Why is there a nursing shortage?
While nursing shortages are affecting many areas, some regions are experiencing greater challenges than others. If you struggle to hire enough nurses for your healthcare facility, you might wonder about the cause of the nursing shortage.
Several factors can contribute to the nursing shortage, including:
- Nurse burnout: The nursing field has a high turnover rate due to the demands of the work. The nursing profession can be stressful and under-recognized, with nurses not always receiving the respect they deserve. This can lead to burnout, which may cause nurses to leave for other careers.
- Retiring nurses: An aging workforce means many nurses are now retiring or preparing to retire. With so many people leaving the workforce, there aren’t as many left to train new recruits.
- Larger populations of older Americans: The increasing age of the general population places additional strain on the nursing field. Healthcare issues tend to increase with age, and the need for healthcare services is growing. Concurrently, life expectancy is rising, and people often require more healthcare for longer.
- Lack of instructors: Many nursing programs have to turn applicants away because they don’t have enough qualified instructors. This can result in fewer nurses entering the field.
Impact of a nursing shortage
Regardless of the cause, a nursing shortage impacts your staff and patients. Being understaffed can put added stress and responsibilities on your nurses, increasing the risk of burnout. The pressure can also cause them to rush, potentially leading to mistakes such as medication errors or reduced attention to changes in patient status.
A nursing shortage can also lead to longer wait times for patients. At an outpatient office, patients might have to wait longer than usual to be taken to an exam room to meet with a nurse or the doctor.
Increased wait times in the ER due to a nursing shortage may result in an individual’s medical condition deteriorating before they receive treatment. Hospitals and clinics may divert patients if they don’t have enough staff to care for them or postpone less urgent procedures to devote resources to critical patients.
6 ways to hire in a nursing shortage
Filling vacancies during a shortage can be challenging because fewer people apply, and top candidates receive multiple offers. Improving your hiring process and making your organization attractive to applicants can help in these situations.
These are some ways to hire during a nursing shortage:
1. Enhance compensation and perks
When everyone needs nurses, standing out by offering an attractive hiring bonus can persuade more people to apply for your jobs. To be competitive, start by researching the hiring bonuses offered by other organizations in your area. Consider your organization’s budget to determine how much you can offer.
Offering more perks than the competition can also help you attract nurses. Examples of perks that can help you stand out during a nursing shortage include:
- Student loan assistance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Concierge services for things like dry cleaning and car repairs
- Gym memberships
- Free, healthy snacks
- Discounts on goods and services
- Stipends for scrubs
2. Start a referral program
An employee referral program can help you connect with nurses who might not otherwise find your company. It’s also a way to reward your current employees for referrals, which can help retain staff.
3. Offer flexible schedules
During a nursing shortage, alternative schedules can appeal to nurses with other obligations that keep them from working regular hours. When possible, accommodating varying schedules can help attract more applicants.
For example, some nurses might prefer more flexible hours that align with parenting schedules, such as school pick-up and drop-off, while others might prefer 12-hour shifts so they can work fewer days.
4. Streamline your hiring process
A streamlined hiring process makes it easier to hire quickly when you find an ideal candidate. A fast and responsive hiring process ensures top candidates with multiple job offers choose your organization. Ensure you’re ready to hire when you advertise the position, and prioritize steps like verifying credentials and checking references so you can complete the process quickly.
5. Upgrade your job descriptions and recruitment channels
Clear and compelling job descriptions can attract more people to your organization. Instead of sticking to a traditional job description, consider writing in a way that showcases your organization’s personality and attracts nurses who are looking for the type of work environment you offer.
“It is helpful to be as transparent as possible within your job descriptions. Include information regarding compensation, expected shifts, hours and job duties. This encourages those nurses who are most interested to apply.”
—Michelle Hensley, DNP
When applicant numbers are limited, expanding to new recruitment methods can help you reach more potential candidates. Feature your employees, share nurse testimonials and talk about your openings on your social media channels. Paid advertisements are also an option to broaden your reach.
6. Partner with nursing schools or hire a recruiter
Connect with nearby nursing schools to create partnerships that can help you find nurses. For example, you might offer clinical opportunities to help students become familiar with your practice. This can help you connect with students, making it easier to hire nurses after graduation. Consider attending on-campus career fairs to market your organization.
If you’re having trouble finding nurses, consider using a specialized healthcare recruiting agency. They may have job seekers in mind who match your needs. This can also allow you more free time to help your existing nurses and focus on other job responsibilities.
6 ways to retain employees in a nursing shortage
Focusing on employee retention strategies helps keep current staff during a nursing shortage. These methods can help improve your nurse retention rates:
1. Offer competitive pay
Offering competitive salaries ensures you retain your top nurses and stay ahead of other healthcare organizations. Completing frequent market pay analyses can help confirm your compensation matches that of similar organizations in the area.
Adding a well-rounded benefits package to that competitive pay can help encourage long-term loyalty and employee satisfaction. You may also consider implementing a standard pay-raise structure to ensure your compensation keeps up with inflation and continues to encourage ongoing retention.
2. Strengthen your onboarding process
A strong nurse onboarding process helps to create a sense of belonging from the beginning. It helps new hires integrate into the organization and feel like a part of the team. This can encourage your new nurses to stay with your organization.
3. Offer ongoing training
Ongoing training opportunities are valuable in the nursing field. Consider providing free continuing education options to help your employees meet their ongoing licensing requirements. Regular training also enhances your nurses’ skills, thereby improving patient care.
4. Build a supportive culture through recognition
To help manage any stress your nurses may feel, foster a positive and supportive environment for your staff. Recognizing your nurses’ efforts can make them feel valued and encourage people to continue working for you.
Recognition comes in many forms; for example, thanking your nurses, acknowledging their hard work, or publicly recognizing them at staff meetings or on social media can significantly boost morale and improve retention.
5. Listen to your nurses
Receiving regular feedback from your nursing staff can help you spot problems early. Perform regular check-ins to gauge employee engagement and satisfaction. Ask for specific feedback on what you’re doing well and where you can improve. Then, take action on that feedback. Do more of what you hear is working well, and put thoughtful plans in place to address identified issues.
6. Have clear advancement opportunities
While many nurses are content as staff nurses, others may aspire to move into leadership or advanced clinical roles. Ensure advancement opportunities are clear to all nurses, so they recognize the options available to them if they stay with your company.
Whenever possible, help create individual employee development plans and follow through by promoting nurses internally for leadership opportunities. One-on-one meetings can help you determine which nurses are interested in advancing.
