{"id":3568,"date":"2024-08-22T08:49:10","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T15:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medely.com\/blog\/?p=3568"},"modified":"2024-08-22T10:16:59","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T17:16:59","slug":"high-quality-nursing-with-contingent-staff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medely.com\/blog\/high-quality-nursing-with-contingent-staff\/","title":{"rendered":"Ensuring High-Quality Nursing With Contingent Staff"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What do you do when you have to manage not just one nursing staff team but two? How do you make the two function as one cohesive team?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are constantly challenged to maintain the right level of nursing staff for the constantly changing number of patients and the required level of care for each. One effective solution is contingency staffing. This option offers flexibility, reduced stress and strain on full-time staff, and increased control over budget management. However, if not managed properly, merging two groups, one from inside your organization and one from the outside, can be fraught with conflict and disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, we explore challenges employers face and strategies that can ensure the successful management of your hybrid nursing team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Growing Demand for Nurses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Healthcare organizations are under pressure to grow their nursing staff<\/a>. The U.S. population is aging, with the oldest Baby Boomers approaching 80. The demand for healthcare will only increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employers are struggling to fill vacant positions. For instance, some are turning to existing employees and asking for overtime volunteers or offering crisis pay<\/a>. Among participants in the 2024 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report, 26 percent were planning to expand their recruitment budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nursing shortage plaguing healthcare facilities stems from multiple complex factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Aging workforce: Many experienced nurses are reaching retirement age.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Increasing demand: An aging population requires more healthcare services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Limited education capacity: Nursing schools struggle to expand enrollment due to faculty shortages and clinical placement limitations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. High turnover: Stressful working conditions and burnout lead many nurses to leave.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Uneven distribution: Some geographic areas face more severe shortages than others.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    A Nursing Shortage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The nursing profession has been plagued with a nationwide staffing shortage for nearly a decade. Employers, possibly including your organization, face the challenge of maintaining appropriate shift coverage and ensuring the highest quality of patient care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The 2024 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report<\/a> states that hospital registered nurses have a turnover rate of 18.4 percent and a vacancy rate of 9.9 percent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Staff shortages in healthcare impact patient care quality. Overworked nurses struggle to deliver their usual standard of thorough care, potentially leading to missed treatments, decreased patient satisfaction, and even critical errors. Moreover, when experienced nurses retire or resign, they take invaluable skills and knowledge, compromising the overall quality of care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Flexibility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Imagine always having the staff you need daily and night, with the shift coverage to meet all patients\u2019 needs. Perhaps you can overcome the shortage and hire enough employees to accomplish this. But it\u2019s unlikely that you will have a consistent number of patients or each will require the same intensity of treatment and attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At any given time, you need the right number of staff \u2014 no less, no more \u2014 to provide optimal patient care while keeping staffing costs under control. You need flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Each employee hired costs your organization salary, benefits, bonuses, overtime pay, perks, training and development, and more. It\u2019s an investment. When you have a temporary surge in patients or those requiring more focused care, adding to the permanent ranks may not be the best choice. Sometimes, a temporary situation requires a healthcare staffing solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    The Contingency Nursing Staff<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    To address these staffing challenges, healthcare facilities must develop and implement comprehensive workforce solutions. A key component of an effective strategy is integrating contingency nurses alongside permanent staff, providing immediate relief and flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Contingency nurses play a crucial role in healthcare organizations by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Balancing patient care demands with staff needs and budget constraints.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Introducing fresh perspectives and diverse experiences from other institutions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Supplementing permanent staff during high-demand periods to prevent burnout.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Enhancing patient care quality by providing additional support.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Contingent nurses work side-by-side with your full-time employees, performing the same duties and helping ensure consistent, high-quality care. Full-time employees may have a better chance at work-life balance. Contingency nursing staff can also ease the pressure on your budget; they do not bring the costs associated with full-time employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A contingent staff added to your full-time staff can greatly benefit all parties. However, to reap those benefits, you must carefully manage the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Healthcare Staffing Strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      While contingent and permanent nurses need to work together seamlessly, the reality is that you are managing two separate groups in the same workplace. For your employees, your organization is their home territory. They know how things work and know what to expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Temporary nurses, however, are new to your organization. They will not start with the sense of belonging your employees have. They will need to develop that with your help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      It is well worth your while to develop a strategy for managing and meeting the needs of both groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Things to Consider When Developing Your Strategy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The American Hospital Association<\/a> offers several issues to address when building your strategy, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n