Here are predictions for emergency nursing recruitment and retention in the coming years from Barbara Pierce, RN, MN, director of emergency services at Huntsville (AL) Hospital System:
1. The shortage of nurses will fluctuate, and pay and benefits will be a driving factor.
2. Pay and benefits for nursing gradually will improve over the next few years as a result of competition. However, developments such as salary caps for agency nurses may keep salaries down somewhat.
3. Pay will be more outcomes-based. Incentives for quality such as satisfaction, error rates, turnaround times, and clinical expertise will be built into base salaries to improve performance and compliance.
4. Staff members will not remain with companies for their lifetimes, but will be drawn to facilities with key programs such as education, staff amenities, and career counseling.
5. Hospitals will compete for competent, qualified staff through programs such as improved retirement plans. They will provide housing in the form of leased apartments for nurses who are relocating. Education programs will include hospitals joining with colleges or starting their own college-based programs. Hospitals paying for education will become more prevalent, including signing contracts with nursing staff to work while they go to school.
EDs will be more active in recruiting individuals with a "fit" for emergency nursing, then provide training for the necessary skills. There will be longer-term mentoring programs and teaming of the senior staff with the younger staff. Hospitals will help nurses to achieve long-term goals by offering to train nurses in advanced fields such as nurse practitioners and certified registered nurse anesthetists.
6. Tolerance for errors by the public will be very low. As a result, nurse-patient ratios will continue to decline to achieve better patient care outcomes and fewer errors.
Here are predictions for emergency nursing recruitment and retention in the coming years from Barbara Pierce, RN, MN, director of emergency services at Huntsville (AL) Hospital System.
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