NATHO is made up of successful organizations with talented, dedicated individuals behind each of them. This month, we are pulling back the curtain to shine a light on Health Carousel and the people that make it the organization it is today.

In 2004, Health Carousel founders set out to address the lack of qualified healthcare professionals in the United States. Health Carousel was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio with a mission to ensure that every American has access to high quality healthcare when and where they need it. And by doing so, to improve lives and make healthcare better.

Health Carousel is more than a healthcare staffing company. Health Carousel is a total talent management company, offering healthcare organizations world-class workforce solutions designed to improve lives and make healthcare work better. Employees benefit from rewarding career opportunities with room for both personal and professional growth.

Health Carousel is one team, committed to their values and clear on their goals, expectations and measures to be successful. With a growth mindset focused on achieving more, they provide the right tools, coaching and training, to invest in professional development. They are empowered to live more, with the right access to resources and programs to support overall well-being. Health Carousel is passionate about giving back to communities and inspired to love what you do.

The clinical team keeps a statistic on the number of patients lives Health Carousel had a chance to influence through the work we do with their travel professionals. It is one of the most important statistics they keep. In 2021 they had the opportunity to touch the lives of over one million patients!

Some of the individuals behind the growing success of Health Carousel include:

 We sat down with these hard-working individuals and asked them about some of the keys to their success.

Inspiration for these individuals comes from the communities that benefit from their hard work. Earl Dalton, Chief Nursing Officer, (pictured left) finds inspiration "from doing good in the world. It's such a cycle for me. It ignites my soul to see nurses thrive in a clinical program I helped shape". Dalton describes success as, “a measurement of happiness and peace.”

Empowering travel staff, fulfilling community needs, and supporting first time travelers were common themes in what they all enjoy about working in the industry. Currently, the traveling nursing industry is facing the challenging issue of chronic staff shortages and the maldistribution of healthcare providers. To remedy this, Health Carousel improves access to healthcare for clients and patients in rural communities and underserved areas. Additionally, Health Carousel works to ensure that healthcare professionals are well-qualified and provide excellent patient care through coaching and training opportunities.

As the industry evolves and the pandemic continues, it’s clear that the staff is dedicated to professional growth and helping its clients. Meet our other members on our members page, and if you are already a member and want to see your company highlighted next, reach out to info@natho.org.

Apply to become a NATHO leader today!

As 2021 comes to a close, the NATHO board of directors will be transitioning several members off and welcoming new directors in 2022. There will be six open positions. To join the board of directors, your organization must be a Full Member.

If you are interested in joining,

1. Please take time to review the board of directors' job descriptions.

2. Fill out the NATHO Board of Directors Application

3. Send the completed application to info@natho.org by Friday, November 12th.

The current board will then vote on the ballot at the November Board of Directors meeting. Following this meeting, the ballot will be presented to all NATHO members to vote for the new directors. New directors will become a part of the board in January 2022.

NATHO is made up of successful organizations with talented, dedicated individuals behind each of them. This month, we are pulling back the curtain to shine a light on The Fortus Group and the people that make it the organization it is today.

The Fortus Group began in 1993 as the first specialty firm recruiting nephrology professionals for dialysis centers. They now staff all healthcare specialities in their travel division. They launched a traveling nursing division in 2006. Fortus has been named to the Inc.5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies six times. The Fortus Group has also recently been acquired by Job.com.

Some of the individuals behind the growing success of The Fortus Group include JeremyEnck, President and CRO, Nikeeda Marshall-Wilson, Recruiting Specialist, Rebecca Fernandes, National Account Executive, and John Short, Director of Client Development. We sat down with these hard-working individuals and asked them about some of the keys to their success.

Inspiration for these individuals comes from family- their children, partners, and parents. Jeremy Enck, President and CRO, (pictured left) finds inspiration in the growth of professionals and assisting in their success. Enck describes success as, “being the type of person that leads by example and treats everyone like the CEO.”

Enriching the lives of patients, meeting different people of different backgrounds, and the ever-evolving environment of the travel nurse medical staffing industry were common themes in what they all enjoy about working in the industry. Currently, the traveling nursing industry is facing the challenging issue of staffing and a decreasing pool of talent. Misinformation is also an issue, as clients and candidates can easily be misinformed by recruiters and companies with poor agendas. The Fortus Group prides itself for following through on what they say they are going to do. Everything that Fortus does results in a better circumstance for all involved, when done correctly.

