Mark S. Kuhar

But then the recession hit. And as the authors of our cover story, Barry Padgett and Donna Padgett, RN, BSN, so succinctly note, travelers ultimately began to feel the pinch. As revenues declined, healthcare facilities found it difficult to hire travelers or keep them onboard, especially if permanent staff jobs were in jeopardy. Travel assignments all of a sudden started drying up. There were still openings, but they were fewer, some were in remote locations, and sometimes dozens of candidates were applying for positions. Competition was fierce among agencies.

Is the worst of the recession past us? Some experts say yes, and numerous signs now point to a positive economic turn. Others say that the measures taken by the government amount to nothing more than a temporary solution. Recessionary conditions notwithstanding, the country's medical needs are not going away any time soon, and the healthcare-reform wars in Washington will keep us glued to the news for some time to come.