The 1st Al Gharbia International Nursing Conference (GINC) opened on Wednesday at Madinat Zayed in the Western Region, under the theme “Improving patient care outcomes through quality nursing practice.” The 2-day event is organised by Al-Gharbia Hospitals under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region. Director of Nursing at Al-Gharbia Hospitals and chairman of the conference, Dr Salah Aqtash, in his opening remarks, noted the aspirations of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to build a bright future for the region through the Abu Dhabi Vision 2020. He said the event provides a platform for interaction with many distinguished speakers from various countries, including the US, Lebanon, Qatar, Oman and the UAE. At the conference, participants will be discussing challenges and strategies for improving patient healthcare outcomes through quality nursing practices. Also, role of nursing leaders in creating a professional environment directed toward improving practice in a multinational setting is on the agenda. They will also outline possible approaches for improving the delivery of quality patient care, taking into consideration the financial resources, challenges and highlight the importance of quality nursing care in enhancing patients and family satisfaction.