A culture that delivers: Jessica's story

When choosing a role, most of us consider more than just salary and benefits. It’s also about the spirit of the place. When it comes to culture, will your employer walk the talk? Will they have your back if times get tough?

On Christmas Eve of 2023, Jessica Reyes, an ultrasound supervisor at Duke University Hospital, experienced the beginning of a crisis that showed her just how supportive Duke Health really is.

On that night, she went into early spontaneous labor; three days later, she delivered her baby girl as a micro-preemie at just 27 weeks. 

Fortunately, her Duke Health teammates rose to the occasion, visiting and sending messages of encouragement and care. When the baby shower had to be cancelled, they shared Jessica’s registry link and fulfilled every item, so that Jessica’s baby could come home to a completely furnished nursery.

“But it wasn’t just my teammates. My leaders were also incredibly flexible and supportive,” says Jessica. “They allowed me to split my FMLA maternity leave so that I could have time to heal and still have time for when the baby came home.”

As her daughter grew stronger in the NICU, Jessica worked an adjusted schedule that enabled her to visit   before her shift. When her daughter came home, Jessica resumed her FMLA.

At the end of those six weeks, her baby still had health challenges to overcome, so Jessica’s manager continued to be an advocate—helping her file for a personal leave of absence and then apply for Kiel donations (a program where Duke team members donate PTO to colleagues who have used up all their own time off due to a catastrophic illness or injury).  Once again, Jessica’s Duke Health team came through:  so many people donated that her manager had to turn some gifts away.

In addition to the time for healing, Jessica also appreciated Duke’s generous health insurance benefits. Between her own hospital bill and the baby’s 79-day stay in the NICU, her balance was just $600, thanks to her Duke health coverage.

“People can sometimes forget to factor in the value of health insurance in their overall compensation. Duke has some of the best coverage I have ever seen,” she says. “And many other health care systems do not offer any paid parental leave at all, so we are fortunate that Duke provides that. I am eternally grateful!”

Looking back to when she was a new grad, Jessica remembers thinking that choosing her first employer would be one of the biggest life decisions she ever made—one that would set the tone for her entire career.

“I chose Duke because of its top-notch reputation, its sense of purpose, and its dedication to continuous learning, teaching, and growth. And I’ve enjoyed all of that, but I’ve also received much more,” she says. “Duke put me first. They put my family first. I will never forget that kindness and compassion, and I can’t wait to pay it forward.”