My Story – Chris Collins CEO / President
CRISIS RN Healthcare Staffing & Management & AddMed Staffing 

Too many times through my nursing life, I have met many people, in the healthcare field, who were just beat down; beat down from work, beat down from low pay, and beat down from life. No fun. No time. No goals.  No retirement.

Why? Because the system, in which most of us work, was not set up for us. Who are we? The workers. Sure, we can invest in a 401 k plan and after 30 years, we will have enough to retire (yeah right). So you would have to start work, at the least, by the time you graduate from college {hopefully by 30} and work until you are 65. Then you can retire or go to work at Wal-Mart for some extra cash. But, heck, your feet are shot by this time and the varicose veins are like ropes. Now you have time to spend with your family, but they are grown now and probably don’t have time either. And your spouse? Well it’s probably your second, because you didn’t have enough time. You work four days, sometimes five. Lord, even six to seven days every week to make the check work. Been there, done that {except the second spouse}. Its time we got control of our lives, our money, and our family.

This all started while I was working in the ER back home making $17.35 an hour {RN pay baby}. I was working 40+ hours every week (usually an extra 20) and taking care of between four to 10 patients. My annual salary was $43,000. I had a wife and four kids to support, a zero balance in our savings and checking accounts, and I was struggling to make the rent on our apartment. I loved the ER: trauma; cardiac; 12 - 16 hour night shifts. But I was working so hard for so little return. My teacher, from nursing school, worked at the same hospital I did.  Nice lady; mid 50’s; husband was on disability. She had been nursing for 30 years and couldn’t afford to retire. Couldn’t stand for long periods, due to foot pain – you know, the duck walk. Sound like anyone you know.

Why work harder, Why not work smarter? I soon left this area of work and became a travel nurse. First, I traveled close to home. Then I went across the country. I never looked back. I made my own schedule. I worked only four days a week. My annual salary was $110,000. Shut up (Little Richard imitation)!

I loved it! I took my family with me on every summer vacation and every school break. We had a ball! From the beach, to the pool. From Cali to Cincy.  These were times we will never forget and talk about all the time.

So this is it. I thought, “why not help other nurses live to their full potential, make enough money to pay off their bills {their car, heck, even their mortgage}, spend quality time with their family, and have a paid vacation with none of the bills? Why not give nurses the opportunity to invest in themselves? Why not design teaching and investment programs for nurses to be all they can be?”

My dream is that everyone who comes aboard is given the tools to succeed in life. Not just survive, but to honestly be financially independent.

Imagine if you could have started at 25 years of age.  No bills. $85,000 salary with an opportunity to see the country while working. What if you could learn how to make your money work for you? Now imagine yourself involved with a company in which the main goal is to help you become you. This is who we are. We are Crisis RN. We are there when you are in a Crisis and we are there when you are not. We teach people how to reach their goals and be the “you” you want to be. Why work for “the man” when you can be “the man”? Crisis RN is not just a travel agency; It’s an investment in your life.