Sara M. Spanjer

As a registered nurse, Sara M. Spanjer knows what it’s like to be on the nurse floor without enough help. She understands the big picture: It’s not just about sales; it’s important to have the right person in the job. And it’s that mindset that has helped her climb the healthcare ladder.

Today, Spanjer is chief clinical officer at Omaha, Nebraska-based Fusion Medical Staffing. Spanjer joined Fusion as a nurse recruiter in 2013 when the company was starting its nurse staffing division. It was a leap of faith — which paid off.

Her past nursing experience has given her an appreciation for the staffing industry. “Having been a nurse, what is most appealing to me is I have the perspective of knowing the benefit of staffing on the back end,” she says.

Some of her recent accomplishments include helping create Fusion Medical Staffing’s Covid-19 review board and leading the company’s compliance team through a successful restructuring with a proprietary credentialing system buildout and implementation.

But her proudest achievement, she says, is “just being a part of an organization that has grown so quickly all while doing the most important thing — taking care of our people.” Fusion Medical Staffing was the grand prize winner in SIA’s Best Staffing Firms to Work For competition in 2019.

As far as advice for those entering the staffing industry, Spanjer says, you must seek out new opportunities. “Have perspective,” she says. “Be grateful for what you do have, but always push yourself to do better.”