Cardium Podcast

Career advisor. Interviewer. Planner. Lifeline. Advocate. While the core role of a recruiter may be connecting travel nurses and allied health professionals with jobs (the biggest role for sure), the great ones wear all sorts of hats on any given day — and they live for it. Lee Kortus of Aureus Medical Group joins Sunny and Matt to get real about the job of a recruiter, the inside scoop, and what travelers can and should expect from the relationship. cardiumpodcast.com

The travel nursing and allied health job markets have experienced shifts in all sorts of directions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Just when will we return to “normal”? Or is this the “new normal?” Mandy Hileman with managed services provider FocusOne Solutions joins Sunny and Matt for a roundtable discussion about where we’ve come from, what we’re seeing now, and what hospitals are saying is on the horizon. www.cardiumpodcast.com

Some travelers go solo and others journey with a companion. For Michael Reynolds, traveling as a Medical Laboratory Technician wouldn’t be the same without his beloved dog Rocky by his side. He talks to us about sharing his adventures with his four-legged bestie and what he keeps in mind when planning for his assignments, from housing and finding a vet to all things every animal lover will appreciate. www.cardiumpodcast.com

Travel healthcare can be the perfect path to new places. But sometimes, it leads you to a new career. Crystal Funke embraced her travel experiences as a Physical Therapist. What she noticed along the way led to a lightbulb moment that landed her back in the classroom. She shares her story about her journey, the high points, the obstacles, and how she balanced the books with her work life and personal time. She shows us that it can be done. www.cardiumpodcast.com

Healthcare professionals face the unknown every day. But if you’re on the front lines of COVID-19, you’re experiencing a crisis that may push your limits physically and emotionally. We talk candidly with Stephanie Levy, a therapist to first responders, who walks us through what nurses, respiratory therapists, and others need to know about maintaining one’s mental health in times of trauma, how to manage, and when it’s time to reach out and seek help. www.cardiumpodcast.com

The interview. To land an assignment there’s that all-important step, usually virtual or over the phone. We talk candidly with long-time traveler Maribel Torres and recruiter Richard Kousgaard to get their perspectives and best practices for nailing the interview. What should you know, how do you prepare, and what are some of the questions to ask you may never have thought of? They offer the tools of the trade, so you’re prepped and ready when your next interview rolls around. www.cardiumpodcast.com

There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has posed extreme challenges for our healthcare community, patients and families, and society at large. In the travel healthcare space, both nursing and allied health, we find what was once a robust job market has been uprooted. Jeff West of Aureus Medical joins Matt to talk candidly about the current landscape of travel nursing and allied health job markets in the midst of the pandemic and where we go from here. www.cardiumpodcast.com

We’re inspired by nurses every day; by their resilience, passion for caring for others, and compassion for patients and their families. In celebration of National Nurses Week – and this year being the 200th Birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern Nursing – we’re joined by Dorothy Hilton, a career RN and travel nurse who shares her stories, her insights, and her advice for Nurses everywhere. www.cardiumpodcast.com

Darren Parks sees his career in nursing as the best of both worlds where leadership and clinical work combine. A long time RN, he began seeking new challenges and opportunities to grow in his nursing practice, his skill set, and on the floor. Today, he travels for interim assignments as an experienced Nurse Leader. Darren talks about his journey, what it takes, wearing many hats, and what’s most important.

Heather Suchocki has taken assignments in hospitals of all sizes. As a travel nurse, she’s nearly seen it all. But this labor and delivery RN is especially drawn to rural and small community hospitals. What makes them so special and unique? On this episode Heather gets candid about how rural hospitals differ from their larger counterparts. She talks about what to expect, getting acclimated, onsite dynamics, and finding joy in small town life. www.cardiumpodcast.com

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has gripped the nation. As hospitals experience a surge of patients, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other healthcare professionals are on the front lines. On this special episode we talk about the impact of traveling healthcare professionals and what they’re faced with during this pandemic. We’re joined by Melissa Nguyen, Clinical Nurse Manager of Medical Solutions, whose educational background includes public health and infectious disease. Long-time recruiter Richard Kousgaard offers added insight. www.cardiumpodcast.com

The rollout of PDGM, the new Medicare reimbursement model for home health, means big changes for therapists. How does the new Patient Driven Groupings Model impact PTs, OTs, and SLPs? What does it mean for the therapy profession, the availability of jobs, therapy services, and patient care? We uncover what you need to know now and going forward with PDGM expert Ellen Strunk and Reid Johnson.

