Professional Boundaries Course for Doctors, Nurses and Healthcare Professionals

What you will learn

• Distinguish boundary crossings from boundary violations and place your own patient relationships on the continuum from under-involvement to over-involvement.
• Identify the federal provisions that underpin professional boundaries, including FDL 4/2016 Arts 3, 5(7), 5(8) and 38, CR 40/2019 Art. 2, FL 5/2019 and FL 6/2023.
• Apply the boundary clauses of the DHA Code of Ethics (2025), including 10.3.4–10.3.6, 8.1.7–8.1.8, 9.1.3 and 9.1.9, and explain how breaches become Schedule 4 violations under ECR 49/2024.
• Conduct opposite-gender and intimate examinations with a suitable third person, the form of consent your licensing authority requires, privacy and complete documentation.
• Manage gifts, hospitality, financial approaches and dual relationships, including family, friends, colleagues and sponsors, in line with DHA and DOH standards.
• Maintain boundaries on social media, messaging and telehealth, consistent with DHA ST-21, DHA Code 10.7 and Federal Law No. 2 of 2019.
• Respect patients' cultural and religious values without stereotyping or imposing your own beliefs, and recognise power-related risks in relationships with colleagues and trainees.
• Recognise warning signs of boundary drift and respond effectively when a patient crosses a line, including restoring the boundary and transferring care safely.
• Describe how UAE authorities handle boundary concerns, including precautionary suspension, penalties, grievance deadlines and effects on Good Standing Certificates.
• Write a structured reflection that demonstrates insight and identifies evidence of changed practice.

Syllabus

11 sections, about 2 learning hours, 20-question final assessment

1. 1Foundations: what professional boundaries are2 lessons

   • What professional boundaries are and why they matter
   • Power, trust and vulnerability in UAE practice
2. 2The UAE legal and regulatory framework2 lessons

   • Federal law: the duties that apply in every emirate
   • Emirate standards: DHA, DOH, MOHAP, SHA and DHCR
3. 3Sexual boundaries, third-person presence and harassment3 lessons

   • Romantic and sexual boundaries with patients and their families
   • Opposite-gender examinations, third-person presence and dignity
   • Harassment, abuse and criminal exposure
4. 4Gifts, money and dual relationships3 lessons

   • Gifts, hospitality, money and financial dealings
   • Dual relationships: family, friends, colleagues and sponsors
   • Self-disclosure, special treatment and care outside the clinical setting
5. 5Digital and social media boundaries2 lessons

   • Social media, friend requests and your online presence
   • WhatsApp, personal phones and telehealth
6. 6Culture, colleagues and the workplace2 lessons

   • Cultural and religious context in a diverse health system
   • Boundaries with colleagues, students and supervisees
7. 7Warning signs, managing challenges and documentation3 lessons

   • Warning signs and personal risk factors
   • When a patient crosses a line: restoring the boundary
   • Documenting and seeking advice
8. 8When a concern is raised: process, outcomes and remediation2 lessons

   • How a boundary concern is handled in the UAE
   • Insight, reflection and remediation
9. 9Conclusion and key points1 lesson

   • Conclusion and key points
10. 10References and further reading1 lesson

    • References and further reading
11. 11Your reflective account1 lesson

    • Your reflective account

Course facts

CPD value

Approximately 2 learning hours (self-directed CPD, including knowledge checks, reflection and assessment)

Audience

Licensed healthcare professionals in the UAE (MOHAP, DHA, DOH, SHA, DHCR): doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and allied health professionals in government and private facilities

Standards covered

Federal Decree-Law No. 4 of 2016 on Medical Liability (Arts 3, 5, 23, 37, 38) and Cabinet Resolution No. 40 of 2019 (Art. 2); Federal Law No. 5 of 2019 (Arts 17, 24, 28, 29); Federal Law No. 6 of 2023 (Arts 8, 13, 14) and Cabinet Resolution No. 176 of 2025 (Art. 11); Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2024 (Art. 42); Federal Law No. 2 of 2019 on ICT in Health Fields; Ministerial Resolution No. 14 of 2021 (Patient's Rights and Responsibilities Charter); DHA Standards for Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Health Professionals V1 (2025); Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 49 of 2024 (Schedule 4; Arts 19, 22, 24, 25); DHA Fitness to Practice Policy (2025); DHA ST-21 social media standards; DOH Policy on Integrity and Benefit Disclosure (2022); ADHICS V2; Abu Dhabi Law No. 10 of 2018 (Art. 12)

Format

Self-paced, gated lessons with knowledge checks, UAE case studies and reflection

Assessment

20 scenario-based questions, 80% to pass (16 of 20)

Outcome

Certificate of completion and a written reflection for your professional development portfolio

Alignment

Supports reflection on DHA Code of Ethics Standard Two (6.1.3), Standard Four (8.1.7–8.1.8), Standard Five (9.1.3, 9.1.9, 9.3.2), Standard Six (10.1.8–10.1.10, 10.3.3–10.3.7, 10.4.3, 10.4.6, 10.7) and Standard Eight (12.1–12.2); the federal anti-exploitation and third-person duties that apply to MOHAP, DOH, SHA and DHCR licensees; and DOH integrity requirements. Independent; not approved by any authority.

Price

AED 349

Who this course is for

Doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and allied health professionals licensed by MOHAP, DHA, DOH, SHA or DHCR.

Written for professionals licensed by any UAE authority: MOHAP, DHA, DOH, SHA or DHCR. Where the rules differ, the course explains the difference.