There is no ‘magic bullet’ for nurse staffing problems, but this approach can help

The following is a guest post from Jane Jeppson, RN, MBA, Chief of Clinical Operations at Nurse

In the 11 years that I have been working as a nurse, I have seen too many colleagues that I respect leave the profession.

The reasons for this are personal, but universal: frustration and burnout due to inflexible working hours, unmanageable working conditions and a lack of career opportunities.

It is heartbreaking to see so many talented clinicians leave.

The nurse exodus is a crisis in the American healthcare system. Some projections indicate that we are headed for a shortage of 450,000 nurses next year. But even as we explore ways to retain nursing talent and prepare for further impact, hospitals and health care leaders are struggling to turn the tide.

What is needed is a shift from traditional solutions to new models for recruiting and retaining nurses.

The need for a new approach

Today, nearly one in three nursing leaders plan to change roles in the next year, in part because they lack the financial or technical resources to meet the needs of the nursing workforce. a recent study found. Meanwhile, another survey showed that while nurses reported higher levels of nursing satisfaction in 2023 compared to 2022, more than half were still dissatisfied with their current job. Six in 10 believe their organization does not support nurses and patients over profit.

Healthcare leaders will not be able to buy their way out of the problem and achieve the nursing staffing levels they seek, according to a Survey of Healthcare Executives77% say they have increased nurse pay by 20% or more, but 86% still saw 10% or more of their nursing staff leave by 2023. These nurses either left the profession for work elsewhere or left the profession altogether, either for self-preservation or for the health of their families.

Increased acuity levels, workplace violence, and mental health issues are just some of the challenges nurses face every day. Shift after shift, these issues are compounded when combined with mandatory overtime, frequent staff leave, and low nurse-to-patient ratios. Most nurses also juggle significant workloads at home, including caring for family members, children, and themselves.

As a former bedside nurse, I have seen the changing of the guard increase over the years. I have wondered why nurses who have worked hard to get into and graduate from competitive nursing programs would leave while still loving the art and science of nursing. The common denominator I heard in their responses? Rigid working conditions and scheduling.

Flexibility, on the other hand, allows nurses to stay in the profession they love. It allows them to practice behaviors that build resilience—something they often hear they need more of. It creates opportunities for nurses to work at the bedside while maintaining their own physical and mental health, meeting care needs at home, and providing pathways to further learning in the profession. It’s an incredibly powerful way to show nurses that they are heard, respected, and valued.

It’s time for a new model

We are fortunate to live in a time where technology can solve decades-old nurse staffing problems at the speed of the internet and without adding to the workload of nurse leaders.

Accessible via a PC or mobile device, the latest nurse staffing platforms act as digital switchboards, connecting skilled nurses with facilities that need to fill open shifts quickly. These platforms enable nurse administrators to more effectively respond to changing patient volumes and staffing needs with a few taps of a screen or clicks of a mouse.

The key to reaping the benefits of a tech-enabled approach is a willingness to adopt new staffing models that meet the changing needs and priorities of nurses, especially the emerging generation of frontline clinicians. Mandatory overtime for full-time employees who are already working at their own personal capacity leads to burnout and turnover—not only of the unit, but potentially of the bedside itself. Instead, administrators should invest in tools that expand the nursing workforce they can draw from without straining their full-time staff.

Hybrid staffing models, which integrate contract clinicians as needed to supplement nurses, also support a critical pipeline for the future of the nursing workforce. The flexibility and improved work-life balance of a hybrid model allows CNAs, LPNs, and RNs to pursue education and advance their careers. Without the flexibility to balance home life, caregiving responsibilities, and personal and career goals, clinicians are turning to other opportunities that meet those needs, even if they are found outside of the nursing profession.

There is a significant and growing segment of untapped, experienced, skilled nursing talent that could solve many of the workforce challenges facing healthcare administrators. Models that prioritize work flexibility create opportunities to not only tap into these pools to fill shifts with significantly less effort, but also to reduce burnout and improve retention of existing staff.

Finding new solutions to nursing staffing challenges is critical. Leveraging technology and hybrid staffing models to meet the changing needs of current and next-generation nurses will ease healthcare administrators’ staffing burdens, retain highly skilled clinicians, and improve the healthcare experience for everyone, especially patients.

About Jane Jeppson

Jane Jeppson is Head of Clinical Operations for Nurse. She is a Registered Nurse with over ten years of experience in a variety of roles and settings in healthcare. With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Business Administration degree, Jane combines her clinical expertise with a deep understanding of healthcare management. She has worked as a bedside nurse in specialties ranging from pediatric neurosurgery and trauma to pulmonary oncology, PACU, and same-day surgery. She has also served in a variety of hospital leadership roles, including as a chief nurse, educator, and patient and nursing experience leader, where she consistently strived for excellence in patient care. Jane has also applied her clinical expertise to humanitarian efforts in Guatemala, the Philippines, and Taiwan. In her role at Nursa, she leads initiatives that empower and enrich the lives of nurses and create a positive impact on healthcare delivery.