Nurses are essential in the healthcare industry. Based on information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they account for more than half of the industry’s workforce. At the same time, an estimated one-third of the nation’s fastest-growing occupations are in this sector. Still, America is experiencing a significant shortage of nurses at this point with experts saying it could range from 275,000 to more than 400,000 within the next few years.
This deficit is having major impacts on the healthcare industry. It’s leaving hospitals and other facilities unable to provide the care their patients need. It’s also increasing the workload on existing nurses and leading to increased employer turnover and burnout rates among other issues. As such, strategic planning is essential for filling nursing positions and mitigating the effects of the ongoing shortage.
Partner With a Staffing Agency
One of the most effective best practices for navigating the nursing shortage is partnering with a staffing agency. Choosing one that specializes in nurse or medical professional staffing is recommended as they tend to provide the best results. Staffing agencies that focus on the medical sector have extensive databases of nurses who are looking for jobs. They also have candidates with diverse experience, credentials, and employment expectations, so they’re likely to be able to find the right fits for their clients’ needs.
Work With Nursing Schools
Another way to fill open positions is to work with nursing schools. Medical facilities that offer clinicals and other programs for nursing students generally have higher success rates when it comes to attracting team members. When nurses develop a relationship with a medical facility before graduating, they’re more likely to turn to that facility when looking for employment and stay with it longer after being hired. Furthermore, those facilities may have greater peace of mind in knowing that their existing team members had a hand in training those newcomers.
Offer Employee Incentives
Employees are typically drawn to companies that offer the best incentive packages regardless of the industry they’re a part of. Healthcare is no different. Offering benefits like paid vacations, health insurance, partial tuition reimbursement, child care, retirement plans, and student loan repayment assistance can certainly be attractive to candidates. Granted, not every medical facility has the budget to cover incentives like those, but trying to go above and beyond standard salary can go a long way toward attracting qualified candidates and filling job openings.
Keep Flexibility in Mind
Qualified nurses are leaving the medical field at a higher rate than newcomers are entering it. That’s one of the reasons for the rapidly growing shortage. According to quite a few studies and surveys, burnout and an unsatisfying work-life balance are among the most common reasons nurses decide to change careers.
Taking steps to combat those issues can help mitigate their effects and potentially slow, if not reverse, the trend. Offering flexible scheduling is an effective way to do so. This could also be one of the previously mentioned incentives that bring more nurses onboard and encourage them to stay with an employer.
Effectively Battling the Nursing Shortage
Based on the latest reports, the nursing shortage is likely to get worse before it takes a turn for the better. Following certain best practices can help medical facilities deal with the deficit in the meantime. Those listed here are a few of the most effective ways to attract qualified nurses and reduce turnover rates to battle the nursing shortage and its impacts.