Attracting and recruiting nurses is becoming more and more difficult. Nurses are the largest profession in the healthcare sector, yet the growing demand for nurses makes the current shortage even more challenging for recruiters. With more than 200,000 new RN positions being created each year until 2026, there is not enough work in the pool to fill these positions.

According to a study conducted by NSI Nursing Solutions, the revenue rate for bed RNs was 16.4 percent higher than the previous year. Nurse income has a significant impact on patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes; It comes at a high price. It is estimated that each point increase in nurse income costs an average of $ 300,000 per year.

With an increasingly aging population, healthcare is an industry that is poised to grow exponentially in the years to come. Already, demand for talent seems to be higher than supply – as of July 2019; the Gloucester job market report found 853,687 open positions in the healthcare sector!

Is recruiting nurses one of the hardest positions in the health sector? Today’s nurses are highly skilled, practicing their profession in various settings, whether it is a hospital, skilled nursing facility, long-term care hospital, emergency care facility, or pharmacy, making the competition for recruiting talented nurses even more intense.

And some nurses are leaving the profession altogether. The main reasons for this, according to the minority nurse, are:

Short staff.

Lack of leadership.

Low pay.

• Lack of career advancement.
• High levels of work per nurse.

Here are four actionable measures that health skills management professionals should consider when recruiting and retaining engagement nurses who love their job and stay for a long time:

1. Providing career advancement:

Nurses will think twice about leaving the hospital if they believe there is a future within the company. This is crucial for thousands of nurses to begin their journey. Providing educational opportunities for nursing staff to learn about switching from RN to BSN or other areas of interest. Providing educational repayment programs and opportunities to float and shadow others on different platforms.

In an article from Doctify, health organizations can motivate themselves in recruiting and retention to encourage nurses to become nurse managers based on their ability to manage rather than just operational skills and knowledge. Excellent managers exhibit unique qualities, including accountability, self-discipline, courage, problem-solving, and team-building qualities that are not ‘trained’ but natural.

2. Create a strong culture:

Creating a strong workplace culture is the most important component of what a nurse wants to work for you. This is what creates trust between employees and management. Employees want to know that their voices are heard in a supportive environment. They need front-line managers to evaluate their input. For example, if a nurse offers a solution to a workplace problem, she should be rewarded for that level of strategic thinking.

The employment brand is another important part of a strong culture. Consider using the recruitment marketing platform to give your talent acquisition team a competitive edge in getting words about your brand (and culture) to attract the right candidates.

3. Provide a flexible work schedule:

Nurses often put the needs of their patients and colleagues at their own risk. Their selflessness can cause great stress in their personal lives. In a study conducted by Health Affairs, nurses who work more than 12 hours in a single shift and more than 40 hours a week are subject to income and job dissatisfaction.

Like the rest, nurses have personal responsibilities outside the hospital. They have significant others, family members, and children to take care of. They attend their children’s school plays, parent-teacher conferences, and football games. Healthcare leaders can use a collaborative model to provide their nurses with the flexible schedules needed to fulfill their responsibilities at home. Employees work under less stress and increase morale as they accommodate each other’s needs.

4. Recognize and reward top actors:

Something as simple as nursing leaders taking the time to express appreciation for their staff’s efforts will go a long way. Nurses want to appreciate the work they do. By acknowledging their commitment to the organization, nurses will be motivated to go the extra mile by providing exceptional patient care.

Many hospitals want to use service awards such as monthly/yearly nurse to show appreciation for a nurse’s dedication and loyalty. Temple St. Luke’s Hospital has a retention bonus plan where they reward their loyal staff annually. They also pay for the Go Nursing Educational Assistance Program. Under this program, individuals accepted as partners in the undergraduate or nursing program must pay their tuition fees in advance. In addition, employees are paid for the time they take classes.

5. Provide flexible tables:

Many nurses are going to burn out due to long working hours. Providing a flexible schedule will attract more nurses to work in hospitals because they can balance personal time and working hours. If you have multiple locations, you may also offer additional options to nurses when selecting shifts to work in different locations. It breaks down the reuse of work and provides a sustainable transformation of the landscape.

6. Fight the toxic workplace:

Thanks to the gap between supply and demand, nurses often call scenes in this labor market, especially when they have a year or two of experience. So, why do so many nurses find themselves in toxic work environments? This is often the culture and dull leadership of the company.

Ray Ellen Douglas, a partner at search company Kay Bossman International, said: “Some nurses eat their babies. “Therefore, the organization must keep current employees responsible for the standards of conduct,” Douglas adds that culture should encourage help and not tolerate workplace bullying, which has been established in some hospitals.

7. Compensate for inexperience with strong supervision:

Experienced nurses seeking hospital specialties are hard to come by and hard to keep. Therefore, hospital selectors should urge medical leaders to invest in constructive recruiting solutions for nurses. It helps to have strong pioneering and mentoring programs to bring in brand new nurses without the hassle of lack of experience. Talk to medical leaders to see what improvements can be made in these areas.

8. Strongly improve your recruiting nurses strategies:

Even if we are not in the middle of a long nursing shortage, it won’t be easy to nominate the best nursing candidates. It is important to be at the top of the game by fully evaluating your hiring and retention tools. Let them document hiring solutions by sending you the latest hiring trends, recruitment advice, and more.

Also Read: Is becoming a medical technologist a good career choice?