As a traveling long-term care (LTC) professional, you don’t need a manager on your journey — you need a partner. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you work with Fusion Medical Staffing!
With an LTC division made up of passionate, creative (and sometimes silly) hard workers, we’re the trusted partners you’ve been looking and waiting for. Meet some of the key players of Fusion’s LTC team!
- Learn about Laura Pollack
- Bond with Blake Headley
- Dominate with Dylan Albrecht
- Befriend Brady Norgard
- Partner with Paige Patton
- ✨BONUS✨ Frequently asked questions
Division Deep Dive: Q&A with Travel Long-Term Care Recruiters
Learn about Laura
Traveler at heart, dedicated philanthropist, and Collaboration Queen, Laura uses her powers only for good. Here’s how.
MB: Hi Laura! Introduce yourself to our audience — what’s something you want them to know about you?
Laura Pollock: Hi there! I joined Fusion Medical Staffing as a recruiter about two-and-a-half years ago. I have a husband, four boys, and a yellow lab, and we love vacationing! We’re obsessed with anything involving the mountains, so we visit Colorado as often as we can.
I also helped form and grow Females in Action (FIA) in the Omaha region, which is a community of women dedicated to making each other stronger in all areas of our lives through activities that include bodies, minds, and hearts. A FIA workout is a promise, always free, open to ALL women, held outdoors, and ends with a circle of trust. As a key member of FIA, I’m responsible for organizing various group volunteerism opportunities for FIA to do together throughout the year.
In my free time, I love watching my kids play sports, taking them to sporting events, sailing on the open sea, dressing up for fancy philanthropic events, and taking trips with my loved ones!
MB: Oooh, the mountains! Sign me up. Switching gears a smidge, can you tell us your recruiter superpower that sets you apart from others?
LP: My superpower would have to be that I consistently strive to operate with a high degree of ethical integrity and responsiveness and try to do the right things.
Before working at Fusion, I spent ~20 years managing environmental projects and programs with legal representatives for Union Pacific Railroad and Northern Natural Gas. I also earned a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) with a concentration on Collaboration Science, which helped me grow my capabilities as they pertain to effective relationship-building, establishing trust, and working toward shared goals and successes.
MB: Yep, I would certainly classify that as a superpower — incredible! If you could bring any fictional character to life to help you recruit LTC candidates, who would it be and why?
LP: I’d have to say Indiana Jones because he loves a great adventure! He’s courageous, resourceful, quick-witted, ethical, curious…and fears snakes!
MB: That’s a great answer! Now let’s pretend you’ve been tasked with creating a holiday to celebrate LTC travelers, how would we celebrate?
LP: We’d celebrate by setting up appreciation lunches where we take traveler votes into account on the meal. I’d send Eileen’s Cookies and candies to our travelers for a mid-afternoon surprise, as well as give them an option to choose some Fusion merch! Plus, each staff member would receive a recognition award that specifically highlights one of their best strengths or qualities, a professional massage, and paid lunch breaks all week!
MB: I love the way you think. On that same wavelength, what’s your go-to way to celebrate when you match a candidate to a job?
LP: Really, I just get super excited and motivated to grind even harder so that I can match more candidates to more jobs!
Fun facts about Laura
⭐Her goal is to retire to Estes Park, CO
⭐Laura serves as FIA-Omaha’s lead FIAlanthropist
⭐She sets the bar high for herself
Bond with Blake
Many people want to work with someone who they can relate to and connect with. If you also consider yourself a proud pet parent, reliable partner, and baseball enthusiast, let us introduce you to Blake.
MB: What’s up, Blake? Can you give us a quick elevator pitch about yourself?
Blake Headley: Hi! I’m Blake. I’ve been at Fusion for almost three years now and I’ve been in recruiting the entire time, and love it.
MB: Amazing! What if you could rename your “LTC recruiter” job title — what would you call it?
BH: I’d rename my title to the highest honor of “Mom.” I wear many hats in my role — some days I’m a cheerleader and others I’m a therapist or schedule coordinator. But just like all moms, I love my kids all the same!
MB: Aww. What’s your go-to desk décor item that shows off your personality?
BH: I would say my mini-American flag. I love our country!
MB: Excellent choice. So, in your three years at Fusion, what’s the best icebreaker you’ve ever asked a traveler?
