Originating as a response to quell an unexpected flood of hospitalized patients during Mardi Gras in New Orleans in the 1970s, travel nursing is now controversial and a band-aid for the national nursing shortage. This is the solution.
During the pandemic, travel nurses have played a critical role in filling significant gaps caused by historic levels of staffing shortages. But the introduction of a temporary contract workforce, hired by external staffing groups, has come under intense scrutiny, sending shockwaves through the industry and raising questions about pay equity. One report from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission even suggests that the employment of traveling nurses contributes to high turnover among full-time clinical staff. The report surveys nurses in the state and shows that the shortage is not due to fewer people wanting to become nurses, but rather because nurses are leaving the field after they have already started working. This suggests that health leaders need to focus on nurse retention. Ensure the longevity of your active workforce.
It is no exaggeration to say that nurses are suffering from burnout syndrome. Nursing is in crisis. A recent study found that the top reasons nurses left the healthcare profession from 2018 to 2021 included mental exhaustion, staffing shortages, family obligations, concerns about COVID-19, and unsafe working conditions. was included. Looking ahead, the American Hospital Association predicts that 610,388 registered nurses (RNs) will leave the field by 2027. Over the next three years, hospitals will need to think creatively and act with an intentional focus on improving core staff retention to fill these gaps. The reasons behind the mass exodus of nurses from healthcare settings present an opportunity for employers to do more to support their current staff and provide them with the flexibility they seek.
Traveling nursing
Ask staff nurses what they think about their visiting colleagues and you'll hear the common sentiment that pay disparities among staff are unfair. According to one analysis, “[the] Perceptions of pay inequality between two groups create hostility and endanger morale and teamwork. ” Additionally, an attractive element of travel nursing is that you don't have to deal with the administrative duties of staff nurses and can focus on patient care. But this very benefit for traveling nurses could compound the frustration of regular staff, who feel that travelers are not invested in the sectors in which they work. On the health system side, the high cost of traveling nurses is straining hospitals' already limited resources. Employing large numbers of traveling nurses is not a sustainable solution to the clinician shortage. Health systems are innovating to reduce full-time staff turnover and improve nurse satisfaction, providing travel nursing only to locations where it truly makes a difference when there are seasonal fluctuations or other extenuating circumstances. You need to be able to place a teacher. The perks of traveling nursing include a higher salary, a focus on patient care and less administrative duties, and a more flexible schedule, allowing nurses to choose what they want from their career. Highlight precision and provide health systems with a roadmap to support formal staff.
Investment in full-time employees
We all want to feel like we're in the driver's seat of our careers. Clinicians are no exception to this. Therefore, it is essential to rethink hospital staffing models to center nurse satisfaction and career longevity. One way he does this is by introducing a “float shift” staffing model. Float shifts work similarly to float pools, but instead of being stuck in a float pool and walking into a hospital every day without knowing which ward you'll be placed in, float shifts allow staff to take on extra shifts with dollar incentives. You will be able to choose. All while knowing fully which unit you will be assigned to that day. A key element of the float shift model is that these shifts complement a clinician's full-time schedule, giving them the opportunity to earn more money or part-time work with more control over their schedule and desired flexibility. is to give. Shift flexibility is critical to increasing nurse satisfaction. As we imagine a future where health systems have happier, healthier full-time staff, we need to empower nurses to choose what is right for their needs and reduce burnout to the bedside, or worse, nursing care. Minimize the possibility of leaving your mentor's work.
Photo: Baona, Getty Images
Becky Kahn, Chief Customer Officer at Works & Trusted Health, is an experienced healthcare workforce solutions and staffing leader. She joined the company in 2019 as Head of Client Solutions and took a short hiatus from the company to serve as CEO at Republic Health Resources, a mid-sized hospital staffing firm. . She then rejoined Her Works & Trusted Health as Chief Customer Officer, where she was responsible for the company's account management development and direct staffing, significantly increasing Her Trusted's presence across the United States. Ms. Khan was a key figure in launching her Works VMS platform to hospitals and health systems across the country.
Prior to joining Works & Trusted Health, Mr. Khan was Managing Director of the UK operations at Medax Global Group, Europe's largest provider of international healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Prior to that, he had a nearly 16-year career with AMN Healthcare, holding several executive leadership positions, and AMN Healthcare's Travel Nurse, Client Sales and Service, and Local Staffing departments. , and he was responsible for AMN's account management. He manages the services and workforce solutions product delivery and technology division. Khan launched her AMN Managed Services solution and grew his managed spend to over $2 billion during his tenure. Khan is a passionate leader dedicated to bringing sustainable workforce solutions to healthcare.
