Wendy McBride, Home Health RN Case Manager for Advocate Health/Aurora Health at Home, has been named a 2023 Frontline Honors honoree by Home Health Care News.
To become a Frontline Honoree, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be a dedicated, high-performing frontline worker who delivers exceptional experiences and outcomes; a passionate worker who knows how to put their vision into action for the good of older adults and aging industry professionals; and an advocate for older adults, their industry, and their peers.
Home Health Care News caught up with McBride to discuss their time in the home health care industry.
HHCN: What drew you to this industry?
McBride: I grew up watching my grandmother care for people in a small farming community in Michigan. She worked in a small office with one country doctor, a nurse (my grandmother) and office help for 40 years. I was intrigued with her job and during my summers I spent with her and my grandfather, I wanted to go to work with her. I had the opportunity to do that and spent afternoons watching Dr. Kopchick and my grandmother care for blue collar patients. The community depended so much on this health center and I was able grasp the importance of nursing and healthcare. This began my journey of becoming a nurse.
HHCN: What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in the industry?
McBride: The biggest lesson is the importance of human life and how fragile it can be.
HHCN: What’s your favorite part about your job?
McBride: My favorite part of this job has three parts: first, seeing patients improve and heal; teach them how to manage their disease; and build relationships.
HHCN: What do you want society (or the general public) to know about your job?
McBride: I want society to understand the complexity of our jobs, the responsibility that we as home health providers take on when a person comes into care. That it is not just going to a person’s home and making a visit. It is holistic. It involves multiple layers; such as environment, family, neighbors, financial, health literacy, lack of food, resources—the list goes on. The last thing I want society to know is that home health care is imperative to the healing of patients, providing the resources needed in order for them to thrive in their environment.
HHCN: What may be one thing leaders don’t know, that you wish they universally knew, about your job?
McBride: The thing that I want leaders to know about my job as a home health care nurse case manager is that our job is complex. There are multiple layers to the work we do each day. These include autonomy, courage, diversity, understanding and being able to collaborate with many different resources.
To view the entire Frontline Honors Class of 2023, visit frontlinehonors.agingmedia.com/