When asked about the best career advice they’ve been given, the answers varied but had an overarching theme of good work morale and working hard. Taking everything one day at a time, staying humble and remembering where you come from, and dressing for the position that you want was some of the advice given to these professionals.

As the industry evolves and the pandemic continues, it’s clear that the staff is dedicated to professional growth and helping its clients. Meet our other members on our members page, and if you are already a member and want to see your company highlighted next, reach out to info@natho.org.

 

Nikeeda Marshall- Wilson, Recruiting Specialist and Rebecca Fernandes, National Account Executive

The National Association of Travel Healthcare Organizations (NATHO) is a non-profit association of travel healthcare organizations, founded in 2008 to promote ethical business practices, offer educational opportunities, create a space for advocation, and set the gold standard for conduct in the travel healthcare industry.

The NATHO members that help to set that gold standard are made up of bright and talented individuals that we are excited to highlight in the NATHO spotlight. This month’s spotlight focuses on Aya Healthcare. Aya Healthcare is the largest travel nurse provider in North America and is the only company to develop tech-enabled healthcare labor marketplaces at scale connecting thousands of clinicians and healthcare organizations on one digital platform. 

Some of the individuals behind the massive success of Aya include Amber Zeeb, VP of Employee Experience, Chrystal Fugett, VP of Recruitment, and April Hansen, Group President of Workforce Solutions. We sat down with these hard-working women and asked them about some of the keys to their success.

When asked how they defined success, the overarching response was innovation and happy employees. These last 16+ months have transformed not just Aya, but the world. The Aya team had to pivot countless times to keep up with the changing demands of healthcare and the staffing industry while still ensuring superior service to clinicians and clients. While innovation keeps the company running, happy employees are the source of that innovation. Aya believes if you have a base of happy employees, success is likely to follow. Happiness leads to engagement, motivation, and loyalty.

 

Throughout a tumultuous year in the industry and the constant change that has become normal, the Aya team cited their colleagues as their biggest inspirations. “I’m inspired daily by my colleagues. Each one brings something different to the table and looks at any given situation through a unique lens. This diversity of ideas from across the organization means that Aya continues to come up with new and innovative ways to transform our business and, in turn, continue to improve the level of service we provide to our clinicians and clients”, shares one team member.

The pandemic has proved to be a defining moment for both Aya and its staff. When asked about their proudest moment working at Aya, one member stated, “Probably New York in round 1 of the Pandemic. Everything I thought I was proud of, faded away after those few months and this is all I remember now when asked this question. Feeling the sheer anxiety and devastation that was coming from our contacts in NYC was almost crippling. I remember I had this “ah ha” moment after getting off a call with this major hospital in New York that we have loved and cherished for years and thinking… “If Aya doesn’t step up and do this, who is going to?”  After the initial shock of the insane number of orders, now we had to dig deep and figure out how to get thousands of clinicians to NYC during a time that PPE was limited, there were still so many unknowns about the novel virus, and dozens of other factors were against us.  We buckled down, fortified our minds knowing the task at hand and found ways to innovate and execute quickly. Since that point, my proudest moment has been every day. Our teams have NOT STOPPED. After months and months of telling them, “We’re almost through this,” we are still in the midst of the highest staffing volume we’ve ever seen. My proudest moments at Aya will always be what this organization and individuals have done during the COVID-19 Pandemic. It’s been truly remarkable to witness firsthand.”  

As the industry and Aya continue to take what comes their way, one thing is clear, a team of dedicated staff members can come together and make what seems impossible, possible.

Meet our other members over on our members page and if you are already a member and want to see your company highlighted next, reach out to info@natho.org.

We are better together

Travel nurses and other travel healthcare professionals are an integral part of the care delivery model in the USA. Moreover, travel nursing has been highlighted as critically important in addressing staffing shortages during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Due to the essential nature of their work, as well as their willingness to travel to the most severe hotspots during this pandemic, we need to ensure travel healthcare professionals are part of the COVID vaccine strategy for hospitals around the nation.