How do you respond and move forward when faced with a natural disaster? Amy Riley is a Polysomnographer Technologist who, along with her husband and children, evacuated their home during the Camp Fire of 2018 that swept through Paradise, California and the surrounding area. The hospital where she worked at the time was destroyed. Amy shares her personal story, from moment of realization and evacuation to her life and her career today. www.cardiumpodcast.com

When you’re traveling as a nurse, therapist, or in another allied health field that requires a license, you know it can get complicated when you’re working in multiple states. Application requirements vary, licenses in some states take longer to process than others, and there’s a lot to keep track of and consider. Your license is also your livelihood. How do you be proactive in protecting it? Annie Elliston and Jeff West join us to talk about all things licensure. www.cardiumpodcast.com

What’s it like to live the tiny house lifestyle as a traveler? Let’s be clear; we’re talking really tiny. Dr. Liam Kavin, PT, DPT joins us to tell us all about the space he custom built that gets him to and from assignments and serves as his home away from home. He shares what motivated him to scale back and live simply, advantages to small space living, and challenges he runs into with weather, mechanics, and basic life stuff. www.cardiumpodcast.com

We’re in the social media age. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are part of us. They help us stay connected, in the know, showcase parts of our lives, and can even help travel nurses and allied health professionals in the job search. But there can be pitfalls, too. Social media experts Beth Harner and Betsy Martin share dos, don’ts, and best practices. www.cardiumpodcast.com

What’s the state the healthcare job market really? What’s the demand in nursing and allied health, what are the trends impacting your field, and what’s the next big thing? We may not have a crystal ball but we do have an expert in Amy Chang of Staffing Industry Analysts. She gives us the real deal on what’s happening now and what’s predicted going forward through the decade. If you’re a travel nurse, a PT, or are working in any healthcare specialty this is your episode.

There is no one size fits all in travel healthcare. Some go it alone, some travel with a friend, and others bring the whole family along for the adventure. Cardium welcomes Natasha Stevens, RN, who shares what it’s like to live the travel nursing lifestyle with her husband, two children, their dog, and an RV. She talks about the rewards of seeing the country as a family, discoveries they’ve made, and the experience of parenting and educating while on the road. www.cardiumpodcast.com

When disputes between a hospital or healthcare system and its labor union are unresolved, the situation may escalate to a strike. What happens to patient care in the case of a strike? Hospitals turn to contract staff – traveling healthcare professionals – to step in for the days or weeks of its duration. What’s different about working a strike assignment? What should you know before you sign on? Seasoned recruiters Tom Hamilton and Kent Johnson have staffed many of them. They join us to get real about the unique nature of strike coverage. www.cardiumpodcast.com

Healthcare professionals take care of others. It’s your life’s work and your purpose. At the same time, giving so fully of yourself each day can lead to stress at varying levels and compound other issues. So often those practicing in healthcare are the most reluctant to practice self-care. But it’s critical to do so. We’re joined by Julia Hebenstreit of The Kim Foundation who joins us for a heart to heart talk about mental health and the travel healthcare professional. www.cardiumpodcast.com

The number of hospitals and healthcare systems that have adopted a Managed Services Provider model for staffing continues to surge. MSP, the third party that manages agency relationships for the hospital, is the future of healthcare staffing. It’s here to stay. So, what are the advantages to the traveler in an MSP situation? What’s different that travelers should be aware of? Eddie Parizek of HealthTrust Workforce Solutions joins us to talk about it. www.cardiumpodcast.com

