DOH Nursing

What is DOH RN License in the UAE?

DOH is the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi; previously called HAAD (Health Authority of Abu Dhabi). The DOH is the licensing body for Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, 2 cities in the UAE.

Passing the DOH (HAAD) exam is the first step to working as a nurse in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Once you pass the DOH nursing exam, it gives you a chance to apply for job vacancies in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain ONLY and not anywhere else in the UAE.

Once you pass the DOH exam and find work, you will be granted the DOH RN license by the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi.

DOH (HAAD) license exam requirements for nurse

Abu Dhabi DOH Exam Eligibility for Nurses

Registering as a nurse and working in Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain is open to all foreign nurses with the following:

• Bachelor’s degree of minimum of 3 years full-time course duration.
• A minimum of current Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification
• Degree in Nursing (minimum two years course duration) if you are a Registered Nurse in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia
• A minimum of current Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification

Nurses who hold a Diploma of Nursing not less than 18 months course can apply for Assistant Nurse Title.

Nurses with a Bachelor's Degree in nursing but are qualified as ‘Assistant Nurse’ may apply for title upgrade provided that their experience as an assistant nurse has not exceeded 5 years.

UAE National graduates of UAE universities and non-UAE universities requires the course/degree and university to be accredited by the Ministry of Education (MOE/NQA).

DOH license exam for nurse

CBTs (Computer Based Testing) are managed by “Pearson VUE” company through their worldwide network in different countries.

• Nurses are required to pass the DOH, Abu Dhabi Health Authority’s computer-based exam to obtain a professional license to work in Abu Dhabi or Al Ain.
  • The exams will be conducted in English language and no translator is allowed to attend the oral assessment.
  • Oral assessment for Specialist nurses consists of minimum five (5) different scenarios/questions in areas related to the specialty.
• A total of three (3) attempts are provided to pass the exam, across the 3 UAE Health Authorities.
• If a nurse fails the exam on three attempts, the nurse can reapply if an additional Recognized Certificate/qualification is obtained. After 3 failed attempts, nurses are not allowed to apply for a lower or equivalent title.
• The applicant may be granted 1 last attempt in a different Authority after failing three (3) attempts with another Authority.
• UAE nationals and Children of Emirati women are exempted from the exams.

Exam Results

Pass or fail only which can be accessed from applicant’s TAMM account within 48 hours. The applicant score will not be shared.

DOH Specialty Nurses Eligibility

Nurses who are qualified as “registered nurse” and hold post graduate certificate in one of the nursing specialties with minimum one-year fulltime course duration can apply as specialty nurse. You are also required to have completed a minimum of one year's experience post qualification in the related specialty area.

DOH Recognized Specialty Titles for Nursing

The following specialty titles for nurses are recognized by DOH. There are no additional examinations for attaining the titles below.

• Certified Anesthesia Nurse
• Community Nurse
• Pediatric Nurse
• Mental Health Nurse
• Critical Care Nurse
• Neonatal Care Nurse
• Home Care Nurse
• Infection Control Nurse
• Emergency Nurse
• Oncology Nurse
• Dialysis Nurse

To practice a few past DOH Nursing exam questions for free,  click here  and choose DOH from the list of exams.

If you have already prepared for your exams, you can still test the quality of your preparation and familiarize with the exam software using our DOH Mock tests. eNursing Portal Mock tests are not quizzes, but our application closely mimics the software application Pearson Vue uses in administering the exam. To use  eNursing DOH/HAAD Mock tests click here.

Abu Dhabi DOH exam fees for nurses

Break or Gap in practice

Nurses who have a break in clinical practice of more than two (2) years and opting to be licensed in the UAE must follow the CME/CPD requirements below.

All nurses (Apart from UAE nationals) after completion of CME/CPD credits and clinical training program are required to pass the Authorities licensure assessment to obtain the license to practice.

Exemptions from DOH CBT exam

Nurses who hold a valid license and good standing within the countries (Shown below) will be exempted from the Registered Nurse or Registered Midwife Exam.

The equivalency exams listed in the below tables must be valid upon licensure examination, (if the document does not state a validity, it shall be accepted within 5 years from the date of issuance).

Examination exemption criteria does not apply to Nurses exceeding 2 years of Gap of Practice (excluding UAE nationals).

Note : If you did not complete the university studies in English or the license belongs to a non-English speaking country from the above list, one of the below evidences of English language proficiency must be provided.

• TOEFL score of not less than 500
• IELTS score of not less than 5.0
• Occupational English Test (OET) score of not less than C
• Cambridge Assessment English score of not less than 169

DOH (HAAD) Dataflow Requirements for Nurse: Application and Registration

How can I apply for DOH (HAAD) Nursing exam and get DOH Nursing License?

Step – 1 – Create an account on DOH website

• Visit the DOH website https://bpmweb.doh.gov.ae/UserManagement/MainPage.html
• Register a new account and create a login ID and password.

Step – 2 - Primary Source verification (PSV)

The DOH has partnered with Dataflow Group to screen professional applicants for the Abu Dhabi healthcare sector. The PSV runs thorough checks on the educational backgrounds and credentials of all professionals who submit a DOH license application. These checks ensure that only the most genuine profiles make it to the Abu Dhabi Medical Registry.

• Visit the Dataflow website to complete the Dataflow process.
• Register as a new user (found at the bottom of the page) for PSV (Primary source verification).
• Complete the form by filling up the personal details, giving consent for LOA, selecting a case type. Based on the Case type fill your education details, License details, experience details etc. Download, fill and sign the Staff Data form and submit PSV Fee. It will take about 3 weeks for verification. Once verification is completed, you will receive Data Flow report of PSV by email

Step – 3 Book your Exams

• Download the UAE pass and register on it with email and phone number
• Log into TAMM account using your UAE pass
• Click on Abu Dhabi Health services > Register a new license for a Health care professional > start the application.
• Pay and submit the application after uploading all the required documents.
• You will receive an email of your application being accepted.
• Pay DOH examination fees.
• You will also receive an email from Pearson VUE with an Username and Password.
• Log into Pearson VUE account to schedule your exam.

Step – 4 Activate your License

After you have attempted your exams, you results will be available on your TAMM ( Log in using UAE pass) within 48 hours.

After you apply for a job and receive the offer letter, you can upload it on TAMM and activate your license.

Document Requirements for Renewal of DOH Nursing Licenses

• For Nurses, a minimum of 20 CME/CPD credits a year are required.
• Application letter from the clinic/hospital
• Malpractice insurance against medical errors.
• Contract of employment.
• Copy of the last issued license.
• Copy of Emirates ID card.