Leading with compassion to support high-risk maternal care
Compassion in maternal care
When Brandi and her husband were trying to grow their family, they were told they would never have a biological child.
“We’ve been married for 15 years and struggled to grow our family for 10 (years),” Brandi said.
As Brandi holds a photo of all the in vitro fertilization (IVF) syringes she took encircling her newborn son, Nolan, she can’t help but get emotional.
“He was worth all of the fight,” she said. “It’s been quite a journey but I would do it all over again to get to Nolan. This photo proves miracles can still happen.”
Turning compassion into action
Brandi’s journey to motherhood is something she brings into her work as a UnitedHealthcare clinical coordinator and registered nurse who helps members with high-risk pregnancies, those in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and in postpartum.
“I’m very nurturing when it comes to my members,” she said. “I do feel like I have that maternal instinct and bond with them. Everyone needs a mom in their life.”
Brandi works with Healthy First Steps, a UnitedHealthcare program that provides comprehensive care management to address medical, behavioral and social needs for at-risk moms. That can include those struggling with substance use disorders.
“They’re people — just like all of us,” Brandi said. “Many have experienced hardship and trauma. They truly desire a fulfilling, healthy life.”
A mission of hope
She said beyond clinical connections and a focus on whole-person care, she provides her members with hope – something she has seen firsthand can make all the difference.
“Hope is probably the most important thing we can offer to our members, especially the members that are struggling,” she said. “Just letting them know that the most beautiful part is the journey, not just reaching that end goal.”
It’s that compassion that Brandi leads with that helps her connect with members on another level, where they feel safe to ask for support.
“To them, we’re more than an insurance company,” she said, “they feel like we’re family.”
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