I am new to this discussion area. Like many of you I have strong feelings too about nursing. Yes I'd be a nurse over again. Have worked clinical and management back and forth for over 16 years now.
Anyway, I would like some ideas for retention to pass on to others at my organization.
We have increased pay recently. I feel we have reasonable nurse patient ratios (Med/Surg/tele unit 3-5 pts on days; 4-6 on nights- with nursing assistant support 1-4 per shift usually 2 or 3; 1-2 unit secretaries per shift; 1 charge nurse resource with no patient assignment; 1 monitor tech.Other med/surg floors have this support w/ 1-2 more patients per shift w/ at least this amt of support.)
Anyway, we are having difficulty recruiting permanent staff on the tele unit. We have lots of agency use- contract staff. We offer contracts independently as well too. I really want to decrease agency staff when I can- we have had some good ones help us through & some renew for a long while, but I want more permanency when we can.
Night staff seem in particularly in short supply all over the state.
Have to add there is **N0 mandatory overtime** and I have been supported by top administration to pay double time for night shift to cover during this period on one area w/ a high vacancy rate. Nurses do have to work every other weekend- that one is tough- but only 72 hours pay period w/ full benefits.
Anyway- we are still having troubles but slowly getting response.
I really want to implement some retention ideas to support the staff who have helped out so much during this time.
