As staffing concerns continue to rise, increasing numbers of full-time nurses and health professionals are looking to leave the healthcare field entirely, making it more crucial than ever for facilities to find easier, more cost-effective ways to maintain safe staffing ratios. At Medely, we provide an all-in-one solution that allows facilities to customize their extended workforce to their specific needs while saving money, reducing full-time staff burnout, and cutting down on lengthy manual processes for filling shifts. Now, Medely is excited to announce that we’re extending our staffing offerings to the Columbus, Ohio area!

Staffing shortages in Columbus

Based on a recent survey from the Ohio Nurses Association, staffing shortages and lack of appropriate staffing requirements are causing widespread nurse burnout. Because of the burnout, lack of support, and demanding patient loads, a large portion of Ohio nurses are considering leaving healthcare entirely. The ONA Survey of all Ohio Nurses: 2024 Staffing Findings by the Ohio Nurse Association suggests that, “63% of direct care nurses are considering leaving bedside nursing due to current conditions.” With such a staggering number of nurses considering leaving, a solution needs to be implemented quickly. 

While most of the country is seeing nursing shortages, Ohio is actually experiencing the opposite. In the ONA survey, they found that “While hospital units are regularly understaffed, a nursing shortage isn’t the problem in Ohio. In fact, in 2024, Ohio has 104% of the necessary RN workforce and the oversupply is projected to continue.” With more nurses in the area, it’s easier for facilities to utilize these local nurses to create an extended workforce that helps close staffing gaps while ensuring full-time nurses don’t burn out.

More and more full-time nurses are also leaving full-time positions to work on a per diem basis instead. In Medely’s May 2024 Nurses Sentiment Survey “96% said that working per diem shifts help them achieve work-life balance.” This work-life balance allows them to create a schedule where they can work when they want and avoid burnout and being stretched thin at facilities through full-time work. By utilizing these per diem nurses and health professionals, facilities can provide more breaks for their full-time staff, leading to decreased burnout and better patient experiences. 

Full time staff vs. staffing solutions

Filling staffing gaps with more full-time employees isn’t the most cost-effective solution due to expensive training costs, credentialing, and insurance costs. Additionally, some facilities don’t require additional year-round  full-time staff to maintain safe staffing numbers. With Medely, facilities can efficiently bridge staffing gaps by accessing local nurses and healthcare professionals as needed, avoiding the extra costs tied to full-time employees.

Medely is an all-in-one solution that allows facilities to post shifts and assignments whenever extra coverage is required. With options for per diem shifts, travel assignments, and local assignments, facilities can easily customize the duration of support required from nurses or healthcare professionals. If a facility only needs extra coverage for three months of the year, they can post shifts to Medely during that time. There are no penalties, minimum required shifts to post, or retainer fees. Medely allows a facility’s extended workforce to be flexible and scale staffing to meet demand fluctuations.

How Medely works

With Medely’s staffing solutions, facilities are able to create a plan that lightens the burden of full-time staff and access a better, more modern system.

Talent Fusion allows facilities to manage their entire extended workforce in one place without having to worry about spreadsheets or manual processes, like individually contacting nurses and health professionals to pick up shifts. Instead of wasting time frantically searching for someone to fill the shift, facilities can rely on our waterfall technology system to get it filled. When a staffing need arises, facilities can post a shift or assignment to our platform, which will then be sent out to the most cost-effective option first–the facility’s internal float pool. If nobody in the internal float pool can take it, then it will be sent to our Talent Marketplace, which will then notify qualified Medely nurses or health professionals in the area to pick up the shift. The last and least budget-friendly option is to have it sent to the facility’s agencies through our integrated Vendor Management System. And with a 91% average all-time fill rate, Medely offers a reliable solution. 

Medely’s technology-based solution offers facilities access to data that can help create a more efficient extended workforce plan. When facilities use Talent Fusion, they have access to insights like number of shifts filled, average hourly rate, nurse or health professional experience and availability, demand planning, personal fill rate, and more. With this data in one easy-to-use solution, facilities can proactively plan for future staffing needs. Facilities can see when the last time a full-time nurse had a vacation or a break from work and encourage them to take one if it’s needed. They can also see who has been picking up more shifts and offer them a reprieve from picking up extra shifts by utilizing a Medely nurse instead. Focusing on full-time staff satisfaction through utilizing contingent staff can lead to lower rates of burnout and higher retention rates, which will ultimately lead to better patient care and increased revenue. 

Lower nurse burnout in Columbus with Medely

Medely offers a better solution for the modern extended workforce by leaning into easier systems, more access to data, and utilizing local health professionals to cut down on the need to stretch full-time nurses and health professionals past their limits. With facilities able to increase nurse numbers, they can alleviate nurse burnout, which will help decrease nurse turnover at healthcare facilities in Columbus. Need to find nurses or health professionals in Columbus? Schedule a demo today!