Hospitals and other facilities that require nursing need appropriate staffing levels to maintain safe work environments and patient care. With healthcare practitioner exposures, the need to care for family members, and ultimately, longer-term burnout, the pandemic world poses a multitude of staffing challenges. Even after COVID-19 is done and gone, the existing health worker shortage has only gotten worse and is not expected to improve any time soon.
Nurses have switched careers or retired during the pandemic, with high rates of exhaustion and a general feeling of being overworked. McKinsey surveyed nurses to find that 22 percent indicated they might leave their current position within the following year.
More statistics, from the Bureau of Labor, indicate there are 500,000 jobs in healthcare to fill to get back to pre-pandemic levels. Of course, these levels were already lower than they should be, so just getting back to normal is not enough.
While there are longer term suggestions to solve this problem, namely encouraging nursing education and improving on-the-job experiences, healthcare needs nurses, now. And, as the McKinsey study shows, understaffing itself is high on the list of factors causing nurses to leave, so it’s important to fix.
The truth is that, while shortages grow, competition is incredibly fierce. Supply is low and demand is high, which means your organization needs a solid strategy for bringing in nurses, temporarily and permanently. This is not the kind of issue that will fix itself. We can help, through staffing and recruiting.
Staffing Solutions for Post-COVID Nursing
There are a few staffing solutions that can help healthcare facilities ensure appropriate nursing coverage.
Per diem or pro re nata (PRN) nurses are hired daily, covering last-minute gaps or sudden demands for nurses. This is a short-term solution but can ensure patient care continues.
Travel nurses are expected to work on short-term contracts, also to fill gaps. This is another short-term solution, as it can be more expensive than the rest. However, there are some travel nurses who will work for longer than a few weeks at a time, which is more economical.
International nurses are sometimes recruited by agencies, who are typically paid a flat fee per nurse employed. This is a longer-term solution than the previous options. We can help you determine what types of healthcare staffing could benefit your organization.
Recruiting for Nurses — and Retaining Them
Ideally, your company can move beyond simply staffing to fill gaps and recruit nurses who will stay with the organization. Turnover rates in nursing are high, which impacts patient satisfaction and outcomes. And, all of that turnover costs quite a bit of money, so if you can stop or slow it, everyone will benefit. Good recruiting not only brings nurses to your organization, it keeps them there. There are certain strategies to build into your recruiting to make emergency staffing a seldom-used approach.
Highlight the parts of your organization that set you apart from the rest. Maybe that’s your workplace culture, which should be supportive and trusting. Perhaps it’s the potential for career advancement, so nurses know they have a future in your facility. Or maybe it’s flexible work, or rewards for strong performers — whatever the benefits, let them shine.
The McKinsey study also points to COVID-specific changes that nurses are looking for from their next employer. That includes compensation increases, scheduling flexibility, and the inclusion of virtual or remote care strategies. We can work with your organization to determine what is doable as a recruitment and retention strategy.
One of the most valuable aspects of using staffing/recruitment to deal with a post-COVID nursing shortage is that these are people who want to work. While many nurses are no longer able to fill these roles, there are still many who can and will. The key is to determine what new hires need from your organization, then put those opportunities in front of a willing audience.
We maintain a strong network of talent, and have insight into the industry. With professional connections and networks and a strong understanding of what works best in healthcare staffing and recruiting, we are critical partners for you. Labor shortages are concerning and especially challenging post-COVID, but we can ease the transition and help ensure you have the staff you need.