Celebrating Nurses: Dee Keeton

For Dee Keeton, the best part of her job is “having the ability to make a difference in someone’s life whether it is a staff member, patient or family member.” Photo courtesy of Dee Keeton.

For Dee Keeton, the best part of her job is “having the ability to make a difference in someone’s life whether it is a staff member, patient or family member.” Photo courtesy of Dee Keeton.

Because we’re so proud of our Celebrating Nurses winners, we’ll be focusing on one in each issue of Pulse. We’ll check in with them to see what they’re up to and share any tips they might have for new nurses.

Dee Keeton has been a nurse leader at DeKalb Medical Center for more than 30 years. She is recognized, not only for work, but also for her generous heart. She has untaken several projects to help those in need and last year raised $3,000 to provide Christmas for 24 children.

Here’s more about Dee, including one of the ways she copes with job stress.

Name: Delynn “Dee” Marie Keeton

Age: 57

Job: Director of Patient Care Services and Quality at DeKalb Medical Center in downtown Decatur.

Work history: 35 years, although not consecutively, at DeKalb Medical, including work as an ICU registered nurse and the hospital’s interim CEO. Leaving DeKalb Medical at the end of September for a position as executive director of the Physicians Care Clinic in Decatur, where she has volunteered for nine years. The clinic is dedicated to underinsured, as well as non-insured patients.

Nursing education: Dee graduated with a diploma in nursing from Georgia Baptist School of Nursing (currently Georgia Baptist College of Nursing at Mercer University). She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University and her Master’s degree in Nursing from Emory University.

Family: Proud wife of Dr. William “Bill” Keeton and stepmother of three girls (Anne Keeton, Beth Keeton and Molly Parnell), grandmother to William and Cat Espinoza, Audrey and Emily Parnell, and aunt to Karly Davis.

I got into nursing because: I always desired to become a nurse and work in a profession where I can help others.

The best part of my job is: having the ability to make a difference in someone’s life whether it is a staff member, patient or family member.

The most challenging part of my job is: the nursing shortage.

I handle my stress with: the support of a wonderful family. In addition to that, I love to bake when stressed out.

Outside interests: I love to travel, read books or just hang out at our lake house. I also love to have family dinners, but lastly, the most fun I have is giving back to others.

The piece of advice I would give to a new nurse is: Always go with your gut instincts.

One of my most meaningful days as a nurse is: When I was an ICU registered nurse back in 1984, a 6-year old male child was declared brain dead. I was fortunate to be there to comfort the family and assist with their decision to donate his organs. I remained with the patient in the operating room through the organ harvesting, and it was incredible to see what a gift that family had made.