According to a recent article on the ABC News website, the real reason for the nation’s nursing shortage has nothing to do with a lack of interest in nursing – and everything to do with a lack of capacity at the educational institutions that train nurses. The article states that every year, 80,000 nursing applicants are turned away from college programs simply due to the fact that there aren’t enough professors or resources to handle the influx of interest in the career field. What makes the issue so alarming is that we’re reaching a point in time when Baby Boomers are retiring and needing healthcare more than ever.

As a result, industry associations, such as the American Nurses Association, are taking the lead on this challenging situation – by working to fund scholarships and encouraging nursing students and current nurses to take advantage of advanced degree programs that will lead to future teaching positions.

In the meantime, what can you do today to find and attract top quality nursing talent? As one of the leading medical staffing agencies in Woodland – and Northern California, we’ve put together these tips to help you:

Tip #1: Create an employee referral program.

If your facility or practice doesn’t already have one, develop a referral program to encourage your existing nurses and healthcare professionals to refer candidates to you – including mentees, friends, retirees, and former colleagues. It’s the most effective – and least expensive – way to find quality candidates. Also, don’t forget to ask strategic partners, vendors, suppliers and consultants for referrals.

Tip #2: Attend professional events.

Make an effort to attend industry events – including functional conferences and certification course – throughout the year and aim to find new sources of talent at them. When your existing employees attend such events, task them with finding individuals who’d be a good fit for your organization. You can also hold on-site technical seminars and open houses at your facility to support your recruiting efforts.

Tip #3: Connect with former employees and past top candidates.

If you had exceptional nursing talent leave you in the past, reach out to them and ask whether they’d be interested in coming back. If not, find out if they know anyone who’d be a good referral. Likewise, re-connect with those finalist candidates who didn’t get hired in the past, but who came very close to, as well as those that turned down your job offers.

Tip #4: Find out what makes you great as an employer.

Ask new hires, as well as existing employees, what made them accept their jobs with your organization. When you find out what makes you great – and helped your facility or practice attract top quality talent in the past – you’ll be able to use that information to recruit nursing candidates in the future.

Need more help recruiting top nurses for your team? Read our blog post about the 6 interview questions that can help you hire the best nurses. You can also call Pacific MedStaff. As one of the leading medical staffing agencies in Woodland – and Northern California, we can shorten your search for industry leading talent in a variety of nursing positions, including LPN and RN. Contact us today to learn more.