih served as the panel moderator.

Dr Bushra Jabbar welcomed the attendees, primarily students from the Nursing and Health Sciences departments, and explained why the day should be remembered. She mentioned that nurses are at the forefront whenever a pandemic breaks out, such as COVID-19, and they exhibit immense patience when dealing with patients. She noted that nursing is a challenging profession but can be very rewarding when viewed from a humane and religious perspective.

Mr Ako Yousif discussed medical professionalism and ethics, stating that they are interconnected and must not be separated. He asserted that one without the other creates imbalance and can harm society. He emphasised that knowledge is crucial for medical practitioners, as is ethics, including beneficence – acting for the benefit of the patient; autonomy – the right of patients to make decisions for themselves, regarding acceptance or rejection of treatments; confidentiality – the responsibility of doctors to keep patient information private; and justice – ensuring everyone receives the care they need without discrimination.

Mr Shkar Mariwan highlighted a book written by Prof. Dr Ali Muhyiddin Al-Qaradaghi, the Head of the Board of Trustees at the University of Human Development and President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars. The book is titled ‘General Principles of Medical Ethics in Islam.’ He emphasised several areas in the book that elaborate on doctors’ responsibilities to patients from an Islamic perspective and clarified that the book is a significant contribution to the medical sector, serving as a valuable resource for researchers and scholars.

The final part of the event consisted of handing out Certificates of Appreciation to the active students in the Nursing Department.