The Solution to a Big Problem in American Hospitals Today
Travel nurses have long been a stand-in solution for hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Today they’re in demand more than ever before.
We’re all aware of the enormous pressure on healthcare providers, leaving hospitals bursting at the seams with patients in need of care.
The New York Times recently reported that ‘there’s no place to go’ for patients who are seriously ill, with the number of intensive care beds running dangerously low in many areas of America because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 1.1 million newly registered nurses are needed to prevent the nursing shortage from continuing.
On top of these factors, the healthcare sector is also competing with:
- Baby boomers – a huge chunk of your workforce is retiring
- The Affordable Care Act – more Americans have access to healthcare than before
The pressure on hospital management to ensure their hospitals are adequately staffed is at an all-time high.
In this article, you’ll discover why hospitals hire travel nurses – and why you should too.
What Are Travel Nurses?
Simply put, travel nurses travel to assignments where and when they are required. An assignment is usually for a duration of 13 weeks, but may be shortened or extended on request.
They’re compensated for travel costs and are also offered housing or a housing stipend.
They don’t receive the same in-employment benefits that you provide to your permanent staff, and at the end of the assignment they move on (unless you offer an extension, and they accept).
Travel Nurses Correct Your Short-Term Staffing Needs
Fluctuating staffing levels are a common problem when managing a hospital. You’ll be trying to balance and maximize quality of care with adequate staffing, without damaging your facility’s finances.
Travel nurses can step in as and when required. Situations that you can prepare for by assigning a travel nurse include:
- Cover for permanent staff (due to sickness or maternity leave, for example)
- Bridging the gap between permanent hires
- Providing support during expected busy periods, such as a tourist season, or most recently, flu season or a pandemic
You and your patients benefit from the experience and cover needed to continue provision of superior care. You don’t suffer the cost of hiring permanent nursing staff, who are not always needed. Your existing nursing staff do not suffer the heavy workload and stress of working with a skeletal workforce. It’s a win/win/win.
Travel Nurses Reduce Your Staffing Costs
Travel nurses earn well from being hired on a ‘as needed’ basis, but this doesn’t mean they increase your costs. In fact, they cost significantly less than your permanent staff.
A study by KPMG found that a nurse on a permanent placement costs $89 per hour (incorporating employee benefits on top of salary), while a travel nurse works out as $83 per hour.
You’ll also reduce expensive overtime costs for your permanent staff, by covering the extra need with travel nurses’ wages instead.
Travel Nurses Fill Difficult-to-Hire Positions
A lot of travel nurses specialize in certain fields, which can be invaluable for many hospitals. If your hospital or particularly pressured department suffers from escalated burnout and turnover in permanent staffing, or from a shortage of skills in your location, travel nurses fill the void.
Some hospitals periodically hire travel nurses purely to relieve their permanent staff. Travel nurses also ensure staffing coverage while hospitals find permanent placements for specialized fields that require a lengthy recruitment process.
You Could Find a Perfect Fit to Your Permanent Team
Travel nurses often enjoy the benefits of moving from one assignment and location to another. However, there is always an open door to consider permanent placement.
You’ll have the advantage of seeing first-hand how the nurse fits in with your culture and values, and their personal work ethic. You may have given them an opportunity, environment, or skill they don’t want to leave.
How a Staffing Agency Can Help You
A specialist staffing agency gives you direct access to a constant supply of travel nurses as and when needed. They will:
- Take away many elements of the time-consuming hiring process, saving time and hiring costs
- Have on-demand access and knowledge of the most suitable candidates for your needs
- Check all qualifications, licenses, and referrals
- Support travel nurses with any queries throughout the hiring process and beyond
- Support you as a business with any staffing issues, providing solutions and guidance
Summing Up
The quality of care you offer your patients relies on the staff you place on the front line. But with fluctuating and heavy demands, it’s a constant juggling act.
Loyal Source is here to fight your corner, and provide you with your staffing solution: travel nurses. With their flexibility, expertise, and cost-effectiveness offering relief and support to your permanent staff, you’re in a great position to provide a strong working environment that strives for excellence in care.
Contact Loyal Source today for a fast, efficient, and highly effective staffing solution now.