You’d like to improve employee satisfaction and overall retention on your nursing team. So, what strategies should you use? Here’s how you can leverage short-term nursing jobs to reduce turnover.
The Negative Impact of Being Understaffed
- Poor Work/Life Balance
Most nurses expect to work some overtime, and many enjoy the opportunity to make extra money. However, there is a breaking point. Putting in long hours eventually begins to negatively impact people’s home lives. Additionally, there are health implications. Recent research found working 55 hours or more a week increased the risk of both heart disease and stroke. - High Levels of Stress
When your facility is understaffed, your nurses have more to do. Plus, if they are logging lots of overtime, they’re tired and therefore less productive. This quickly creates a situation where your team is facing an impossible workload. This, in turn, results in high-stress levels as well as poor patient care. - Burnout
If your nurses are stressed out at work and struggling to maintain their personal lives, they’re likely to give up. Rather than staying in a job that leads to burnout, they’ll look for other options. The current nursing shortage could further compound your organization’s hiring and retention efforts.
Short-Term Nursing Jobs Reduce Turnover By…
- Decreasing Overtime
Bringing in temporary, contract, or travel nurses spreads out the workload. Instead of constantly dumping additional hours on your core team, you are able to call in reinforcements. This keeps weekly hours at a more manageable level. - Offering Extra Support
Having enough coverage improves everyone’s performance and on-the-job satisfaction. Your nurses won’t be so exhausted they can hardly function. The extra staffing support will allow everyone to work together to get the job done. - Creating a Better Working Environment
Making sure your nurses work reasonable hours and have adequate support sends a message. Your organization cares about your nurses! You’ve cultivated an environment where they can thrive as professionals and provide quality care for their patients. As a result, nurses will be eager to join and stay at your facility.
Where Can Your Organization Find Temporary or Contract Nurses?
You’re convinced your facility could benefit from temporary help. So, where do you find these nurses? A medical staffing or employment agency is a wonderful place to start. Staffing agencies specialize in contract staffing. They have long lists of qualified professions who enjoy the challenges of temporary work. And as a bonus, your short-term nurses are employees of the staffing firm, not your facility. This means you can add and subtract medical professionals simply by making a phone call. You don’t have to worry about hiring, onboarding, or covering unemployment insurance.
Are You Looking to Hire Short-Term Nurses in the Atlanta Area?
BOS Medical Staffing would be happy to help. We place both short and long-term nurses with top medical facilities in Atlanta, Georgia, and beyond. Cover your staffing shortages without the hassle of hiring, give BOS Medical a call today!
