They are the invisible workforce behind one of healthcare's most vital services. Nursing agencies, which provide temporary nurses to hospitals, clinics and other facilities, employ a small army of recruiters, schedulers and support staff. These unsung heroes work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure facilities have enough nurses when patient volumes surge.

Maria Lopez starts her day at 5 a.m. at Informatix Health Nursing Agency reviewing new job orders from nursing homes. As a recruiting manager, it's her job to find qualified nurses to fill openings as quickly as possible. She spends hours on the phone interviewing nurse candidates and verifying credentials before recommending the best ones to staff.

"We have to move fast, the facilities are counting on us," said Lopez. "It's very rewarding though when we can deliver great nurses quickly."

Once nurses are scheduled for assignments, the agency's client services team takes over. Kristina is one of three client services representatives at Informatix Health. She serves as the main point of contact between the nursing agency and client nursing facilities to handle questions and issues that come up.

"I have to know the ins and outs of 20 different facilities and their policies," said Kristina. "It can be a challenge making sure our nurses are compliant, but it's critical to patient safety."

Behind these front-line workers is a team in human resources handling licensing, payroll, benefits and other support tasks crucial to retaining nurses. At the helm is Operations Manager Frank Gaines, who has been with informatix health for 5 years.

"This business is 24/7. Nurses work overnight, on weekends and holidays, so we have to be available at all hours," said Gaines. "It's not an easy job, but I'm proud of what our team accomplishes."

Next time you see nurses providing care, remember the network of unsung heroes at their agencies working to make it happen. Nurses may be healthcare's heroes, but behind them are the other essential workers focused on fueling our healthcare system with qualified staff.