Today's nursing shortage makes the field rich with opportunity for job seekers. However, long hours and little recognition, in addition to a bevy of other concerns, diminish the luster of a nursing career. As time moves forward, this shortage is predicted to get worse; while baby boomers grow older and the demand for healthcare increases, we're not going to have the proper team on hand to provide adequate care to our patients. Because the need to secure and maintain quality nurses is at an all-time high, it's more important than ever to have the proper strategies and skill sets in place to do exactly that. In spite of such noted anxieties, how can we get our nurses to stay and make our profession attractive to future candidates?
To the rescue: Nursing Management's 6th Annual Recruitment & Retention Conference. Scheduled for April 11 to 13 at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, this year's event aims to surpass the previous year's content with almost double the poster presentations and a multitude of exhibits, presentations, and concurrent sessions both cutting-edge and informative in nature. Timely, challenging topics such as crucial conversations, hiring and firing, orientation programs, new graduates, legal issues, and more will be discussed by top-notch presenters, ready to share their insight on successfully filling open positions within your organization. In this first part of a two-part preview, two significant sessions are reviewed that are sure to enthuse your teams and have them captivated from start to finish.
Key issues
The strongest leaders learned long ago that the best tool for retention is a great work culture. According to Jeffrey N. Doucette, RN, CEN, CNAA, MS, FACHE, associate operating officer, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C., many organizations overlook this key piece and continue to have a revolving door in certain units and service lines. In his opening session, "From Worst to First: Making Something Out of Nothing," he'll examine the warning signs that your unit may be in trouble, discuss the diagnostic tools necessary to identify key turnover drivers, and share easy-to-implement strategies to improve retention and reduce turnover. "Many times, managers focus on tactics that seemingly address one problem or the other, but until the work culture supports the overall approach to retention, the unit will always be a revolving door, for staff and the manager," Doucette explains. "This session will address the approach needed to ensure a superior work culture to get your recruitment and retention efforts off the ground and soaring."
While creating an enjoyable work environment is one thing, research has shown that one of the vital responsibilities nurses have is to collaborate with other healthcare professionals. Nevertheless, in many work environments, nurses and physicians don't even communicate about patient care. Pamela Hunt, RN, MSN, administrative director of surgical services and the division of critical care, Marion General Hospital, Marion, Ind., plans to identify such behaviors and provide reasonable responses in her session "How to Strengthen Nurse/Physician Relationships."
"Bringing individuals together for a common goal-in our case, patient care-is what promotes collaboration," she explains. "Understanding why some forms of communication are used and how we should respond to obtain positive results is the best approach. This session will help everyone understand how to accomplish communication that promotes collaboration in patient care."
Register today
Register for Nursing Management's Recruitment & Retention Conference at 1-800-346-7844, ext. 7798 or 7750, or fax 1-856-218-0557. For more information or to register online, visit http://www.recruitmentretention_conference.com/. To reserve a room at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, call 1-800-468-3571.