As a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, I plan to provide safe anesthesia care for general surgery and obstetric/gynecologic procedures during the upcoming surgical mission in Ghana, West Africa. Access to surgical and anesthesia services remains limited in many parts of Ghana, where shortages of trained providers and financial barriers often prevent patients from receiving necessary care. By volunteering my skills, I hope to help bridge this gap and support life-changing operations that can restore health, prevent complications, and improve quality of life. Providing these services will not only relieve the suffering of Ghanian citizens who cannot afford surgery, but also help strengthen trust in local healthcare systems and highlight the importance of accessible medical care. Through collaboration with local Ghanian CRNAs, I aim to share my knowledge but also look forward to learning from their expertise, adaptability, and resourcefulness in delivering care within different healthcare settings. Ultimately, this mission represents an opportunity to use my training and experience to make a meaningful difference by empowering communities, supporting maternal health, and advancing global efforts to reduce disparities in surgical and anesthesia care.
The primary beneficiaries of this mission are Ghanian citizens in need of general surgical and obstetric/gynecologic procedures. In Ghana, access to safe surgery and anesthesia remains a critical challenge, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Although many district-level hospitals provide essential operations, they often lack consistent access to vital infrastructure, modern equipment, and adequately trained healthcare professionals. Financial barriers also remain a large factor in access to care issues. Women requiring obstetric and gynecologic care represent a particularly vulnerable population. While maternal morbidity and mortality rates have improved in recent years, they continue to pose a significant public health concern due to persistent disparities in access to timely and safe surgical and anesthetic services.
I believe this surgical mission will have an impact on me both personally and professionally, especially as a novice CRNA. Providing anesthesia in a resource-limited setting will challenge my ability to critically think and adapt while delivering safe anesthetic care. But beyond practical skills, this experience will deepen my cultural competence/ understanding of global health challenges, and strengthen my communication skills while working as part of a team. I plan to carry these lessons forward by integrating them into my clinical practice, advocacy work, and future outreach efforts. Sharing this experience with colleagues and future CRNAs can help inspire continued participation in humanitarian efforts and reinforce the global responsibility of CRNAs to advance equitable access to safe anesthesia care worldwide.
Serving as a nurse anesthetist in Techiman, Ghana is something I’m still trying to put into words. The patients we cared for had been living with pain or putting off surgery for years, yet they showed up with so much trust and calm strength. Many of these patients traveled from outside of Ghana for medical treatment. Working beside the local Ghanaian CRNAs taught me more than I expected. They’re incredibly skilled, resourceful, and grounded, and I walked away a better provider because of them. The whole experience left me humbled in a way that’s hard to describe and made me genuinely grateful for the things I often take for granted back home in the USA. This trip is one I will carry with me for a long time!
