How Do We Improve Hiring for Specialties in Nursing Jobs?

Hire Smart to Hire Best

As COVID-19 continues to take its toll, hiring for specialties in nursing jobs is becoming increasingly difficult.

Research by the American Nurses Association shows that the number of RN jobs to be hired for will explode in the coming two years. According to the U.S. BLS, more than 200,000 extra RNs will be needed by 2029 – with the growth in jobs much faster than in the wider U.S. economy.

In short, the healthcare providers that hire smartest will hire best. The question is, what hiring strategy should you employ to ensure you remain fully staffed in your nursing jobs?

Why Is Demand for Nurses Increasing?

Healthcare facilities are used to spikes and surges in demand. However, the pandemic has created relentless waves of high-volume patient admissions, and it’s taking a toll on your frontline.

Additionally, nurses are having to quarantine or even recover from symptoms of the virus, and undergo tests before they return.

Other reasons nurses are increasingly in demand include:

·      An Aging Population

Patients are living for longer, increasing the need for healthcare.

·      An Aging Workforce

One third of the entire workforce are baby boomers, and set to retire in the next 10-15 years.

·      Career and Family Choices

Most nurses are female, which increases likelihood of losing staff to parenthood and shifting career paths.

·      Staff Burnout

Staff shortages increase fatigue and burnout of your staff, with the result of increasing staff absences and higher turnover.

·      Violence at Work

In highly charged environments, nurses are more exposed to violence.

All these damning factors leave providers struggling to fill the voids and break the cycle.

Hiring Strategies to Combat the Shortage of Experienced Nursing Candidates

It’s clear to see that competition for experienced nurses is at its most ferocious right now. Here are a few strategies that will help you to hire the most talented nurses as your demand dictates.

·      Look After Your Current Staff

Let your current team know that you’re aware of the strain they’re under, and reassure them that help is on its way. They’ll feel motivated to hold the fort and prevent a further downward spiral in your workforce.

Your current staff may also recommend you as a supportive employer, helping your employer brand and encouraging others to join you.

·      Review Your Brand

Check how you appear to the outside world before potential candidates do their research.

Update your mission and vision and make them clear. Focus heavily on the wellbeing of your workforce.

·      Rewrite Your Job Description

The best candidates will also be looking for nursing jobs that offer perks that are more important today, such as wellbeing packages and flexibility. However, you should also ensure that your salaries are competitive against those offered by other healthcare employers in your location and specialties.

·      Invest in Supervision

Many nurses seek professional development throughout their career, and the level and experience of supervisors and managers is key. It may take resources to provide supervision, but it attracts incredibly talented nurses who have a work ethic to learn and grow.

·      Shorten Your Hiring Process

If you drag your feet in the hiring process, you’ll miss out on specialized candidates to competitors who were swift to make an offer. One way in which we help our clients hire faster is to ensure that our pre-screening processes send only the best-fit candidates to you.

·      Hire Travel Nurses

Travel nurses are a great solution to filling staffing voids quickly. They bring expertise in certain fields, and they thrive in high-pressure environments.

Such highly adaptable nurses like to travel from one assignment to another (usually for a duration of 13 weeks), but the option of transitioning to permanent may be available – thus reducing your hiring costs.

·      Partner with a Specialist Staffing Agency

Using a specialist staffing agency can help you cut through the strains and costly resources of hiring and ramp up your staffing levels at pace. Our expertise will provide you with:

  • Knowledgeable salary advice
  • Professionally written and attractive job descriptions
  • Access to an already nurtured talent pool of skilled nurses
  • Pre-screened and vetted candidates ready to go
  • Pre-checked qualifications and certifications to hand
  • A go-to support network for staff
  • Flexible staffing options (such as travel nurses, temporary, contract-to-hire)

Put Hiring of Nursing Jobs at the Top of Your Staffing Strategy

There are many ways you can improve how you hire for specialized nurses. The problem is, it saps a lot of precious time and finances, yet you’re at risk of missing out on specialist nurses who are in demand.

You need to be fast, effective, and consistent to ensure your healthcare teams are always adequately staffed and supported. The answer is a specialist staffing agency. Contact LoyalSource today and let us take this heavy hiring burden from your shoulders. We have specialist nurses on hand, ready to go.

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