“I was inspired to become a nurse because, from a young age, I witnessed how important healthcare professionals can be in people’s lives. Growing up in a refugee community, I saw many families struggle with access to healthcare, support and basic services. Nurses were often the people who brought comfort, hope and dignity to patients, even during incredibly difficult circumstances.”
Ahmad Theibich is recalling what first set him on the path to nursing, a journey which would take him from Lebanon to London.
“That stayed with me. I wanted to become someone who could make people feel supported when they were at their most vulnerable. For me, nursing has never been only about treating an illness or carrying out a clinical task. It is about listening, understanding someone’s individual circumstances and standing beside them when they need support the most.”
Today, Ahmad is an Orthopaedic Clinical Nurse Specialist at HCA Healthcare UK in London and was named ‘Overseas Nurse of the Year’ in the 2024 Nursing Times Awards.
He has built a life and career which did not seem possible growing up in Lebanon.
“As a third-generation Palestinian refugee, I was born and raised in Lebanon, where refugees face significant restrictions and barriers to opportunities. For example, there are many professions that Palestinian refugees are restricted from working in and there are also limitations around property ownership and other civil rights.”
“As someone who held a travel document rather than a conventional passport, obtaining visas and travelling internationally was also extremely difficult. For a long time, opportunities that many people take for granted simply did not feel accessible to me.”
An organisation called Talent Beyond Boundaries gave Ahmad the opportunity he had been looking for.
“Talent Beyond Boundaries helps refugees and displaced people find work abroad based on their skills rather than their status. They partner with employers in different countries who are looking to hire and they connect them with skilled people who, because of their refugee situation, would otherwise never get the chance to even apply. Refugees and displaced people often have real skills and experience, and employers have jobs they need to fill. Talent Beyond Boundaries brings the two together, so everyone benefits.”
“When I heard about their programme, I was working as a nurse in Beirut. I thought there’s no harm in applying. I never imagined where that application would eventually take me.”
“That opportunity changed not only my life, but also the lives of my family. It allowed me to build a career, continue my education and create a future that I would not have been able to imagine for myself had I remained in Lebanon.”
Ahmad recently completed his MSc Advanced Clinical Practice and found the experience played a significant role in his professional development.
“The course challenged me to look beyond the traditional boundaries of nursing and develop a much deeper understanding of advanced clinical practice.”
“It encouraged me to become more analytical and reflective in my practice and it taught me to look at patients holistically rather than focusing only on the presenting clinical problem. As an orthopaedic nurse, this is particularly important because patients often have complex physical, psychological and social needs that can influence their recovery.”
“I also really valued the opportunity to learn from experienced academics and clinicians and to apply that knowledge directly to my day-to-day practice.”
“The highlight of my time at City St George’s was realising that the barriers I had experienced earlier in my life did not have to define my future. Every assignment, clinical experience and achievement at university felt like another step towards becoming the practitioner I wanted to be. It also gave me the opportunity to reflect on why I chose this profession in the first place. The more I learned, the more I realised that I genuinely love nursing and it showed me that I am capable of much more than I initially thought.”
“The course gave me an academic qualification, but it also gave me the knowledge, skills and confidence to take the next step in my career.”
“One of my long-term ambitions is to establish my own independent practice, where I can use my experience and advanced clinical skills to provide high-quality, patient-centred care.”
“I am excited about what the future holds, but I also want to remain focused on the same principle that brought me into nursing in the first place: making people feel safe, listened to and cared for.”