Marcia Faller
Chief Clinical Officer & Executive Vice President
AMN Healthcare
San Diego
Over the past two decades, AMN has experienced a great deal of growth and change…and Marcia Faller has played a key role in nearly all of it.
Ms. Faller joined the company in 1989, AMN's fourth year in business. When she came on board, AMN had a grand total of 15 team members and had placed about 200 nurses in temporary travel positions – numbers that have since swelled to about 2,000 team members and an average of nearly 7000 nurses and allied healthcare professionals on assignment in 2007.
Her original title was vice president of nursing, but it might well have been "Jack of All Trades." Her primary responsibility was to oversee the quality and competency of the nurses AMN provided to hospitals, ensuring that the company was supplying top level people. With precious little staff to assist her, Faller did most of the personnel referencing herself.
As more nurses came into the fold and AMN's team members grew accordingly, Faller helped develop new positions and divisions – including Account Management and Quality Management. She was at the helm of the Information Technology department for three years, oversaw the Housing department for about 10 years, and played active roles in the Human Resources and Customer Service departments as well.
"In 19 years, I have never felt bored, wondering when the day will end," said Ms. Faller. "Every day brings something new and my job has not been the same from year to year. I've had a wonderful opportunity to join what was a small company and do whatever I could to help build it. A lot of it was timing…coming on board at the right point in time. But mostly it was taking risks and then giving my all."
Even though the company is so much larger now, Ms. Faller believes many new opportunities exist for others today. "Sure, timing is important. But if you have the willingness to take a risk – after all, nothing ventured, nothing gained – and the commitment to work hard, the possibility of great rewards are here. With our growth, there are new divisions, new product lines, new positions…hence, new opportunities."
A graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in nursing, Ms. Faller worked at University Medical Center in Tucson before relocating to San Diego for a job at Sharp Memorial Hospital. While there, she worked with AMN to bring in temporary nursing staff for Sharp. She got to know AMN founder Steve Francis, who ultimately asked her to come work for his temporary nurse staffing company. After saying "yes," she hasn't looked back in more than 19 years.
But she does look ahead. While continuing to wear many hats at work, Ms. Faller has also found the time to return to school in pursuit of a doctorate degree. She places a strong value on education and considers a Ph.D. a vital asset to her newest role: serving as a spokesperson for AMN and being published as an authority in nursing and the nurse staffing industry. "AMN continues to do great things and has a wonderful story to tell," said Ms. Faller. "I want to be the one to share that story with others." Marcia Faller on AMN Healthcare's Growth and Success: "People are at the heart of AMN's success. People with passion, drive and a belief in the business."