Critical Partnerships

It is incumbent upon the healthcare staffing agencies to advocate for their traveling healthcare professionals and partner with their healthcare facility clients. We understand the critical role travel nurses play in care execution for the communities we serve. Sometimes it can be as easy as a gentle reminder to include temporary staff in their vaccine distribution and educate the client about the limited access to vaccines outside of their hospital environment.

Additionally, we know vaccine acceptance and participation increases the more convenient it is to obtain the vaccine. While generally well understood, the higher the percentage of your total healthcare workforce that is vaccinated against COVID-19, the greater it affords a substantial reduction in lost time due to exposures or COVID illness as well as a safer environment for patients. Overall, vaccinating Travelers is a win-win for hospitals and other healthcare clients.

Timing is Critical

Both the staffing agency and the healthcare provider are responsible for proper scheduling as it relates to vaccination. Neither should expect a client to provide the vaccine if there is inadequate time to allow for the full vaccination series to be administered. Plan ahead with travelers, including having discussions around their ability and willingness to extend contract terms in order to ensure the needed time to allow full vaccine access.

Educate about Vaccine Safety and Efficacy

Some traveling healthcare professionals continue to be hesitant about receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine. Healthcare staffing agencies, utilizing the tools available from the CDC and other legitimate sources, should provide education to our traveling workforce in an effort to alleviate any concerns or fears and to assist the healthcare worker to make an informed decision about receiving the vaccine.

While organizations such as the CDC, OSHA, and ASA have all issued statements supporting a position that obligates hospitals and other healthcare organizations to include contingent labor in the distribution and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine in their facility, NATHO believes that productive partnering conversations with healthcare clients will resolve most vaccine access issues without having to cite the regulatory agency statements

The DAISY Foundation is known for spreading the love to nurses across the country. The foundation was started in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). Barnes’ parents were moved by the nurses that helped create a space of kindness and compassion.

With that time of their lives in mind, they wanted to thank nurses that create this type of environment for families day in and day out. They created the DAISY Foundation, DAISY standing for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.

NATHO was introduced to the DAISY Foundation in 2021. The DAISY Foundation saw a need for the award amongst traveling nurses as well, that may not be associated with just one hospital. COVID-19 has reminded us of the hearts and dedication of our nurses and we are excited to partner with this foundation to shine a light on the traveling nurses working hard to not only care for patients but bring sense of warmth to each room they walk in.

If you are interested in nominating a nurse, head here to do so!

Now more than ever, it is crucial to listen to your employees. With a pandemic that has swept your talent and employees into a world they could not have pictured in 2019, it is time to understand what your nurses and staff need from you moving forward. Keeping your employees happy will not only allow you peace of mind, but a more successful business as well. Once you recognize that feedback from your employees is important, it is time to find the best way for them to give it.

Not everyone communicates in the same way and this can be particularly true when it comes to uncomfortable conversations. If one of your nurses is experiencing mental health issues, they may fear coming to you for resources. Provide multiple paths for feedback including an anonymous online submission, an open door policy, or adding a section for this to your annual review. This should be a way for employees to tell you what they are happy with, unhappy with, what they need from the company, and anything else that is on their mind. Without providing multiple lines of communication on the issue, you might lose out on hearing from a group of people who would have otherwise spoken up.

Absorb the feedback. Each person that provides you thoughts on their feelings and needs about the company should be taken as seriously as the next. Take time to contemplate what that person is happy or unhappy with and think about how your company can improve from their opinion. Can you offer them what they need? If not, why not? Has something been tried in the past that your employee is suggesting? Consider all of this before reconnecting with the employee.

After consideration of the employee’s feedback, regroup! Meet back up with your employee or reach out to them in the same way they reached out to you. Provide a solution and if you do not have a solution, explain why things are done the way they are. Understanding the reasoning behind things, can often be enough to satisfy an employee.

If the feedback was anonymous, you have a couple of options. You can sit on the information and see if you notice a trend among feedback or reach out to your entire staff. Reaching out to the entire staff, will show employees the importance of their happiness.

Taking the time to make your employees feel heard and appreciated, will go a long way in your company’s success. Reducing employee turnover and maintaining talent will save you both money and time while also creating a culture that new talent will want to be a part of.