You’re ready. You’re excited. And you’re feeling those first-time jitters. You’ve signed your contract for your first travel assignment, so now what? You're not alone. We've got you. We’re joined by long-time respiratory therapist Bev Berger who shares her tools of the trade for new travelers and wisdom for any healthcare professional who lives the mobile lifestyle. Because no matter what point you're at in your career as a travel nurse, therapist, or other allied health professional, there’s always more to learn and new perspectives to gain. Bev has seen it all and nearly done it all as a travel RT and she graciously offers it up with Sunny and Matt on Cardium. Learn more about Cardium and this episode at www.cardiumpodcast.com.

The move toward the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) for skilled nursing facilities is in effect, shifting the focus of Medicare reimbursements from minutes and hours of therapy services to patient characteristics and outcomes. Learn more about Cardium and this episode at www.cardiumpodcast.com.

Though just a couple of years since being enacted, the Physical Therapy Compact is fulfilling its purpose of providing physical therapists and physical therapist assistants with greater mobility to work in multiple states. In 2017, the PT Compact reached its minimum threshold of 10 participating states. Today 25 states are part of the Compact, with hopes of bringing more states into the fold. What does the Compact mean for PTs and PTAs? What are the criteria for obtaining compact privileges? Expert guest T.J. Cantwell, Compact Administrator of the Physical Therapy Compact Commission, joins us on the podcast to talk about the state of the Compact, what therapists need to know, and what the future looks like. Also offering perspective is Kelly Grant, branch manager of Aureus Medical Group who contributes to the Compact conversation from a facility and traveler point of view. Learn more about Cardium and this episode at www.cardiumpodcast.com.

The mobile lifestyle as a healthcare professional is an experience in itself. But sharing it with a companion – a friend, significant other, or a family member – gives it a whole new dimension. We talk with two RNs, Maggie Chapman and Nicole Brucker, who just a few years into their careers decided venture into travel nursing and do so together. What’s it like going into the unknown of new assignments and new cities together? How do they roll day to day? What are their typical routines as individuals and as a duo? How do they best support each other? Maggie and Nicole talk about everything from sharing space and sharing a car to deciding what to pack and where to go. Learn more about Cardium and this episode at www.cardiumpodcast.com.

Three guests share their personal stories, insight, and lessons learned from their journeys as healthcare professionals and through their experiences traveling in their field. What led them to take this road in their career? What have been their highs and lows? What’s next? And as we’ll ask all of our guests in future podcast episodes, what’s their “why”? We have some laughs and share some poignant moments while we talk with two veteran travel nurses and an occupational therapist, a recent grad and new to travel. Learn more about Cardium and this episode at www.cardiumpodcast.com.

You’re currently on assignment with a hospital and you’re faced with a situation that compromises patient safety, professional ethics, or your personal well-being. What do you do? Who do you turn to and when? Annie Elliston, RN and Director of Clinical Operations with Aureus Medical Group, poses scenarios that can potentially surface in the healthcare setting, also your workplace, while working on a travel contract. Nurses, PTs, OTs, and healthcare professionals of all other specialties will find this episode full of important insight and advice. Learn more about Cardium and this episode at www.cardiumpodcast.com.

Hosts Sunny and Matt welcome listeners to Cardium, a podcast especially for healthcare professionals of all specialties with a focus on travel careers within the industry. What’s it like to work in one facility for 13 weeks or more then move to a brand new community for the next assignment and adventure? There’s a lot to love, a lot to know, and always more to learn about this unique and rewarding career that’s more than a job, it’s a lifestyle. Getting to the heart of all things travel healthcare and bringing you content that’s relevant, informative, and uplifting is what we’re all about. Whether you’re currently traveling, curious about it, or you’re on staff full time with a hospital or clinic, we welcome you – and our featured guests – to Cardium. Learn more about Cardium and this episode at www.cardiumpodcast.com.