For some, the chase of a rewarding career follows a traditional roadmap. In the case of Ryann Deloso, it certainly involves a rollercoaster. At 38 and residing in Finland, the nurse-entrepreneur stories tell of ongoing determination, cross-cultural pride, and a keen dedication to the ethos of caregiving, the Filipino way.
Humble Beginnings in Davao
Davao City was home to Ryann, and from a young age, he dreamt of becoming a doctor. The dream was shot down by myriad hurdles, starting with financial reality. Luckily, his mother, a registrar in a nursing school, offered a discounted seat in her institution. That initially dashed dream of a doctor is what Ryann came to appreciate when he witnessed a doctor’s intricate and skillful surgery. At that moment, his interest in the nursing profession was born.
Education Across Continents
In 2007, he received a nursing degree from the Philippine Paramedical and Technical School of Davao, Inc. That nurturing institution is now nonoperational, yet it helped ease the nursing capabilities bottleneck in Finland. Ryann’s journey faced hurdles.
After relocating to Finland, he worked as a practical nurse for several years until completing a foreign nurse bridging program, which allowed him to practice as a registered nurse in 2015 after studying at Diaconia University of Applied Sciences.
His quest for education, however, did not stop there, as in 2020 he went on to obtain his Master’s Degree in Welfare Technology at Satakunta University of Applied Sciences. This was not only a milestone for his career, but also a stepping stone to enable further innovation.
A Career Built on Care and Innovation
Ryann’s professional career started back in 2007 to 2009 in the Philippines, as he worked as a volunteer nurse in Davao City. After relocating to Finland in 2011, he worked at a nursing home in Vaasa, and later in a rehabilitation hospital and the medical-surgical ward of Helsinki University Hospital.
While still performing his clinical duties in 2020, Ryann began working as a project researcher at his former university, which later led to him working on projects that centered on the intersection between healthcare and technology. The following year, he and his nurse wife, Linda, started MeCare, a home care company that focuses on compassionate and personalized care for the elderly.
Currently, Ryann balances the two demanding roles of a researcher and a CEO.
Research cultivates the entrepreneurial side of his work, and simultaneously, the operation of MeCare as a business. Because of the MeCare’s standards of service, the warmth and respect offered to clients, as well as the uncompromising standards of care and compassion, need the nurse’s attention. MeCare’s servicing standards necessitate the nurse’s attention to clients, ensuring that respect is always maintained.
A Defining Moment
While working in home care for the City of Helsinki, Ryann’s was the realization of MeCare. His job was to visit elderly clients living alone and to care for them. He recounts wanting to replicate the needs of Filipino people for the elderly. We as a nation care for the elderly, especially grandparents. “In the Philippines, we treat our grandparents like treasures,” he states. Ryann wanted to bring the same fervent care to Filipinos.
His most significant shift also focused on research, and for him surfaced in the form of a course in his master’s program. He was active in class and eventually garnered the attention of a professor. That relation earned him a spot on a research team and opened new avenues in his career.
Ryann’s love for geriatrics and nursing shines through in his specialization in wound care. End-of-life care is personal, and especially in Finland, a country with an aging population. For those seniors who have spent their lives fighting for their country, taking wound care enables the practitioner to witness reliable treatment yielding observable results.
“It’s satisfying to witness progress in a wound and appreciate the changes that occurred due to my intervention,” he adds.
Addressing Challenges
Like many other Filipino nurses working overseas, Ryann had to grapple with cultural and language difficulties. His first stumbling block was a notoriously difficult language, Finnish. He eventually succeeded in mastering both Finnish and Swedish, which expanded his ability to care for clients.
Like many others, he experienced discrimination. One of his colleagues was so consistently unfriendly that he was forced to change jobs, but he had the last laugh because he was already employed elsewhere. “Sometimes distancing yourself is the only way to maintain your dignity,” Ryann adds.
Financial Troubles also posed a different challenge. When Ryann landed in Finland, he had a mere €300. He did newspaper rounds and house cleaning. His extreme frugality and Ryann managed to scrape together €1.50 a day. He is convinced that these difficulties made him stronger and improved his ability to adapt.
Inspiration in Times of Emergency
Despite the most difficult periods of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ryann still managed to find his moments of humanity. Helping elderly patients view the love signs from their wives was some of those moments. “That is a reminder that I have my role which I perform well. I have to make sure that human interactions are also preserved,” he states.
The Base is always Filipino.
Deep commitment to family, friendliness, coupled with the ability to shine in adversity, are the most appreciated assets that helped Ryann’s successes and those from Filipino culture.
“In the Philippines, one nurse might care for 20 patients at a time,” he notes. “Those experiences teach you to multi-task, remain composed, and to be resourceful, which are invaluable skills across the globe.”
Philanthropy
Through MeCare, and his volunteer initiatives, Ryann is actively assisting Filipino nurses in Finland by mentoring them towards RN qualifications and advocating for continuing education. “We are needed in nursing,” he explains. “Healthcare is evolving, and so is everything else, especially technology. Updated knowledge and skills, alongside a willingness to adapt, are essential.”
Compassion is Legacy to Cherish
MeCare stands out to Ryann as the centerpiece of his achievements as it integrates Filipino culture and compassion, which serves as a blueprint for caregiving businesses. MeCare is not only an achievement for him, but it is also a testament that Filipino nurses are industrious, flexible, and fiercely dedicated.
Ryann Deloso’s experiences and the remarkable tale from Davao to Helsinki reveal that while life can change the course of our journeys, goal-oriented resolve, empathy for others, and pride in one’s culture can transform the envisioned into the remarkable.
Ryann Deloso is the current Filipino Nursing Diapora Network (FIND) – Country Representative for Finland. He is also an active member of Filipino Nurses Association in the Nordic Region (FiNAN)
