Improving Overall Nurse Recruitment and Retention:
Resource Guide for Administrators and Recruiters
In a time when experienced nurses are needed more than ever, nursing shortages are affecting healthcare organizations nationwide. The federal government estimates that more than 200,000 new registered nurse positions will be created each year from 2016-2026, but according to NLN’s most recent data, only 100,000 new graduates will enter the field each year. That leaves employers actively competing for every nurse. Many organizations are quick to offer large sign-on bonuses to recruit nurses, but as that number increases, many community facilities cannot compete. This strategy can also increase employee turnover and decrease employee morale among already employed nurses. To help combat these issues and improve overall nurse recruitment and retention, we have created this resource guide with five tips that can be implemented in your organization.
TIP 1: Develop relationships with nursing students BEFORE their senior year.
For years, organizations have attended job fairs and other events at nursing schools to recruit new graduates. While it is important to attend those events, forming a relationship with nursing students before their senior year can be a very effective strategy. This can start by having a strong relationship between your facility and the nursing schools in your state to provide an excellent clinical experience for nursing students. The key here is an excellent experience. When these students are in your facility, it’s the best time to show them what it’s really like to work with your team. Let them get involved in the activities on your campus and learn the culture of your team. This way when they are ready to make a decision about where they will work after college, your organization is already their top choice.
TIP 2: Establish a strong on-boarding program with follow-up throughout their first year.
Every healthcare organization has some form of orientation for new employees. We have all sat through them, watching the clock until we can go home. While some parts of orientation are necessary, developing an engaging program can help excite new employees. In addition to Human Resource’s usual role, involve representatives from different areas of the organization to introduce the new employees to their area of specialty as well as related clinical and nonclinical areas. You can even consider moving the program from the traditional classroom and making it a tour of the facility with presentations and introductions along the way. Regardless of what you decide, the goal should be for new employees to leave feeling excited to start their new job.
TIP 3: Involve and engage the new graduate helping them understand how they can make a difference.
After the initial orientation, focus on the employee’s engagement cannot end. It must continue throughout the employee’s first year and really throughout their entire career at the organization. Having nurses who feel they are an integral part of your facility can make a huge difference in their career satisfaction. It’s important to foster relationships between your new graduates and your leadership team and help the new nurses find their place in improving the care and services provided by your organization.
TIP 4: Create opportunities for career development.
Without career development opportunities, nurses can begin to feel stuck in their position and may start exploring options outside your facility. One method to avoid this is a well-established program which allows nurses to see where the next step is in their career path. In some healthcare organizations, this is a clinical ladder program; in others, it is support for continued formal education, a series of in-house continuing education opportunities, or an opportunity to work in clinical areas outside their normal specialty to expand their knowledge and skills within your facility. This allows the nurse to focus on development within your organization rather than turning to other career opportunities outside the organization for their professional growth.
TIP 5: Implement an RN Apprenticeship Program.
In research conducted by TruMont, senior RN students reported the single most important recruitment factor for them is a structured transition-to-practice program.
This means that implementing a structured training program for your new graduate nurses, needs to be at the top of your to-do list. Having this program in your hospital will not only help recruit nurses, but it will give them the competence and confidence they need to continue providing care in your organization. This can help improve employee morale and decrease turnover among your nursing staff. That’s actually why we created TruMont. Our RN Apprenticeship Program has allowed hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare organizations to implement a nationally recognized program for their nurses. Plus, our curriculum is evidence-based and was created by experienced nurses who have spent their careers developing strong nursing workforces in their healthcare organizations.
We hope this guide will help as you look to build a strong nursing team in your organization. Our goal at TruMont is to support outstanding patient care through expert staff practicing in effective, efficient environments. TruMont partners with healthcare organizations to achieve clinical excellence through a blended-learning approach to lifelong nurse learning. Learn more about our team by visiting our website or following us on social media.
MEET OUR EXPERTS
Lynn Peoples, PhD, RN, Co-Founder
Lynn earned her PhD in Nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She practiced as a staff nurse on evening and night shifts before beginning her management career which led to more than 35 years in permanent and interim leadership roles. She has served as a Market CNO, Vice President for Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Officer, and Consultant for hospitals and healthcare systems in transition throughout the United States. Lynn has worked with rural community hospitals; national for-profit systems; not-for-profit, religious systems; and university hospitals.
lynn.peoples@trumont.org
Nina Perez, MSN, RN, Co-Founder
Nina earned her MSN from the School of Nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has over 30 years of clinical, management, and consulting experiences with not-for-profit and for-profit healthcare systems in urban as well as rural settings in many states. As a nurse executive, she has been successful in leading staff to provide exceptional, safe, quality care; in exceeding financial goals; and in ensuring patient satisfaction. Nina has held positions as Emergency Department Director, Night Shift Supervisor, Director of Medical-Surgical Nursing, and Chief Nursing Officer. She has consistently garnered the support of her nursing staff, hospital staff and medical staff who have worked with her to achieve the organization’s goals.
nina.perez@trumont.org
Want to learn more about TruMont? Fill out the form below and our team will contact you.