Family First

Shima 0 comments 03.08.2017

Leaps & Bounds

Shima 0 comments 22.02.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s MCM title belongs William Wilson, who recruits certified nurses to places in need.

Wilson was born in Torrance and raised in the South Bay. Growing up, he traveled playing Rugby for Santa Monica Rugby Club. Together, the team traveled to several countries including Argentina, Germany and Thailand.

When he was just 22 years old, Wilson was in great shape and playing in his second season of rugby. During one weekend, his team was a part of a rugby tournament which cost him broken bones in his right leg. The doctor said that if they didn’t put Wilson to sleep, they wouldn’t have found that there was a fatty embolism that was going to his heart. Also known as, an “Air bubble”.

In result, Wilson found how precious life is and how appreciative he was to be alive. He realized life is a gift and he has so much left to give others. Soon after, Wilson was handpicked by a prior manager to help recruit nurses. At the time, he was still working for a different company and had to make the ultimate decision of staying with the company or help a new company grow by leaps and bounds.

Wilson chose to take the lead and today, is a full-time Nurse recruiter for United Staffing Solutions Inc. (USSI) and a part-time Entrepreneur. His duties are to recruit the best of the best nurses for 13-week travel assignments.

Nurses that Wilson recruits must have one year “or close to” experience in an acute care setting. This ranges from Medical Surgery, Telemetry, NICU, PICU, L&D, ICU etc.  “They can have pretty much any specialty,” he says.

Wilson does not recruit a specific kind of traveler and says that they can be a true traveler, a new traveler or someone that wants to try something new other than being a staff nurse. A travel nurse is a nurse that wants to take a 13-week assignment.

Wilson claims that now nurses can choose to work as both a staff nurse and take on assignment at the same time to see if they can handle the work load. A typical schedule is 3 days a week, 12 hours a day in a contract. “This is either on top of their 3/12’s already or just by itself,” he says.

Wilson explains that having a CA license is the “hottest thing” for a nurse as the pay is much better in CA than any other state.  Although his company is not working internationally yet, Wilson explains that they work with new graduates on occasion.

Pay for the nurses depends on a few factors. “Crisis rate, need, is the hospital on strike, location and time of year to name a few,” he says. Nurses, however, receive daily meals and incidentals, housing and hourly pay all in one contract. On other occasions, nurses find their housing and are able to receive free money and maximize their return on the contract.

Wilson finds that working as a recruit nurse has many benefits including that you get to travel, get tax free money and get a ton of experience in a short amount of time.

Wilson began recruiting after realizing he loved helping people. “To me, I get the greatest reward by helping people get into contracts,” he says.  Most of his nurses have come from referrals which he says are often nurses who are coming off contract, needing a contract or wanting to try out a better company to work with.

Some of his duties include finding nurses housing, fining the best location whether it is northern, central or even southern, CA. In addition, he is able to provide the nurses insurance if desired. He says, “Nurses are great. In my opinion they save lives. And to me putting a great nurse in a hospital that does just that sells itself. Because don’t you want to work with the best people too?”

This year, Wilson hopes to help 10 people find their dream job. He believes that being a recruiter isn’t for everyone. “However if you can multitask, stay extremely focused, self-motivated and do it for a purpose, it can be very gratifying.” He also values his staffing company and vows them to be, “super important.”

Wilson feels most gratified when he receives a referral because it means that he has earned another’s trust and respect enough for them to refer them.

When Wilson is not working, he enjoys hiking in Palos Verdes, playing Rugby, traveling, lifting weights, networking, reading, cooking and going to movies. He thrives most when chasing his passions.

He pays it forward by trying to give as much clothes to the salvage army as possible. “I sometimes feed the homeless when I see that someone is hungry. If you know what it’s like not to eat, this is a small gesture, however having empathy and compassion is the greatest reward. Especially when you know someone appreciates it,” he says.

He has found that the South Bay has the best people in California. “I think it is a group of highly educated, motivated individuals that want one another to achieve success. This doesn’t mean you have to be from the same industry. And let’s face it… You can be in the glamor in Hollywood one minute, Hermosa beach the next and in Big Bear mountains all in the same day.”

Thank you, Wilson, for providing our hardworking and deserving nurses greater opportunities.

To learn more about recruiting and the benefits, please contact Wilson here on his linkedin.

OR

Cell: (310) 707-6476 or email Williamjameswilson3@gmail.com

Wilson’s Websites:

southbaymediallc.com

Southbayyoungprofessionals.com

thefinancrblogger.com

Fur-ever Saving Grace

Shima 0 comments 06.01.2016

Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s #WCW title belongs to South Bay resident, Daphne Ku’uleimealohaokalani Marie Garrett who is a veterinary technician at Country Hills Animal Clinic in Torrance.

Daphne, 28, has lived in Torrance her entire life and was inspired to pursue the animal care field after adopting her very first dog at the Carson Shelter.

Five years  after high school, Daphne received her certificate as a veterinary technician in June 2010. She describes her position as the Doctor’s, “right hand man.”

Daphne begins and ends each day by seeing in room appointments and checking on surgeries. Some of her duties include surgeries mostly of spay and neuters, dental cleanings, vaccinations, radiographs, lab work, placing IV catheters, dental radiographs and blood draws.

Due to the unpredictability of her work field, Daphne feels some days are harder than others and there is no “typical” day at work. “We see so many different types of dogs and cats with similar and different issues. We do our best to exceed beyond everyone’s expectations for themselves and of course for the pet’s best interest,” she says.

When asked what is the most difficult part of her job, Daphne explains when “we have to send our furry friends to doggy heaven because we have done all we possibly could to help them.” This can be in result of many things such as diabetes, cancer, or old age.

“The only thing that gets me by is knowing the second they leave us, they are no longer in pain and are happy and free running around in heaven,” she explains. She says that even when the dog is not hers, it is the worst heartbreak she’s experienced.

Despite the difficulty of some aspects of her position, she believes the best days are when she can send the owners and their pets home happier and healthier than when they walked into the hospital.

Daphne wishes that pet owners understood that having pets is a lot of work. “They need to know it is just like having a kid, but sometimes even worse because dogs don’t have the ability to speak,” she says.

She also wishes pet owners realized that dogs have to be cared for, fed, walked daily and both dogs and cats need to be vaccinated yearly dependent on age. In addition, she urges that they pay attention to symptoms of being sick and take precaution immediately if necessary.

Daphne has found that animals have feelings, know when you are upset or happy. In result, she believes that owners should understand that pets become members of the family. She believes that residents should choose a Veterinarian based on referrals from family and friends. She does not believe in relying on internet sites such as yelp. She explains that people can be cruel and lie.

Daphne hopes to one day start her own business. She’d like to open a rescue or a doggy day care/grooming and dog bakery. However, she believes many can help animals by adopting those at high kill shelters or volunteering their time there.

When Daphne is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking with her own dogs, visiting the dog beach or traveling. Daphne is the furr-mom to Lucky, a mutt who was adopted at Carson Shelter and Winston who she got as a gift two years ago.

Lucky inspired Daphne to pursue the veterinary field after showering her in unconditional love. He is now going on 12 years old and she likes to call him her “grumpy old man.”

Daphne’s motto in life is, “Adopt, don’t shop and give pets the love they deserve. Give them a FURever home.” She has found that dogs give her a sense of saving grace that no one is able to give her.

Thank you, Daphne, for being a wonderful asset to our veterinary field in the South Bay and reminding us that it is possible to have a career doing what we love- like saving animal’s lives.