How culture can make the difference: Mayela’s story

When Mayela first walked through the doors at Duke University Hospital for her clinical rotations her senior year, she never would have guessed this is where she would find community for years to come.

All but one of her rotations were with a different hospital system and Mayela assumed that she would end up there after graduation. However, her one rotation in Transfusion Services at Duke Health left such a lasting impression that she knew she’d want to come back to start her career with us.

“I didn’t expect to come to Duke and love the people and the hospital,” she reflects on her rotation here. “The friendly nature of the people in Transfusion Services and how available upper management was to interact and answer questions from everyone – even as a student doing a clinical rotation – was so much more than I expected. That’s when I knew that if Transfusion Services would have me I would love to work with them.”

By the end of her four-week rotation, Mayela had accepted an offer to return and continue her journey at Duke Health by pursuing a lab career that allows her to be part of the team behind diagnoses.

“We do not always get to hear how a transplant, birth, treatment, or surgery turns out, but we know our work makes a difference,” said Mayela, now a lab technical supervisor at Duke University Hospital.

Since she joined us in 2018, Mayela has had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with countless team members. Having this community of trust, support, and mutual understanding has helped Mayela grow throughout her career.

Mayela also credits leadership for their guidance. “I have had official and unofficial mentors within Duke Hospital,” she says. “They have all given me advice and a safe space to share my thoughts.”

Being in a position of leadership, Mayela wants to share the learning and support she’s experienced here with others. “Now that I am a supervisor, my goal is to enable growth for my team, while still making work enjoyable.”

“Our work can take a mental and emotional toll we may not recognize. I try to bring some lightness into our everyday work.” That’s why Mayela established “Fuddles” – combining “fun” and “huddles” – where team members can check in on one another.

She even created a “Shark Week” theme week complete with food and guests to boost morale. “When we have a case needing all our attention, we make sure the patient and care team get what they need. When we have downtime, I try my hardest to foster an environment of fun.”

But Mayela isn’t stopping there – she’s also active in creating community beyond Transfusion Services at Duke Health. As a member of the Juntos Affinity Group and the Clinical Laboratories Retention and Recruitment Committee, Mayela is able to connect with local youth as well as Latinx team members.

It’s this far-reaching community spirit that energizes Mayela throughout her days. She’s up for any challenge, knowing she has a dedicated team by her side and a sense of fulfillment in her career.

Ready to join a team that shares your passion and supports you day in and day out?