Her Story
About Brianna
I started my journey in healthcare as a child, really, following in my mother's footsteps. She worked in healthcare and took her job home with her by being a caring person, and seeing how she helped people inspired me. I always knew I wanted to help people in the medical field from a very young age. I carried that desire with me my whole life - I was always that friend who wanted to be endearing, help in some way, be that listening ear. In high school, I went to a technical school, and then went to college at South University for nursing. I finished my prerequisites, but I had to drop out before the clinical aspects because I couldn't afford it. I was living on my own, paying rent, a car note, and monthly tuition without financial aid, and it just became unbearable. But I got my foot in the door with my current company, and everything from there became experience-based. I've been with them for over 15 years now. I don't regret any of it because I am who I am now from everything I've gone through. Now I see people's resumes with master's degrees trying to get their foot in the door where I started, and it gives me the opportunity when I'm interviewing and hiring to not just judge someone based off paper, but to be personable, talk to them, give them a chance, and see what they're capable of. I focus on adolescent mental health and substance abuse because it's a sensitive matter and kids don't always have the support they need. If we help kids now, they become better adults. I'm responsible for managing staff, clinicians, schedules, patient care, supply ordering, and I maintain close contact with ChildNet and DCF. I've been recognized in my company for training other members of management. I'm a working mom of two, and while my job is demanding, I try to give my kids as much time and attention as possible.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Brianna
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say to be easy on yourself. I think there's so many times that as women, we're so hard on ourselves. We expect more out of ourselves than we would out of someone else. We're just so mean to ourselves sometimes, whether it's looking in the mirror or looking at our past, what we did or what we didn't do. Just be kind to yourself. That's the only thing I would say - just be kind to yourself and be patient with yourself. Whatever you want out of life will happen, just be patient and be kind to yourself.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my personal life, obviously I'm a mom, so my kids, my time, my personal time - that's most important. My personal time is with my kids. Because my job is so demanding, I try to give my kids as much time and attention as possible, and take the time off if we have it and use it. I used to never be one to call out or use my PTO, but I realized it was there for a reason. At work, what I value most is communication. Communication is very, very, very important. Things happen on a day-to-day, whether it's personal with the clinicians or the staff, or if there's an emergency, someone has a difficult time, a parent passed away, a family member, whatever it may be. Communication is very important in any field, no matter what field, in any relationship, anything. That way we can make the office function, get everything that we need to do, but understand that we all have lives outside of work.
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