Misericordia President and CEO shares personal story on International Women’s Day
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
Published Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Caroline DeKeyster has always aspired to help others and serve her community in a meaningful way, yet becoming a nurse was never part of her plan. But says that is what helped shape who she is today as President and CEO of Misericordia Health Centre.
A job that she loves.
"I get so much personally in return, it really is a blessing for me to be able to do this and be in this role," she said.
"Looking back, I wasn't one of these people who always dreamt of being a nurse, that certainly wasn't my career path," DeKeyster said. "I was actually doing an undergraduate in political studies and economics and putting myself through university by working as a health-care aide in a nursing home."
She said after a few years working weekends as a health-care aide in the early 1980s, and some soul searching, DeKeyster decided she wasn't ready to leave her job.
She changed course and pursued an education in nursing. She became a Registered Nurse in 1984. She worked at Health Sciences Centre for many years in various roles which opened a lot of doors in management, before eventually becoming the Chief Nursing Officer at Misericordia Health Centre in 2009.
DeKeyster later became President and CEO of Misericordia Health Centre in 2017.
Before joining the MHC Family she held many program director positions within the WRHA and Family Medicine and Oncology programs at Seven Oaks General Hospital.
She is described by her staff as a visionary leader who inspires those around her to work together to achieve innovation and clinical excellence.
DeKeyster said she feels humbled to be in a leadership role, adding she was inspired by another strong woman in her earlier years as a nurse, an outstanding Nurse Manager, former boss, who mentored and guided her along the way.
"I was always inspired by women leaders. I had a fabulous manager when I was at Health Sciences Centre who was amazing at developing staff.
"She'd be the first one to throw a job at me, saying ‘just go and do it, you can do it,'" she said.
Messages of empowerment that DeKeyster wants to pass on to her two daughters, Alexa and Adriana who regularly have done volunteer work at Misericordia.
"Family time is huge, to show how we contribute and work together and support each other."
Dekeyster says those family values of caring and compassion are so important in health care.
She is now an advocate for developing other women in leadership.
"When we inspire people, they develop in ways that you never imagine," DeKeyster said. "As long as they have a road map and they know they're on track, they feel more empowered."
