HSM 543 Course Project
Nurse Shortage
&
Plans for Recruitment and Retention
HSM 543 Course Project
September 2013
Background
There are many major challenges facing the nursing shortage environment today. One of those challenges includes the facility recruitment of registered nurses and then the facility retention of the registered nurses that they have recruited. Factors to consider would be as to why a registered nurse chose to accept a particular job and will they choose to stay at the facility after being given an employment opportunity. A facility’s reputation, union status, autonomy and salary are among some of the factors that influence recruitment. Factors that influence retention includes the inclusion in decision making, practice autonomy, workers, work load, management’s respect of the workers, and shifts worked.
It is expensive for any facility to recruit a registered nurse. According to a recent study by CB Jones, it costs between $62,100 and $67,100 to replace one registered nurse. (Jones, 2005) The cost of human turnover and subsequent recruiting often is not discussed. When there is a nurse vacancy, that particular nurses’ workload has to be incorporated into the workload of another nurse. The nurse or nurses that take on the workload are not necessarily going to be paid more. It’s a grin and bear it type of situation where everyone has to work together as a team. When a new nurse has finally been recruited, they have to go through an extensive orientation for the culture of the particular unit they are assigned to. Then retention comes into place. Now we have the new nurse in place, how do we go about keeping her? Retention can also be a major challenge for a facility. So how do we recruit and retain these nursing staffs?
Define the Problem
It has been projected that the U.S. will experience an intensified shortage of registered nurses as the baby boomers age and the need for health care grows. (AACN, 2012) To add intensity to the
&
Plans for Recruitment and Retention
HSM 543 Course Project
September 2013
Background
There are many major challenges facing the nursing shortage environment today. One of those challenges includes the facility recruitment of registered nurses and then the facility retention of the registered nurses that they have recruited. Factors to consider would be as to why a registered nurse chose to accept a particular job and will they choose to stay at the facility after being given an employment opportunity. A facility’s reputation, union status, autonomy and salary are among some of the factors that influence recruitment. Factors that influence retention includes the inclusion in decision making, practice autonomy, workers, work load, management’s respect of the workers, and shifts worked.
It is expensive for any facility to recruit a registered nurse. According to a recent study by CB Jones, it costs between $62,100 and $67,100 to replace one registered nurse. (Jones, 2005) The cost of human turnover and subsequent recruiting often is not discussed. When there is a nurse vacancy, that particular nurses’ workload has to be incorporated into the workload of another nurse. The nurse or nurses that take on the workload are not necessarily going to be paid more. It’s a grin and bear it type of situation where everyone has to work together as a team. When a new nurse has finally been recruited, they have to go through an extensive orientation for the culture of the particular unit they are assigned to. Then retention comes into place. Now we have the new nurse in place, how do we go about keeping her? Retention can also be a major challenge for a facility. So how do we recruit and retain these nursing staffs?
Define the Problem
It has been projected that the U.S. will experience an intensified shortage of registered nurses as the baby boomers age and the need for health care grows. (AACN, 2012) To add intensity to the
References: “United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast.” American Journal of Medical Quality. January 2012 2011-2012 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. http://www.aacn.nche.edu/research-data. American Nurses Association: Nursing World. Recruitment and Retention of Nurses. http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/workforce/Recruitment?css=print Ferrell, N., James, D., Holland, C. Jr. The Nursing Shortage: Exploring the Situation and Solutions. www.minoritynurse.com. http://www.discovernursing.com/nursing-now#fact-3 http://www.nsna.org/Publications/Ultimate_Adventure.aspx Jones, C. B. 2005. The Costs of Nurse Turnover, Part 2. Journal of Nursing Administration 35(1): 41-49. Keenan, Patricia and Kennedy, John F. The Nursing Workforce Shortage: Causes, Consequences, Proposed Solutions. The Commonwealth Fund, Issue Brief #619. January 2003 Rosseter, Robert J. (2008). Fact Sheet: Nursing shortage. American Association of Colleges of Nursing.