Hospital nurse recruitment program based on "The Apprentice"

.... The program rollout began with an invitation published in a newsletter that asked nurses, "Do you have what it takes to recruit and retain nurses? If so, would you like to be an apprentice?"

Forming a Committee

Apprentices had to commit to a one-year membership that included attendance at monthly meetings. Committee members come from various hospital sites, and members voice a strong interest and passion for the committee's mission to promote a standard of nursing excellence by focusing on "the three Rs" — recruitment, retention, and relations. The role also involved taking on projects, accepting retention and recruitment challenges, and making a positive impact within the nursing profession and Bayhealth.

Milestones

The group identified a project manager, Alana King, RN, to lead the group and manage the day-to-day operations of the apprentices, as well as an assistant to the project manager, Melanie Sanchez, RN. The apprentices kicked off the project in November 2007 using a decorated mobile cart to visit the units and ask for input and suggestions on how to improve nurse retention from the nursing staff. They received an overwhelming response. More than 250 suggestions and ideas were submitted, and four nurses won gift certificates as part of raffles for nurses who submitted ideas. The suggestions were placed on the Bayhealth Web site and were discussed at apprentice meetings.

In December, the apprentices coordinated the "Festival of Trees" in which trees were purchased by Bayhealth, adopted and creatively decorated by units, and raffled off fully decorated. The event raised more than $2,800 for the chaplaincy fund, which benefits Bayhealth employees who have suffered hardships. Because of positive response to the Festival of Trees, it will become an annual event.

In March, the apprentices celebrated "March Madness" and hit the floors again with their traveling cart. This time they addressed the ANCC Magnet forces. Nurses could win a pair of athletic socks by playing a basketball game, identifying a Magnet force, and citing evidence related to that force.

In April, the apprentices were asked to host a two-day flower sale to benefit the education and research council, and in May they planned and coordinated Nurses Week activities....