BH: The best icebreaker I ask is “are you ready for the snow?!” We have a lot of jobs up North in colder states so asking this question really helps me better understand the flexibility of my travelers.
MB: I love that your icebreaker involves snow, it’s almost punny! Ok last question, you’re a contestant on a recruiting reality game show — what’s your strategy to win the game?
BH: Ooh, I’d take away all the coffee from my competition. There’s no way they could last without it!
Fun facts about Blake
⭐He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs Organization in 2015
⭐Last summer, Blake and his girlfriend rescued a Pitbull named Millie
⭐Prior to recruiting, Blake managed risk for businesses and their employees
Dominate with Dylan
Bringing the perfect balance of personality to professionalism, working with Dylan as your recruiter is like reuniting with an old friend. Read more about Dylan to find out what we mean.
Megan Bebout: Dylan! Tell the people all about you.
Dylan Albrecht: Hi! I’m Dylan and I’ve been at Fusion Medical Staffing for a little over two years now. I went to college at the University of South Dakota, majoring in accounting. I came on board with fusion not really knowing what to expect and found myself at home in our long-term care division.
It’s me, and eventually five or 10 dogs when I find a place big enough to house them all. I spend most of my downtime hanging out at home or with friends at our favorite dive bar here in Omaha.
MB: I’m in the same boat when it comes to finding a house for my future dogs, but the market is rough (pun intended). Now, when you’re talking to LTC candidates, can you tell us your most used motivational phrase?
DA: We use the term “flexibility is currency” pretty frequently in long-term care. Traveling can be scary at times, but if you find yourself flexible when it comes to assignments, you’ll see the most success in your traveling career, along with building your resume and experience along the way.
I find that most times when my travelers step outside their comfort zones and trust the process, they find themselves loving areas and assignments they might not have seen themselves in before!
MB: That’s a great line! So, if you had to recruit one famous person for long-term care travel jobs, who would it be?
DA: Britney Spears (don’t judge me!). I just think she’s kooky and fun and truly cares about people, which is something we look for in our travelers in the LTC division.
MB: Personally love that answer and fully support it. Unrelated to Britney, if your favorite snack became a recruitment incentive, what would it be?
DA: Garden Salsa Sun Chips and peanut butter M&M’s, all day every day. But please don’t bring me any — my New Years resolutions aren’t off to a great start…
MB: Ope, feel that. Ok, last q: your job was turned into a board game — what would you call it?
DA: UNO, because there’s only one like me. 😉 Kidding!
Ok, I know it’s not a board game, but I would say Mario Kart. When you’re three feet from the finish line and somebody hits you with three red shells back-to-back? Feels like me some days.
But that’s why Fusion is so great and sets us apart from other healthcare staffing agencies! Outside of my position, our support staff are one-of-a-kind and truly the best at what they do to get us to the finish line.
Fun facts about Dylan
⭐He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting
⭐Dylan’s goal is to find a house big enough to adopt a family of dogs
⭐He’s from a small town that’s technically a village by definition
Befriend Brady
An LTC legend, Brady’s known for getting things done and done well. From building candidate profiles to submitting them for hot jobs, he’s an all-star recruiter. Here’s more about Brady.
MB: Hey there! Share a little bit about yourself. What do you want our travelers to know about you?
Brady Norgard: Hi, I’m Brady! I’m a long-term care associate recruiter and I’ve been with Fusion for three years.
MB: Love that! So, if Fusion’s LTC division had a theme song, what would it be?
BN: I’d have to say “Fight for your right” by the Beastie Boys — a classic.
MB: Great choice. If you were a recruiting superhero, what would your superhero name be and why?
BN: My superhero name would be “Profile Man” because I’m a whiz at building candidate profiles!
MB: Impressive! Ok, say you can only communicate with your travelers using memes. What meme would you use to introduce yourself to new travelers?
BN: Definitely this one.
MB: OMG, iconic. Lastly, what’s the quirkiest or silliest thing you’ve done to cheer up a traveler after a rough day?
BN: I don’t know how quirky or silly it is but I’ve sent one of my travelers money so they could pay for a dinner date that they didn’t have money for at the time.
