Flexibility Is Key to Filling Your Nursing Roles During the COVID-19 Outbreak
On average, the travel nursing salary has doubled in the last two months in the United States.
Like most hospitals, you’re probably under severe strain because of COVID-19. At the time of writing, there are now more than 220,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the United States. This is creating a huge influx of patients into hospitals across the country – and your hospital is probably scrambling to find staff to care for them all.
Consequently, there is a high demand for Travel Nurse jobs, and salaries for travel nurses have risen accordingly. If you are looking to fill temporary roles in your hospital but still need to think about your bottom line, this article will help you hire the staff you need in the most cost-effective manner.
Rising Demand for Travel Nurses Boosts the Travel Nursing Salary
There have been huge spikes in the demand for health workers directly correlating to the coronavirus. In some states, that demand has increased at least fourfold.
Hospitals are frantically searching for staff for their intensive care units (ICUs) and emergency departments (EDs) and seeking nurses who specialize in cross-infection control. With increased demand comes an increase in salary, with the average travel nursing salary almost doubling from January to March.
However, many nurses are scared to travel. Coming to states worst hit by the outbreak gives them an increased risk of getting the virus themselves; making the on demand for their services even more pronounced, therefore pushing up salaries.
There is also the issue of regulation. Fortunately, most states have eased their licensing regulations, allowing nurses to cross state lines and practice without applying for a new license in that state. This is helping hospitals meet their demand for staff by accessing a larger candidate pool.
You Can Hire Travel RNs Cost-Effectively
In the current situation, it may be tempting to rush through your hiring process to fill your temporary staffing requirement. While certainly the process may be expedited, there are still key factors to be aware of to ensure you are hiring effectively. These include:
· State regulations
Many states are temporarily easing their regulations to make it easier for hospitals to hire the staff they need. Keep track of the developments as they change. If your hospital is not in a state that has eased regulations, ensure you are updated constantly – they are likely to change as the COVID-19 outbreak evolves.
· Consider closing units to move staff over to where they are most needed
We are currently experiencing a pandemic, and this may mean you’ll need to be more flexible and evolve your internal operations. It may be advisable to reorganize your staff, closing some of your units or departments so you can relocate staff to those areas experiencing higher demand for services due to COVID-19 patients.
· Be more flexible with hiring
In the hope to get staff on the ground where they are needed, you may need to change your hiring process. As a hospital, you will have to become more flexible and perhaps make allowances for your temporary staff that you would not normally make. This flexibility may not only come in the form of salary or housing stipends, but also with regards to which fields of nurses can care for which types of patients.
· Seek travel nurses who wish to expand their experience and improve their resume
Travel RNs can help you fill your roles quickly. While there are nurses who may be worried about traveling, there are also others who will be looking to expand the skillset and learn during this experience. By bringing these nurses onboard, you will benefit from their existing knowledge, experience and skills, and from their willingness to learn quickly.
To Sum Up
The scramble to care for the rapid influx of patients affected by the coronavirus is too much for many hospitals to take on with their current staff. Hospitals are becoming more flexible to get the staff on the ground where needed. Sourcing travel nurses is the key for many hospitals and health providers to maintain the level of care for which they are renowned. Working in line with relaxed regulations and being more flexible in your hiring process sooner is key to hiring for your roles cost-effectively.
Contact Loyal Source to access a large database of travel nurses eager to fill your roles.