The health care workforce has been a significant concern for hospital CEOs, but recent developments indicate a positive shift. At a recent Newsweek webinar, two health system leaders reported that nursing vacancy rates are now the lowest they’ve been in years. The event, hosted by Newsweek’s Workplaces Editor Aman Kidwai, attracted experts in health care, human resources, and clinical services to discuss transitioning travel nurses into full-time positions.
Kidwai emphasized the importance for hospitals to offer strong benefits and career opportunities to staff, warning that neglecting these aspects could result in understaffing and an overreliance on contract workers, which may lead to financial strain.
Panelists included Dr. Regina Foley from Hackensack Meridian Health, David Rutherford from OhioHealth, and Dr. Vikas Sinai from the Lown Institute. They noted that about 100,000 nurses exited the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting hospitals to hire travel nurses to fill gaps. However, the reliance on temporary staff created unsustainable wage inflation, with travel nurses earning significantly higher hourly rates than their full-time counterparts.
Sinai pointed out several systemic issues leading to vacancies in nursing, such as the economic divide and an influx of retirements among Baby Boomers. He stated that many entering health care for altruistic reasons are displeased with the industry’s structure.
OhioHealth’s Rutherford revealed strategies for attracting and retaining nurses, noting their historic low vacancy rates. By investigating why nurses preferred contract positions, they discovered the key drivers were higher wages, flexibility, and financial pressures. As a result, they aimed to adjust working conditions and offer competitive salaries and benefits.
Rutherford’s team also noted that many travel nurses continued to renew their contracts with OhioHealth, highlighting their organization’s strengths. The health system implemented listening sessions with these nurses to better understand their needs and to offer similar benefits to those in travel nursing roles.
According to Foley, creating a strong workplace culture is crucial in attracting and retaining nursing staff. Hackensack Meridian has focused on making nurses feel valued and connected to their organization, leading to reduced reliance on contract workers. They established an internal float pool, allowing more than 250 former travel nurses to work flexible shifts at their choice of sites within the health system.
Both Foley and Rutherford expressed deep appreciation for the contribution of travel nurses during the pandemic and emphasized the need for ongoing improvements in the health care work environment to encourage new graduates to join the profession. They invited aspiring nurses to consider long-term careers in nursing, asserting that it’s a vital and rewarding field.