How to Hire Great Nurses and Beat the Nursing Shortage

Discover how to get access to the untapped talent pool of nurses and fill your positions quickly.

The nursing shortage is real.

Nursing has one of the highest employee turnover rates in the US due to the stress and demands.

Nurses drop in and out like flies. Everyone knows it, but few are willing to change how they educate, train and hire nurses to solve this problem.

As a nurse recruiter, how can it be so hard to find nurses in a climate that desperately need them?

It’s the classic case of supply vs. demand. However, with the nursing shortage, it’s a little more complicated:

• Baby-boomers are aging and living longer, resulting in an increased need of medical care. By 2020, the nursing shortage will reach 400,000 according to The Joint Commission
• Nursing education needs reform. Intelligent, capable people fail the NCLEX multiple times. Not through incompetency, but through standardized testing designed to deny graduation or eligibility to take the exam
• 36% of newly licensed registered nurses fail to acquire a job within 120 days after graduation as most hospitals require at least a year’s experience to get through the door
• Medicine struggles to attain health equity among all groups of people leading to discrimination and inequalities with health care.
• Lack of diversity in nursing means we’re failing to address the hyper-specific needs of our rapidly changing population
• Qualified nursing candidates get rejected from nursing programs because there aren’t enough people to teach them (74% of qualified candidates get rejected yearly due to limited space.)

“Hospitals fail to protect nursing staff from becoming patients”

With these issues combined with rising medical costs, bigger populations and increased life expectancy, the demand for nurses has never been greater.

Here you’ll learn 5 timeless strategies you can implement today, to attract qualified nurses and become immune to the nursing shortage.

1. Judge candidates on their interpersonal skills too

Most employers hire nurses based solely on their clinical skill-set and expertise.

“They get so elated when they discover you’ve used the latest RFID technology to locate the nearest available wheelchair.”

There is no doubt that proficiency with technology is an important skill for nurses in the 21st century. But they shouldn’t take precedence over soft skills such as teamwork and effective communication.

Show that you value interpersonal skills from the very beginning of your hiring process. Mention these skills at length in your job descriptions and at interview.

2. Get existing staff involved in the hiring process

Staff who are currently working in that unit or role should be the first point of contact before a job posting is even made. Whilst the hiring manager is responsible for making the final decision on who gets hired, they may not fully understand the role and its demands.

Additionally, current staff members should be able to provide a strong list of qualities a nurse must have, to make their unit successful. Simply send an email to each staff member asking them what strengths and competencies a team member should have.

During interview, you can then base your behavioral questions around these qualities.

3. Hire nurses all year round

Many hiring managers make the mistake of interviewing candidates only when there is a real need or shortage.

This results in rushing to hire the first decent nurse who meets the basic criteria you’re looking for. Your goal when hiring should be to find the right person for the job.

Some departments such as HR won’t need a constant top up of candidates filling the pipeline because employee turnover is much lower.

Even if you did run short on HR, it wouldn’t be detrimental opposed to having limited registered nurses working in ER or A&E.

Combat this impending disaster by always being on the lookout for great candidates who fit the bill.

The goal is to have a list of available talent so that if you find your department short on staff, you’ve got backup nurses who will save the day.

You can make this even easier by enlisting the help of nursing recruiters and agencies who possess a database of qualified nurses you can hire.

4. Attract millennial RNs by demonstrating your commitment to improving health care

Nurses care deeply about their job and the people they look after. Contrary to somewhat popular belief, vocal millennials in particular want to work for organizations that are committed to solving real problems beyond the jurisdiction of their daily work.

You need to sell your organization to candidates.

Why would working for you make for a healthier America and world? How many years you’ve been running is irrelevant. Millennial nurses are besotted by huge city hospitals near family and friends. Attract them by offering work from home roles and think creatively about how you can get them involved in non-hospital work.

Mention in your job ads that you value RNs looking for roles with autonomy and flexibility.

5. Retain nurses by treating them like partners of your organization

Nursing has one of the highest employee turnover rates in the US. Whilst there are a multitude of reasons for high employee turnover, look closely at how your organization and leadership staff treat their staff.

Workplace bullying seems to be a popular reason among nurses who leave their jobs or the industry within 24 months.

Remember, the culture of a company is set by leadership. It trickles from the top-down. You set your culture. Don’t be like other companies who leave it as an afterthought. If your culture is founded upon transparency, support and personal growth, you’ll retain your staff.

Start Hiring Great Nurses Today

Hiring competent nurses doesn’t have to be cumbersome. Do you want access to thousands of job-ready nurses who’ll make a difference?

Join Nurse Recruiters to get your pick of the crop and post nursing jobs today.

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David and the Nurse Recruiter team