Medi-Lend Nursing Services was born February 1991 when Barnes, then a self-employed obstetrics nurse in New Orleans was informed by a potential-client hospital that she would have to set herself up as an agency before they would work with her because of new government regulations.
Barnes logged in 60 hours a week for several years working as a nurse for her company. She had a three person staff who ran the office and a growing list of temporary nurses. Barnes finally gave up her nursing schedule in 2001 to concentrate on managing the business full-time. The company made nearly $6 million in 2002 and has 2,000 plus nursing temps.
