We sat down with Lea Davis, director of nursing at NW Surgery Center, in Houston, TX to talk about her experience with Medely. NW Surgery Center has been using Medely to post shifts and fill gaps since 2019. In the midst of short-term coverage needs, Lea knows that she can rely on Medely to find the best quality nurses and health professionals to allow seamless coverage at her facility.
As-needed coverage
Since Medely has been a consistent part of Lea’s staffing strategy since 2019, she doesn’t remember precisely how she found Medely–only that she can’t imagine living without the easy-to-use solution to help her fill shifts. “We’ve been using Medely for years,” Lea shares. “I don’t really even remember how we came across Medely. Maybe just from a Google search.”
Lea was able to rely on her full-time staff for most of her needs, but she was seeking the flexibility to post shifts when both unexpected and planned gaps arose. “We’ve used Medely when we have turnover, while we’re in the midst of interviewing to fill that full-time position or when people are on vacation,” Lea shared.
Medely allows Lea to focus on building a happier full-time team. By posting shifts to Medely while searching for a full-time replacement, Lea can maintain appropriate staffing levels without feeling pressured to make a rushed decision. This allows her to prioritize patient care in the short term while thoughtfully building a team she trusts for the long term.
With the option to utilize contingent workers, Medely has opened up opportunities for current full-time staff at NW Surgery Center to take breaks when they need. When staff feel supported with enough workers on the floor, they’re more likely to utilize their time off and take breaks when they need, leading to decreased levels of burnout and a happier workforce.
Consistent coverage
Lea cites the consistent quality of nurses and healthcare professionals from Medely’s Talent Marketplace as one of the primary reasons her facility continues to utilize. “I’ve been very impressed with the quality of nurses we get, their skill level, professionalism, and their knowledge. We’ve gotten some really excellent nurses.”
Because of the quality of the nurses and health professionals she’s found through Medely, Lea has been able to build up a consistent list of Medely nurses and health professionals who have performed well above the standards set for them and integrated seamlessly with the staff at NW Surgery Center. “We definitely use the favorites feature,” Lea shares. “Usually, it’s my staff nurses who will let me know who they enjoyed working with and who to put on the favorites list. We definitely will put the shifts out first to those nurses and then let it go to the general public.”
Because Lea has a consistent group of nurses and health professionals picking up shifts at the facility, she doesn’t have to spend extra time orienting them or introducing them to her full-time staff. They can hop right in with no extra prep on her part. And since most of the suggestions for recurring Medely nurses and health professionals come directly from the staff on the floor, she can ensure that they’ll be a good fit for the department and integrate well with her current staff.
“Most of the time we get excellent, excellent nurses.”
An easier staffing solution
Lea recalls trying local agencies in the past, but the process was slower and less efficient—requiring manual outreach by phone, email, or text just to connect with someone. Medely offered her a simpler solution to post the shift herself and send it directly to the nurses and health professionals with no middle man. She uses Medely “Mainly for the ease of booking,” Lea shares. “I’ve used some local agencies, and it’s just more difficult to get in touch with them and book people.”
With Medely’s Talent Marketplace, she can post shifts when she needs coverage, even if it’s a last-minute callout. Lea shares that when she posts a shift on Medely she typically needs the coverage within the next 24 hours. On average, NW Surgery Center’s shifts are filled within an hour of posting, meaning Lea and her team don’t have to spend hours trying to fill the shift. She can count on Medely to follow through on getting the shift filled with quality nurses and health professionals. “It’s just the ease of filling that position, and I can utilize them to fill those holes in my schedule,” Lea shares. “It’s efficient.”
To make the posting process even easier, Lea utilizes templates for quicker posting. Since most of the shifts she posts are similar, she’s created templates that she just has to fill in with the time and date of the shift, easing some of the extra steps and allowing her to post a shift within minutes. “For me, it’s easy. I don’t have to call anyone or try to get them on the phone. It’s just very efficient and very well laid out. So when you’re busy and you need to cover shifts, it’s nice to just hop online and place your shift,” Lea shares. “You can even use the template if you are booking the same shift frequently. It’s just really quick and easy.”
NW Surgery Center Results with Medely
Thanks to the flexibility Medely offers, Lea has seen a positive outcome on her facility and staffing through Medely. With an all-time fill rate of 96%, NW Surgery Center has found that Medely is a trusted partner in their staffing strategy. Because of Medely’s consistent delivery of credentialed nurses and health professionals, Lea has the confidence to rely on Medely to supplement with contingent staff when open shifts arise.
More efficient staffing with Medely
With an efficient staffing strategy that combines full-time staff and contingent workers, Lea has found peace of mind that her facility will always have the coverage that’s needed to ensure consistent patient care and fewer canceled procedures. Ready for a simpler staffing strategy? Start your free profile with Medely today!
