Attracting top quality nursing staff is a challenge for many healthcare organizations. But the payoff is gratifying. Top nursing staff places patient care at the center of what they do which is certainly a boon for any healthcare facility.
It isn’t always easy to attract those nurses you consider at the top of their profession. In fact recruiting nursing staff remains one of the more difficult and most significant challenges for the healthcare industry. Your organization needs to call on creative efforts to even engage potential new hires-especially those who come with an excellent reputation for patient care. Here we offer four strategic ways you can use to attract top-quality nursing staff.
1. Engage Top-Quality Staff With The Right Messaging
There’s a range of generations in nursing staff at nearly every healthcare facility. From doctors offices to long term care facilities, clinics and hospitals you’ll find all ages. But that’s nothing new.
Earlier generations like Baby Boomers and Gen X-er’s view loyalty and longevity as a quality employers appreciate, but also look for mutual benefit (compensation, easy integration and communication). Millennials and Gen Z tend to appreciate more variety while pursuing growth in their career field and strong work-life balance.
When targeting a particular group, such as those nurses who’ve recently graduated and entered the nursing pool, its much more effective to address the values of a particular generation. If you look to hire more experienced nurses who’ve been in the field longer, mention benefits such as PTO and compensation. Later generations look for more creative benefits such as flexibility in scheduling and recognition of work-life balance.
2. Current Staff Retention Offers Insight
Look to your current staff, especially those who’ve been with you awhile, for keys to attracting top-quality nursing staff. Find out what they consider positive reasons they stay and where your organization may fall short. Many of the same factors that influence whether staff stays or goes also attract (or turn off) top-quality nursing staff candidates. Does your organization-
- Offer flexible scheduling?
- Recognize when an employee goes above and beyond the scope of their duties?
- Offer growth and promotion opportunities?
- Demonstrate an interest and offer encouragement when nursing staff expresses and interest in advancing?
- Provide paths to earn certifications and pay for them?
- Recognize those soft skills the staff member brings to the workplace that makes them a valuable employee?
Your current employees will alert you to their job satisfaction and why they stay. If you find you have a high turnover rate be sure to conduct exit interviews as a way to improve. Your goal is to attract and retain top-quality nursing staff.
3. Include Desirable Benefits in Your Job Posting Details
When you post the details of a job opening you really must express how much you value work-life balance. This only adds to your brand. An organization that values work-life balance is sure to be a desirable place to work. Alongside the details of your open position you’ll attract more top-quality nursing staff when you include:
- Policies for PTO, benefits and additional perks
- Flexible scheduling is one of the most attractive benefits nurses look for in an employer
- Mentoring as onboarding
- Continuing education and certification
- The value of self-care to prevent burnout
- Employee mental health days and free counseling
4. Go Social
Update your social media presence on every platform. Not only does social media provide a new avenue for recruiting top-quality nurses. It also gives you an opportunity to showcase all that’s great about your organization.
When was the last time you “renovated” your brand and mission statement? It’s probably time you did so and incorporate today’s values. When your excellence in brand and mission is on display, you’ll automatically attract top-quality nursing staff.
For more on how you can add the right nurses to your organization contact BOS Medical Staffing.
