Everything you need for the Dubai Health Authority nurse licensing exam — eligibility, exam content, 8-week study plan, practice quiz, lab values reference, and post-exam license process.
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is the government body that regulates all healthcare practitioners working within the Dubai emirate. Any nurse wishing to practise in Dubai must hold a valid DHA license — and for most internationally trained nurses, obtaining that license requires passing the DHA computer-based licensing exam administered through Prometric test centres.
The UAE does not have a single national nursing license. Three separate authorities cover different emirates. Getting this right is critical — a DHA license does NOT allow you to work in Abu Dhabi.
| Authority | Covers | Exam Platform | Pass Score | Portal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DHA — Dubai Health Authority This Guide | Dubai emirate only | Prometric CBT | 65% | Sheryan |
| DOH — Department of Health Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi emirate | Prometric CBT | ~60% | TAMM / DOH Portal |
| MOH UAE — Ministry of Health | Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah, UAQ | Prometric CBT | 60% | MOH UAE Portal |
If your job offer is in a Dubai hospital (e.g., Mediclinic City Hospital, American Hospital Dubai, Aster DM), you need the DHA license. If your offer is for a hospital in Abu Dhabi (e.g., Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City), you need the DOH license. Always confirm with your employer before starting your application.
Nurses from countries whose qualifications and registration systems are not fully recognised by DHA. This covers the majority of internationally trained nurses applying for a Dubai license.
Nurses registered in the following countries receive a DHA license via credential verification only (DataFlow PSV + document review), without sitting the exam:
Even exempted nurses must complete DataFlow PSV and document submission via the DHA Sheryan portal.
Register on Sheryan
Visit sheryan.dha.gov.ae. Create your account with UAE Pass or Emirates ID. Fill in personal and professional details accurately.
Upload Documents
Submit nursing certificate, transcripts, home-country license, good standing letter, and passport copies. All documents must be attested.
Initiate DataFlow PSV
DHA triggers DataFlow verification automatically or you can initiate it. DataFlow contacts your home institution directly. Takes 4-8 weeks.
Exam Eligibility
Once DHA approves your application, you receive an eligibility notification via email and Sheryan portal. Typically 1-2 months after document submission.
Book Prometric Slot
Log in to prometric.com with your eligibility ID. Choose your preferred Dubai test centre, date, and time. Pay the exam fee.
Sit Exam & License
Pass the exam; results update on Sheryan within 24-48 hours. DHA issues your license within 2-4 weeks. Download from Sheryan portal.
DHA heavily tests the nursing process. Questions often ask "what is the nurse's FIRST action?" or "which nursing diagnosis is the priority?". Know ADPIE cold: Assessment → Diagnosis → Planning → Implementation → Evaluation.
Joint Commission International (JCI) safety goals are frequently tested. Know all 6 goals: correct patient identification, effective communication & handover, high-alert medications, correct-site surgery, infection control, fall prevention.
Expect 2-5 calculation questions. Master IV flow rates (drops/min), weight-based dosing (mg/kg), unit conversions (mcg/mg/g), and infusion rate calculations (mL/hr).
Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time, right documentation (6 rights). Know when to hold medications (low BP before antihypertensives, low HR before digoxin, abnormal labs before specific drugs).
DHA questions follow a clinical scenario format: "A 45-year-old patient with hypertension is admitted post-CABG. BP is 90/60 mmHg. The nurse notes the patient is on metoprolol 25mg BD. What is the nurse's priority action?" Never expect simple recall questions — always a clinical context.
Doing 100 questions and just checking which ones you got wrong is NOT enough. The DHA exam tests clinical reasoning, not memory. For every question — right or wrong — read the rationale fully. Ask yourself: why is this the correct answer and why are the other three options wrong? This is how you build the clinical decision-making the exam tests.
Click any card to see clinical interpretation and when to act. These values appear frequently in DHA scenario questions.
DHA exams are administered at Prometric test centres in Dubai (multiple locations). Confirm your exact centre address, parking, and travel time the day before. Common centres include areas around Deira, Bur Dubai, and Business Bay.
Bring your valid passport PLUS your Emirates ID (if you have one) OR your company/work ID. Two forms of ID are strongly recommended. IDs must be originals — no photocopies accepted.
Security check-in and biometric registration take time. Late arrivals may be turned away without refund. Plan for traffic — Dubai traffic can be unpredictable especially during rush hours.
Phone, watch, wallet, bag, food, notes, books — nothing personal is allowed in the exam room. Secure valuables in your car or use the test centre lockers. Wearing smart casual clothing is recommended (avoid thick jumpers that feel suspicious to scanners).
The test centre provides a whiteboard or scratch paper for calculations and notes. Use it — especially for drug calculation questions. Write out the formula before plugging in numbers.
100 questions, 150 minutes = 1.5 minutes per question maximum. Keep an eye on the onscreen timer. If you have spent more than 2 minutes on any single question, flag it and move on. You can return to flagged questions.
Read every question carefully. If uncertain, use the flag/mark feature, choose your best answer, and continue. Answer ALL questions — unanswered questions are scored as wrong. In the final 15 minutes, review flagged questions only.
