Employee Spotlight: Norma Sola

“I can confidently say that 2019 was a very good year for me,” said Norma Sola. “I got my dream house and I’m happy where I work. I really like working alongside my coworkers. We all communicate well with each other and support each other.”

Norma, an environmental attendant, is originally from Nueva Concepción, El Salvador. She moved to the U.S. 22 years ago with her husband. Prior to coming to Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) in 2018, she worked at a senior center for 12 years where she set out to buy her first home.

Norma and her husband bought their home in 2019 and, that year, traveled back to her home country to visit family after more than 20 years. In this special year for Norma, she also received AAMC’s Champion Award — an award bestowed monthly to team members who display exceptional service excellence and demonstrate AAMC’s core values, including compassion, trust and dedication.

Service excellence

During her shift, Norma became acquainted with a patient who was scheduled for surgery. Without family or friends nearby, the patient felt anxious. Familiar with the feeling of not having loved ones close, Norma was touched and felt compelled. Coming into one of her normal shifts, she brought with her a little something extra special.

“I was very moved and knew I wanted to do something for the patient,” Norma said. “When my husband brings me flowers – especially orchids – on Mother’s Day or during a special occasion, it always makes me very happy. So I brought the patient some flowers and reminded them that everything was going to work out and that they were not alone.”

PRO TIP: “Just because you want something to work out right away doesn’t mean that it’s the right time. Be patient because things always work out.”

The interview with Norma Sola was conducted in Spanish and translated into English for this article.