The demand for reliable and qualified nurses in the healthcare industry continues to grow across the United States. Evidently, the shortage of nursing staff will extend until 2022 and beyond. Therefore, to fill the need for nurses, more hospitals are turning to nurse staffing agencies.
A nursing agency is an ideal solution for many health care institutions. They help fill shifts when nurses are on paid leave or meet demand when patient numbers increase. When it comes to selecting a nurse staffing service to replace the gaps in your facility’s workforce, there are a few things to consider. First, let’s review the types of job placements peculiar to the nursing agencies.
Job placements in Nursing agencies
Per Diem
Per diem, meaning “per day,” is comparable to being on call as a nurse, with contracts extending from one day to several weeks. It refers to temporary employment that fills in for a hospital or healthcare facility’s unanticipated coverage shortfall. Instead of hourly earnings or salaries, they’re paid per diem rates for the days they work.
PRN
The initials are pro re nata, which means “as needed” or “as the situation arises” (Latin). A PRN nurse usually fills in for an absent employee or covers a specific situation.
Temp to Perm
Work that is temporary but potentially leads to a permanent contract is a temp to perm job. Recruitment agencies frequently offer this type of work to nurses to fill a temporary position, possibly making them permanent if they are qualified.
Travel Nursing
Registered nurses(RN’s) who work at hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare institutions worldwide in short-term positions are known as travel nurses. So, they can move to another country or work in local hospitals that need temporary nurses.
What to Look for in a Nurse Staffing Agency
Quality
A qualified nurse is knowledgeable and hardworking and fits into the company’s culture, emphasizing teamwork, communication, and patient safety. The level of preparation an RN had before commencing their contract will determine how seamlessly they integrate into your institution.
It’s critical to have nurses who can swiftly and effectively adapt to your unit to keep up with the fast-paced environment. A high-performing nurse will eventually contribute to the unit’s long-term stability, which is why “quality” is a significant consideration when selecting a staffing agency.
How do you know the quality of nurses an agency provides? Do your research. Nothing beats word of mouth when choosing a Nurse Staffing Agency. So, find out from other health care providers with quality staff about their staffing agency. Also, try to investigate how much effort the potential agency put into recruiting and vetting their nurses.
Speed
One of the essential elements to consider when selecting a staffing firm to engage with is the rate you require a nurse. The length of time you require a nurse to fill in will depends on the type of nurse you require. Those with immediate needs (facilities that require coverage within the next several days) might consider hiring a per diem or PRN nurse to fill the vacancy.
On the other hand, if your institution is frequently short-staffed, a temp-to-perm placement may provide more long-term stability to your unit. This alternative may take longer—sometimes weeks—to find a trained nurse who meets your needs, depending on the agency you choose to deal with.
Still, traveling nurses may be a viable alternative if you need to fill a vacancy urgently. So you might consider a nurse staffing agency that deals in international recruitment.
Although speed is a crucial issue in the near term, qualified RN’s must undergo a screening and interview process relevant to your hospital’s nurse specialty. However, this process may take time
Cost
Hospitals are frequently aiming to lower labor expenditures to reduce their emergency spending. Auxiliary labor is costly in the long run. Thus, healthcare administrators are looking for a long-term solution to staff their facilities while lowering labor expenditures effectively. While it may be beneficial for hospitals to pick staffing companies with inexpensive fees or rates, this may affect the quality of the RN’s they obtain.
Given that, take the time to learn about the types of perks that an agency offers before deciding only on their price. If you’re trying to hire a temp to perm RN, you should look for a company that can provide long-term support for the duration of the RN’s contract.
In addition, investing in short-term travel nurses to address long-term personnel difficulties should not result in hospitals spending more. International nurse staffing, on the other hand, can reduce contingency spending by lowering labor expenses.
Finally, selecting the appropriate nurse staffing agency to deal with can be time-consuming. Still, you don’t want to lose time or money working with one that doesn’t match your staffing needs or expectations. At Med Ninjas, we can assist you in developing a strategic workforce with the best talent pool, skills, and competencies when and where you require them.