Nurses play a critical role in patient care before, during, and after surgery. In low-resource settings however, nurses often lack access to high quality training, engagement in leadership roles, and quality improvement initiatives. This can contribute to poor quality surgical care in many low-resource settings.
A Lifebox survey conducted with perioperative nurses and surgical teams highlighted that nurses want to be more confident and competent in the areas of leadership, research, communication and advocacy.
The Lifebox Nursing Leadership for Surgical Excellence (NLSE) program is a pilot project to improve perioperative nursing care processes and practices, and patient outcomes in low- and middle-income countries through perioperative nursing fellowships.

LIfebox Nursing Leadership for Surgical Excellence Fellows, Mentors, and team, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“Doctors cannot operate without a nurse. Anesthetists cannot intubate without assistance from a nurse. Cleaners cannot ensure that the hospital is clean and infection free without the guidance of nurses. After a surgeon or the anesthetist is done [in the operating room], they will leave the care of the patient to the nurse. Even before surgery, preparation for the patients is handled by the nurse. Nursing is the core foundation when it comes to health.”Belinda Karimi, Nurse Fellow, Nursing Leadership for Surgical Excellence Program, Lifebox