Celebrating our international colleagues - Marisse Dimla’s journey to Medway

To mark Overseas NHS Workers’ Day (Friday 6 March), Marisse Dimla has shared her experiences of leaving her home in Saudi Arabia to join the NHS and develop her nursing career.

She said: “After completing my nursing degree in the Philippines, my professional journey began in Saudi Arabia, where I was the first nurse to be accepted into the Saudi Student Nurses’ Development Programme at the hospital where my parents worked.

“It provided children, of long-serving staff members, who were studying nursing the opportunity to train in the hospital and, if their performance was excellent, be interviewed for employment.

“After I completed my training I worked as a Senior Staff Nurse at the hospital from 2011 to 2019. While I was grateful for the opportunities I had, I wanted more growth and to challenge myself outside my comfort zone.

“So, when a close friend told me about the opportunities at Medway, those eight years of practice gave me the confidence to transition into the NHS. It was frightening to leave behind the life I knew but it marked the moment that I truly began building the future I had envisioned for myself.”

Before joining the hospital in July 2019 as a Band 4 staff nurse on Phoenix Ward, Marisse completed the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam and the Nursing and Midwifery Council Computer Based Test (NMC CBT) while in Saudi Arabia. Supported and sponsored by the hospital, she then travelled to the UK to complete the final stage of registration, the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).

“Passing the OSCE and receiving my Band 5 Personal Identification Number (PIN) was a defining moment. It represented not only professional recognition, but also the fulfilment of years of sacrifice and determination,” she said.

Since then Marisse has completed the Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) Level 7 qualification with the University of Wolverhampton, sponsored by NHS England. She has also undertaken a Level 6 Anaesthetic Nursing course with Canterbury Christ Church University, sponsored by the hospital.

Today Marisse works as a theatre practitioner specialising in recovery and anaesthetic nursing.

She said: “The hospital has invested in my development, and I carry that support with pride and gratitude.”

Leaving her family and friends behind was one of the hardest parts of her journey.

“Saudi Arabia had been my home for many years, and the people I worked with and built friendships with there were like family to me,” she added.

“Saying goodbye to my brother, Raphael, was especially painful as we were very close. Over time, I have realised that distance does not weaken meaningful relationships, it reshapes them.

“The support I received from the hospital made a significant difference in my transition.

“We were provided with a welcome pack, airport collection, and practical support with accommodation arrangements plus an intensive six-week induction programme.

“At a time when I was worried about stability and belonging, the support I received gave me reassurance and confidence that I could rebuild my life here.”

Interim Chief Executive, Jonathan Wade, said: “Many of our international colleagues will have made the difficult decision to leave their family to come to the UK to work and I am extremely grateful to them for making that decision. Thanks to them the care we provide to our patients, and our workplace culture, is greatly enriched because of their experiences and skills.”

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