Why Nurse-Recruiter Relationships Matter: Erin Gingery Shares Career Secrets on Nursing Uncharted
The latest episode of Nursing Uncharted takes listeners on an emotional and enlightening journey, showcasing the raw and resilient account of "nursepreneur," Sarah Boes. From launching a successful business to becoming a tireless advocate for congenital heart disease awareness, Sarah shares how professional successes and personal challenges have transformed her life.
Meet Erin Gingery
Erin Gingery is no stranger to the challenges and rewards of recruitment. With over 12 years of industry experience and six years at AMN Healthcare, she has become a key figure in supporting nurses through career transitions. Erin originally wanted to go into teaching, and she views her work as an extension of teaching and as an opportunity to educate and guide nurses on pathways that lead to success.
“I didn’t even know travel nursing was a career path when I started,” Erin shares on the podcast. But what began as a chance entry into the recruitment world quickly evolved into a passion. “When I switched my mindset and realized this is helping people, everything clicked. It became rewarding in more ways than I could have imagined.”
Building Bridges Through Trust
One of the standout themes of Erin’s conversation is the value of trust in nurse-recruiter relationships. Nurses often rely on recruiters during pivotal moments in their careers, such as transitioning to travel nursing or supporting them on assignments in unfamiliar locations. Erin emphasizes that trust is the foundation of these relationships.
“Nurses are literally trusting a voice over the phone to change their whole life,” Erin explains. The stakes are high, and for many nurses, having a recruiter they can count on makes all the difference. Erin’s advice to new recruiters is about empathy and transparency. “If you were the traveler, what would you expect [from your recruiter]? How would you want to be treated? Treat this as any other friendship.”
Erin also touches on the benefits of going beyond transactional exchanges. A strong recruiter doesn’t just send nurses where they’re needed. Instead, they advocate for their nurses, help them land the best opportunities, and ensure they feel supported every step of the way.
“The recruiter makes the difference because they are the ones nurses are putting their trust in and that they're picking up their lives and moving for.”
AMN Healthcare: Opportunities for Growth and Support
Throughout the episode, Erin celebrates the wealth of opportunities available within AMN Healthcare for nurses at every stage of their careers. One of the most compelling insights she shares is how AMN nurtures both recruiters and nurses, creating pathways for long-term growth.
From travel assignments to leadership development programs, AMN offers a variety of options for those interested in growing their skill set. Erin also highlights roles like becoming a member of AMN’s in-house clinical team, where experienced nurses provide support by reviewing profiles, coaching travelers, and ensuring patient care standards are met.
“You could start as a travel nurse,” Erin explains. “But then if you want to go beyond that. We have opportunities internally. I have someone on my team who was a labor and delivery nurse for over 20 years and now she is a recruiter. That's exciting because she obviously brings an extra level of relevance and she can understand what the travelers are going through.”
“We also have an in-house clinical team that reviews our virtual interviews and audit profiles, and they coach travelers." Erin highlights another avenue: leadership. “We have B.E. Smith, so if you want more experience in leadership or want to one day be a CNO, that’s a direction we can point you in.”
Beyond traditional career tracks, AMN goes the extra mile to foster community and professional development. Nurses can engage through social media initiatives like Gypsy Nurse Live, which offers Q&A sessions, live streams, and round-table discussions to spotlight and celebrate clinicians.
Relationships Are the Heart of Travel Nursing
A recurrent theme on the podcast is the power of relationships. Host Anne shares a heartfelt account of how her own relationship with Erin helped her career but also shaped her perspective on trust and connection within travel nursing.
“When I first started, Erin was my recruiter,” Anne recalls. “She guided me, helped me get my first travel assignment, and was always transparent, even during difficult conversations. That left an impression on me. It’s why I’ve stuck with AMN for so long."
Erin acknowledges the challenges of maintaining these relationships in a busy, tech-driven industry. She stresses the importance of picking up the phone rather than relying solely on texts or emails. “There’s a human behind both sides of this equation,” she says. “Nursing isn’t just transactional, and neither should recruitment be.”
Anne and Erin also touch on how the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the nature of nurse-recruiter dynamics. While the urgent demands of the pandemic made workflows more transactional out of necessity, Erin notes that the post-COVID landscape offers an opportunity to rebuild these crucial relationships.
Tune in Today
Erin Gingery’s appearance on Nursing Uncharted is a reminder that healthcare is about more than just providing exceptional patient care. It’s also about fostering connections and supporting each other as professionals. By putting relationships first, nurses and recruiters can create a more collaborative and fulfilling work environment.
Missed Episode 88? Tune in today to gain valuable insights from Erin Gingery and discover how you can make the most of your nursing career. Visit AMN Healthcare’s Instagram page (@AMNnurse) to learn more about how we're celebrating Nurses Month and supporting clinicians every day.
Happy Nurses Month to all the incredible nurses!
