In a field where emotional and physical stress is high, nurses are sometimes considering leaving their jobs within only a few of years of obtaining their license. Factor in the critical nursing shortage the U.S. is enduring, and you have a recipe for intense resource competition between provider organizations.
In response to this shortage, hospitals across the country are offering $10,000 sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement, reimbursable relocation costs, and other perks to entice nurses to join their organizations. While these are certainly impressive benefits that can go a long way for a nurse, organizations need to ensure they have workforce practices in place that will continue to benefit nurses once they are in the door.
Strip away the flashy perks and organizations should focus on what workforce processes they can improve to maintain staff satisfaction. Staffing and scheduling is a major cause of frustration for staff. Without the proper tools, scheduling can be a thorn in the side for managers, trying to pin down needs often up until the start of a shift. This typically results in over or understaffing – forcing cancellations and floating, or pushing staffing into extra hours or overtime, which negatively affects morale and leads to nurse burnout.