Trends in nurse recruitment

Before you ramp up your efforts to recruit nurses, it’s important to understand current healthcare trends. Between 2022 and 2032, the demand for registered nurses is expected to increase by 6%. If you’re dealing with a nursing shortage, make sure you offer at least one of the following to current and prospective employees:

• Competitive compensation

• Flexible schedules

• Remote work opportunities

• Interdepartmental collaboration

• Rewarding career pathways

12 tips for recruiting nurses

The current employment outlook for nurses is exceptionally bright, and quality candidates can be selective. As a manager, that means you need to use all available tools to attract, screen and interview prospective hires. Implement these nursing recruitment strategies to attract high-quality candidates.

1. Perform a thorough job analysis

A key part of nurse recruitment is knowing exactly which skills are required for the position you’re trying to fill. Before posting a job description, take time to identify both the technical and soft skills needed. This might require input from nurses within your organization, as well as nurse managers, physicians and specialists. 

2. Write detailed job descriptions

Nurses look for jobs that match their skills, interests and professional goals, so it’s important to craft clear job descriptions. A good job description helps attract nurses who meet your organization’s requirements, making it easier to narrow down your list of candidates for each opening. In some cases, detailed job descriptions also make it easier for applicants to find you via search engines.

To create a high-quality nurse job description, follow these tips:

• Create an accurate title. Nursing job titles can range from simply “registered nurse” to more descriptive titles that indicate whether the position is part time, full time or contract based. You may also want to describe the area of expertise, such as neonatal, surgical, psychiatric or community-based nursing.

• Develop a straightforward job summary. Jobseekers typically want to know exactly what the job entails before deciding to submit their resumes. Start with a one-sentence description of your organization, followed by a brief overview of the position and work environment.

• Outline the duties. Write a point-form list outlining the duties the nurse can expect to perform on a day-to-day basis. Include information such as patient demographics and job responsibilities.

• Detail educational requirements. If you need a nurse with specific credentials, be sure to list the exact requirements in your job description. For example, if you’re only looking for applicants with a graduate degree, be sure to mention the minimum educational requirements.

• Describe the required technical and soft skills. Include a brief list of the technical and soft skills for your position, but don’t overdo it. A simple one- or two-sentence summary of the skills needed will often suffice.

• Specify the job location. Be sure to specify where the primary work site is located, as many job seekers perform location-based searches. Include the city, county and state to cover all location-related search parameters.

3. Partner with nursing schools

Partnering with schools in your area may make it easier to find applicants who meet your organization’s minimum hiring criteria. While nurses who are just starting their careers may lack hands-on experience, they have up-to-date knowledge and innovative ideas that can be exceptionally valuable to your organization.

Compile a list of nursing schools within your state and beyond, especially if you’re seeking applicants with specialized training. Once you establish contact, speak with a career services representative to learn more about recruiting nurses at job fairs, serving as an internship site for student nurses or posting advertisements on each school’s job board.

If your organization has a large recruiting budget, consider offering scholarships to local students who complete their clinical placements at one of your job sites. Good scholarship opportunities may convince new grads to seek full-time employment with your organization instead of one of its competitors.

4. Expand your search radius

It’s common for nurses to commute from nearby cities or move from other states to pursue employment opportunities. This is especially true of nurses who have advanced degrees or want to work with specific patient populations. For example, a nurse who wants to work with newborns may have to move near a hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit.

To make it easier for these nurse candidates to find you, consider cross-posting job descriptions on regional job boards. 

5. Turn your company into an employer of choice

While offering competitive wages helps attract quality candidates, money isn’t the only thing that matters to nurses. In this highly competitive labor market, your organization needs to stand out from the crowd. 

When recruiting nurses, focus on how your organization treats its employees. Highlight any perks you offer, such as annual training allowances, parking passes and career advancement opportunities. If you offer flexible work schedules, tuition reimbursement or other benefits, be sure to mention them in your job descriptions.

6. Craft appropriate interview questions

When you recruit nurses, it’s important to ask job-specific questions rather than generic questions that could apply to any career. Asking the right questions makes it easier to distinguish an acceptable candidate from an excellent candidate.

Consider asking the following nursing interview questions:

• Why did you decide to pursue a career in the medical field?

• What field of nursing are you most interested in?

• Tell me about a time you experienced conflict with a patient, peer or supervisor. How did you handle it?

• Would you like to pursue advanced education? If so, when and in what discipline?

• If two patients use their call buttons at the same time, how do you prioritize their needs?

7. Optimize your online nursing recruitment strategies

Posting your job ad on Indeed is a great way to reach a broad audience, but you can expand that reach even further by using other online tools. If your organization isn’t active on social media, consider setting up accounts on major social media platforms. Use these accounts to:

• Post press releases

• Announce major fundraising initiatives

• Highlight patient and staff success stories

• Link to your Indeed job postings

8. Add salaries to your job advertisements

Competition for healthcare professionals is stiff, and nurses often have multiple offers to consider. Including the salary range is a great way to help prospective applicants determine if your job opening is a good fit for their needs. 

9. Experiment with nursing job boards

One of the biggest benefits of using online job boards is that nurses all over the world can see your advertisements. If your organization is in New York, nurses living in Topeka, Orlando and San Bernardino can view your ads and decide whether to apply or look for opportunities closer to home.

Post on nurse job boards to maximize your return on investment. Career-specific job boards tend to attract repeat visitors, making them useful tools for nurse recruiters.

10. Attend industry events

Attending industry events gives you the opportunity to meet nursing professionals from all walks of life, making it easier to understand what they need from employers. If you have the budget for it, consider attending at least one of these events per year:

• Job fair. If you attend a job fair, you have a chance to connect with dozens—maybe even hundreds—of prospective employees in just a few hours. Create a positive impression by introducing yourself, letting attendees know why they should consider applying for one of your job openings and handing out branded merchandise.

• Nursing conference. Attending nursing conferences is a great way to assess prospective employees. For example, if you have a chance to see someone give a presentation, you can easily assess their nursing knowledge and communication skills.

• College career fair. Many colleges have career fairs at the end of each semester, giving students an opportunity to explore their employment options. If your organization hires graduate nurses or runs a cooperative education program for future nurses, make it a priority to attend these events.

11. Implement a referral program

Starting an employee referral program is a great way to connect with prospective employees without hiring additional recruiters. Typically, a referral program gives current employees an incentive to refer friends, family members and acquaintances to your organization. 

If you choose to implement a referral program with a bonus incentive, be sure to clearly define your terms. For example, if a referral turns into a new hire, the new hire should be with the organization for a minimum amount of time before the referring employee can receive their referral bonus.

12. Update your career website

If you want to attract quality applicants, you need to provide up-to-date information about your organization. This includes current job openings and benefits information. It’s also helpful to highlight recent nursing initiatives, such as streamlining nursing documentation or offering virtual nursing opportunities.

Make sure your website has the following components:

• Mission and vision statements

• List of benefits available to nurses

• Testimonials from current and past employees

• Detailed job descriptions

• Calendar of events

• Video tours of hospital units