Summary
Hospitals are working to convert travel nurses, who are temporary workers, into full-time employees. Due to high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals relied on travel nurses, but now seek long-term staffing solutions. Leaders in healthcare discussed strategies for attracting and keeping these nurses through benefits and opportunities.
Key Facts
- Hospitals faced high nurse vacancy rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- About 100,000 nurses left the healthcare workforce during the pandemic.
- Hospitals initially used travel nurses to fill gaps but found it costly.
- Travel nurses were often paid $16 more per hour than regular staff.
- Rising costs led hospitals to focus on converting travel nurses to full-time staff.
- OhioHealth developed a strategy to reduce nurse shortages in its hospitals.
- OhioHealth's approach included understanding why nurses chose contract work.
- Listening sessions and improving job conditions helped extend nurse contracts at OhioHealth.