Research consistently shows that changing answers reduces overall scores unless you have a very specific reason (e.g., you misread the question). If you are just "feeling unsure," keep your original answer.
Do not be discouraged — many nurses need 2-3 attempts. DHA policy requires a cooling-off period before re-sitting (typically 60-90 days; confirm current policy on Sheryan as this may change).
After failing: request a score report to identify weak areas. Do NOT just repeat the same study materials — add new question banks and focus on your specific failed domains.
Exam fee must be paid again for each attempt. Application documents remain valid.
Entry-level DHA license. Required for all general nursing roles in Dubai healthcare facilities.
Requires additional years of experience. Often linked to team leader or ward coordinator roles.
Supervisory license tier. For nurses managing a ward or clinical unit in Dubai.
Requires specialty certification and advanced experience. ICU, oncology, paediatrics, etc.
Highest nursing license tier in DHA. Requires advanced degree and extensive leadership experience.
Your DHA license is issued digitally via sheryan.dha.gov.ae. Log in, navigate to "My Licenses," and download your license card as a PDF. Print a copy for your records.
Your employer (healthcare facility) must register you in the Sheryan system. Provide them your DHA license number and they link you to their facility. Your license then shows as "active and employed" in their system.
Anyone can verify a DHA license at sheryan.dha.gov.ae using your name or license number. Patients, employers, and regulatory bodies can confirm your credentials are valid and active.
DHA licenses require renewal every 2 years. To renew, you must complete 30 CME (Continuing Medical Education) hours per renewal cycle.
Mandatory CME topics include: patient safety, infection control, ethics and professionalism, and clinical skills updates. All CME must be from DHA-approved providers and logged in the Sheryan portal before renewal.
Late renewal incurs a financial fine from DHA. Practising as a nurse in Dubai without a valid DHA license is a criminal offence under UAE law and can result in deportation. Always renew before the expiry date — set a reminder 3 months in advance.
Some DHA questions incorporate UAE health context. Know these topics: Ramadan fasting impacts on patient care (medication timing, blood glucose monitoring, fluid management for diabetic/hypertensive patients who fast); cultural sensitivity in physical examinations (same-gender care preferences, modesty considerations, family involvement in decision-making); DHA/JCI guidelines (not just generic nursing standards — know JCI IPSG specifically as Dubai hospitals are heavily JCI-accredited).
Also be aware of UAE-specific health statistics: diabetes and obesity prevalence is high in the UAE population; road traffic accidents are a significant cause of trauma presentations; heat-related illness is relevant in an outdoor work context.
Always use GENERIC names, not brand names. DHA questions will say "metoprolol" not "Lopressor." If you only know brand names, you will struggle.
Drug interactions to know: warfarin + NSAIDs (bleeding risk), ACE inhibitors + potassium-sparing diuretics (hyperkalemia), MAOIs + SSRIs (serotonin syndrome), metformin + contrast media (hold before procedures), digoxin + hypokalemia (toxicity risk).
When to hold medications: hold metoprolol/atenolol if HR < 60; hold digoxin if HR < 60 or toxicity signs; hold ACE inhibitors if K+ > 5.5; hold insulin if blood glucose is normal-low; hold antihypertensives if SBP < 90.
Read every question. If you instantly know the answer, select and move on. Save mental energy for complex scenarios.
DHA questions contain critical words: "FIRST," "PRIORITY," "IMMEDIATE," "MOST appropriate." Missing these changes the correct answer completely.
Start by crossing out the two most obviously wrong options. Then choose between the remaining two. This dramatically improves accuracy.
Each option is independent — evaluate it as true or false on its own. Do not let one option influence another. Partial credit may not apply — be thorough.
When in doubt about priority questions, the option that ensures patient safety is almost always correct. Eliminate options that could harm the patient.
If you studied properly, your first instinct is often correct. Second-guessing without a logical reason is a common cause of failing.
Physiological needs (airway, breathing, circulation) always come before safety, then psychosocial needs. This framework solves most "what do you do first?" questions.
Airway is always first. If a patient has an airway problem, nothing else matters until it is addressed. This is true in real life and in DHA exam questions.
An option that says "continue to monitor" or "no action needed" is almost never correct when a patient has an acute clinical change. The nurse should always act.
The nursing process always starts with assessment. Before any intervention, the nurse must first assess. Unless it is an obvious emergency (stop bleeding, clear airway), assess first.
Reading too fast: skimming past keywords like "EXCEPT," "NOT," or "CONTRAINDICATED" and selecting the opposite of the correct answer.
Poor time management: spending 5+ minutes on a single hard question and running out of time for 20 questions at the end. Use the flag feature aggressively.
Studying memorisation, not reasoning: DHA tests clinical decision-making. If you only memorise facts, you will fail scenario-based questions that require applying knowledge.
Not completing DataFlow early enough: DataFlow delays are the #1 reason nurses miss their planned exam date. Start DataFlow as early as possible — ideally before you even arrive in Dubai.
Covers all 6 GCC health authorities — DHA, DOH, SCFHS, QCHP, NHRA, and OMSB — with study plans, strategies, and authority comparisons.
15 scenario-based questions in DHA exam style. Choose your answer to reveal the rationale and score. Pass mark: 10/15 (67%).