Paula Doering
Senior VP, Clinical Programs, Chief Nursing Executive and Allied Health Professionals, Bruyère
Practical Nursing – Class of 1982
Paula Doering describes herself as a lifelong learner who is passionate about working with others to ensure quality health care and apply what she learns from day to day to her next challenge.
Today Paula is Senior Vice President, Clinical Programs, Chief Nursing Executive and Allied Health Professionals with Bruyère, Ottawa’s only complex continuing care hospital and the largest one in Ontario. She is a member of the Bruyere Board of Directors and a member of the Quality Management and Effectiveness Committee.
Over the course of her 37-year career, Paula has held more than 18 different positions, directed innumerable hospital programs and has come to understand the hospital setting in all its complexities.
But her first love as a nurse was her work with patients and families.
“I loved being at the bedside and caring for patients. I gained so much from them personally. As a nurse, I was able to support them through their health issues and the healing process – I can’t begin to describe how much that meant to me.”
As a student at Algonquin College, patient care was already bringing her joy in the first months of her studies. She couldn’t believe her good fortune when she discovered that the College’s program would allow her to work directly with patients in the first semester.
“Nursing is a challenging program but the opportunity to learn and apply my new knowledge and skills immediately kept me motivated. The confidence and critical thinking skills I developed helped propel me into continuing my nursing studies later in university. If my Algonquin College experience hadn’t been so rewarding, so right for me, I likely wouldn’t have considered pursuing further education.”
On the job, Paula’s nursing skills, enthusiasm and empathy for her patients quickly earned her notice. The manager of the first unit she worked on asked her to cover for her when she went on vacation. She was reluctant and said, ‘I can’t do that.’ Frankly, I didn’t want to move away from the bedside.” However, her organizational and communications skills had been recognized as exceptional and her manager encouraged her to take on the role.
Her mother, also a nurse, offered further encouragement. Paula went home to Renfrew and the two had a long talk. Her mother highlighted the fact that in a leadership role she could have a broader impact and actually benefit more patients than the four or six she might work with on any given shift. “She told me I could lead the team to ensure the safety and well-being of all of the patients on my unit. That meant so much to me, and I got a taste of the experience when I covered for the clinical manager.”
The experience motivated her to approach her role differently – to consult and collaborate and imagine her work in a broader context. After taking on a series of managerial positions, her mother again stepped in and encouraged her to think about going back to school for a degree. “She told me, ‘You’ll learn if it’s clinical care you prefer or a leadership role.’ I decided to attend University of Ottawa to pursue my degree and at the same time took on a leadership role at the Civic Hospital as an evening and night coordinator.” Later in her career, Paula obtained her Executive MBA while continuing to work.
Her widening experiences prepared her for the challenges ahead. When approached to take on increasingly new roles, she felt ready and she had a positive experience with each new assignment she took on. “My education gave me an understanding of what the staff’s needs were and how I could support them. And I’ve had some strong mentors who supported me and encouraged me every step of the way. The rewards have been amazing.”
Paula describes her career in health care as “a privilege.” It has allowed her to work with great teams of professionals, locally and provincially. There are always new and interesting challenges and the coronavirus pandemic is possibly the greatest one of all, she notes – but none of it has lessened her passion, dedication and commitment.
“There are days when the constant stress can start to wear you down. But when I feel that starting to happen I go and talk to the patients and their families.…
“That’s what keeps me grounded. It’s where I get the greatest pleasure in my work, even as a Vice President. These conversations with patients and families bring me back to why I went into nursing in the first place, and it’s always the best part of my day.”