Fun facts about Brady
⭐He’s a Pittsburgh Steelers fan
⭐Brady is 5’7”
⭐He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney
Partner with Paige
Life on the road presents unique challenges to healthcare travelers, and Paige gets that. This is how she makes a positive difference in the lives of her LTC travelers.
MB: Howdy, thanks for letting us feature you! Tell us a bit about yourself.
Paige Patton: Hi! I’m Paige, a long-term care recruiter here at Fusion Medical Staffing. I’ve been with Fusion for a while now — I started as an intern for our business development team while I was a college student during the coronavirus pandemic. After graduating, I started as an LTC recruiter!
Also, something important to note is I have a super cute Bernedoodle puppy named Beezie.
MB: Stop, Beezie?! That’s so precious! Ok, if you had to describe your recruiting style in one or two words, what words would you use?
PP: Transparent and quick. I know traveling can be scary at first, especially with someone that you’ve only gotten to know over the phone, so I make sure to be transparent about everything!
I also make it a priority to respond as fast as possible to anything a traveler may need. Communication and promptness are so important in this job. I always want my travelers to know I’m here to help with anything they may need!
MB: And that’s why our travelers love working with you! On that note, what’s the most random piece of trivia you’ve learned while chatting with a candidate?
PP: I’ve learned a lot about state parks through my travelers that visit. I had a traveler who would go to Yellowstone almost every week. He said that he always had a new place to go to in Yellowstone because of how big it is! Fun fact: it’s bigger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined!
MB: Wow, that’s wild! Let’s say your travelers get to write a book about you as their recruiter, what’s the title?
PP: I honestly had no idea about this, so I asked one of my travelers! She came up with “My Guiding Light” because I always guide her to assignments that I know she’ll like.
MB: Oh, that’s fabulous, I love. And finally, what’s one thing about a traveler that instantly makes you love working with them?
PP: When we can laugh about anything! I’ve always been the kind of person who needs someone around me who can laugh about things, so it’s always fun when a traveler is the same! Traveling can be tough, and having a positive outlook on it makes the tough parts better.
Fun facts about Paige
⭐She worked at a local plant shop in high school
⭐Paige has a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln
⭐She’s a proud dog mom
Frequently asked questions
How much experience do I need to become a traveling long-term care professional?
If you’re a traveling medical assistant, licensed practical nurse/licensed vocational nurse, registered nurse, director of nursing, certified nursing assistant (CNA)*, medication aide, or another position in the long-term care field, you’ll need to gain some experience before you can travel.
To officially become a long-term care traveler, you must have at least 12 months of experience in your specific role within the last three years.
*For CNAs and medication aides, this experience must be certified.
Can I travel with my friends, family, or pets as an LTC traveler?
Being an LTC traveler doesn’t mean you have to leave your loved ones behind — they can come with! Many temporary lodging options offer pet-friendly housing, so your furry friends can join you on the road. Whether it’s a spouse, partner, or bestie, there are plenty of opportunities to have loved ones join you on your travel adventure!
What do other travelers like about partnering with Fusion Medical Staffing?
“I always feel as if [my Fusion recruiter] has my best interest at heart,” said Fusion Traveler Melissa. “I never feel like I work ‘for’ Fusion Medical Staffing, but rather ‘with’ Fusion Medical Staffing!”
When you travel with us, you’re getting more than just great traveling long-term care jobs. We offer day-one insurance, mental health resources, retirement matching, and solid health benefits. But the real magic comes from our people.
Unlike some agencies, we won’t pass you around between recruiters based on your assignment location or specialty. Instead, you’ll be matched with the same recruiter throughout your career with us. Even better? We have a process in place to rematch you, if needed.
Related: New Recruiter Matching Process Boosts Traveler Experience. Here’s How!
Additionally, our Traveler Experience team is here to provide support in whatever ways you need during your journey. From answering questions to offering guidance, they’re dedicated to making your experience with us smooth and stress-free. Our team knows that every traveler’s path is unique, and they’re committed to providing the personalized support you need to thrive, no matter where your adventure takes you.
Already love what you do as a long-term care provider? You’ll love it even more when you travel with us because you’ll know your LTC recruiter truly has your back (and your front and both sides, just for good measure).
Start traveling with Fusion medical Staffing and embark on a journey where you’re put first, listened to, and fully supported.
