Guide to Recruiting & Hiring Nursing Staff in 2023

If you find yourself in need of qualified nursing staff, you are not alone. COVID-19 has overwhelmed many occupations, but none as greater than those in the nursing profession. Nurses have continued to serve on the front lines of a global pandemic for nearly 36 months and that stress is becoming more apparent.

The supply of qualified nursing staff is not keeping pace with the current demand. This is causing ripple effects leading to staffing shortages, fatigue, and burnout.

In a new study from McKinsey, 31.5% of nurses report burnout being the number one reason they resigned from their nursing positions. Even more grim, in that same study, 22% of nursing staff said they were actively looking to transition to a totally different profession.

That said, the outlook isn’t all bad. As of February 2022, registered nursing was the 5th most in-demand job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 7% rise in staffing by 2029, faster than average.

With the right recruitment techniques and a comprehensive retention plan, employers can recruit and retain their top nursing talent and get ahead of the competition.

Tips for Nursing Recruitment

1. Focus on the copyA job description is usually a potential candidate’s first interaction with a company. Ensuring a well-written job description that focuses on the role, location, and salary will provide enough information for someone to seek out more information.
2. Highlight PerksThe competition for qualified nursing staff is at an all-time high. Many organizations have offered more company benefits than usual in order to be competitive in recruiting these niche candidates.
3. Target Niche AssociationsWhen recruiting for nursing professionals, recruiting from professional organizations is an excellent way to connect with qualified niche candidates. People join associations for professional education and growth, networking, and to keep up with industry best practices. Association members tend to be the highest performing and most dedicated professionals in their fields.

Tips for Retention

1. Employer BrandingHaving an employer brand is important to the employer value proposition and is a crucial element in successful retention. The employer brand sets the tone for the company as an employer. The values, goals, mission, and culture all set the tone for the employer brand. A strong employer branding helps in both recruitment and retention.
2. Great Onboarding ProgramWe are all familiar with new hire orientation but having a strong onboarding program helps facilitate retention rates. Orientation usually lasts a day or two and consists of setting up computers, getting a company ID card, and filling out tax forms. Employee onboarding is the process of integrating a new hire into their role. Unlike orientation, onboarding focuses on nurturing a new employee and can last up to 12 months. Studies show that companies with robust onboarding programs experience a 50% increase in new hire retention.
3. Increase Workforce FlexibilityBecause the nursing shortage is in a large part due to burnout, companies that create flexible working conditions are sure to have less issues in recruiting and retaining top nursing talent. Alternative scheduling, job sharing, per diem RNs, and float pools are all ways to implement flexible working policies while hitting goals and avoiding staffing challenges.

Those in the nursing profession will continue to be highly sought from clinics and medical centers nationwide. Employers can strengthen their recruitment efforts by building stand-out employer brands, offering flexible working schedules, and using professional associations to target niche candidates.

YM Careers Network is the world’s source for hard-to-find niche talent. With our unmatched network of niche association job boards, your job posts will reach active and passive candidates through targeted association emails, social media channels, websites, newsletters, and more.