A watchful eye and a caring heart

Meet nurse and clinical coordinator Doreenlove.

Ghanaian born Doreenlove Serwah tells us she can’t imagine being anything other than a nurse. Her passion for nursing and the will to give something back, have driven her to volunteer on countless Operation Smile surgical programmes, a responsibility she’s been proud to fulfil for more than a decade.

The will to succeed

Doreenlove tells us she has never once regretted becoming a nurse. She’s a passionate advocate of the vital role that nurses play in healthcare, something she feels is often overlooked.

“I want to be the best nurse I can be because most people think you need to be a doctor to make an impact, no! I love my job and I work with passion. Anybody who works with me knows that this girl works with passion, and a nurse is all she’s ever wanted to be.”

Three healthcare professionals in colorful scrubs and head coverings stand together, reviewing documents or medical charts in a well-lit hospital hallway. — Doreenlove (centre) reviews a patient chart with colleagues during a surgical programme in Ghana.

I love my job and I work with passion.
Doreenlove Serwah

A woman in blue scrubs and a patterned headscarf sits at a table writing on a piece of paper. A large water bottle and a black waist bag are on the table beside her. She appears focused on her work.

An eye on quality and safety

Thanks to her skills and experience in nursing, Doreenlove holds the position of clinical coordinator during surgical programmes. It’s a job that requires the confidence and skill to challenge and question, regardless of any perceived clinical hierarchy. This responsible role oversees logistics, patient care and the wider clinical team to ensure the safety and quality of care for our patients. Doreenlove explains:

‘The clinical coordinator is like a gatekeeper. I’m the last person that the patient comes to during the screening process. I check that each patient has gone through all of the correct stages and that all requirements have been met. I work with the clinical team to schedule patients for surgery, working as a team with the doctors, paediatricians and team leaders. And then on surgery days, everything, safety, quality and care is under my watchful eyes.”

Moved by a memory

But these watchful eyes also come with a big heart. It’s not all about ambition and ‘being the best’ for Doreenlove. It takes a special kind of person to leave their own family at home and travel thousands of miles to help others. She tells a story of her very first surgical programme, when she met a father of twins, both of whom had a cleft lip and palate. The man appeared to be caring for these twins by himself, a big enough task for any parent, without the additional challenges brought by a cleft lip and palate.

A group of medical professionals in scrubs and masks stand and sit together in a hospital room, listening attentively as one woman in blue scrubs speaks to them. Medical equipment and supplies are visible in the background.

Any time I think about those twins I thank God for bringing them to me because they made me see what an impact I was making.
Doreenlove Serwah

Doreenlove explains, “This man was the one tending to the kids. I was with them, helping him to care for these children. They were scheduled for surgery on day two and they were not discharged until day five. So I really had an interaction with them and I think for me it was eye opening because I had seen cleft lips, I had seen cleft palates, but seeing both, and in twins, you know it made me realise how blessed most of us are. It’s opened my eyes to a lot of things, and to look around me and see the things that we take for granted.”

Thanks to Doreenlove for watching over our patients with such love, care and attention.

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