On a mission to serve: Buckeye Care’s Brian Dutiel

Brian Dutiel is called to serve.

Dutiel has always been willing to help others. He is both the administrator and pastor at Buckeye Care and Rehabilitation, in Lancaster, OH.  

He has said that his Christian faith is the only constant in his entire life. He was raised in church and sang in the choir as a youngster. At 19, he began playing the piano in church. He attended Ohio Christian University, where he graduated.

“My faith helps me in managing stress and having care and compassion for people, and feeling empathy for what they’re going through,” the father of four says. 

In addition to the church, Dutiel has spent most of  his life working in nursing homes. 

He began working as a dishwasher in New Lexington Care and Rehabilitation, New Lexington, OH at the age of 17. That led to many other positions and after completing an administrator-in-training program, he was promoted to nursing home administrator in October 2006.

Then he worked as an administrator in other places for 9 years. He considered going into ministry full-time, but decided he could make a bigger impact by working in nursing homes. 

“I felt basically I was doing God-affirming work,” he says. “I’ve worked in nursing homes since I was 17 years old and I still love it to this day.”

He still does ministry work as a side job. Since 2018, he is the pastor of Together Ministries Church in central Ohio, a small church of 75 people.  

He considers himself a “hands-on person” and always tries to go the extra mile to help others. He was a temporary nurse assistant for Buckeye Care and Rehab during the COVID-19 Pandemic and aided nursing staff in providing direct care for residents.

Adam Johnson, who previously worked as director of nursing under Dutiel and is now a regional nurse, says Dutiel “really stepped up in a big way” to lead his team during the pandemic by getting his TNA certification and filling in on nursing shifts when staffing was short.

“He did it with a smile on his face. He didn’t complain,” says Johnson. “I think he genuinely enjoyed providing patient care.”

Dutiel is also a keen cook. He cooks breakfast for the staff on occasion and serenades residents of nursing homes and plays piano at special events. He caters to church events, and has performed at weddings and graduations.

Dutiel and his wife Stacy have been married for 31 years. They have four children: two biological, and two adopted. Dutiel said two of his children had major health  scares when they were younger and that has made him more empathetic for staff who are facing their own personal struggles.

“I get that life outside of the building for employees is tough,” he says. “There are things that are going on in their personal lives, and I want them to know that I’m here to help them, even with things that aren’t under the umbrella of work.”

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Between 1994 and 2006, worked as a cook, dishwasher, social services director, and admissions and Marketing director at New Lexington Care and Rehabilitation

From 2006 to 2010, he served as the administrator of New Lexington Care

Graduating Class of 2006 from Ohio Christian University
with a bachelor’s degree in leadership and ministry

2010-2016 Nursing home administrator at Homestead Center.
Lancaster, OH

Altercare Zanesville Executive director from 2016-2019

As of 2018, I am the lead pastor of Together Ministries Church, Thornville (OH).

2019-present Buckeye Post Acute takes on dual roles as administrator and Circleville Post Acute

McKnight’s long-term care news, July/August 20,23.