Help with Staffing Incentives?

[tfloyd]

Hi, I am responsible for coming up with staffing programs to help cover multiple units that are currently short staffed. Can anyone share with me incentive programs they have seen work for nurses to cover 6 week or 12 week schedules? We currently offer last minute bonus pay shifts but I am looking for something that gets nurses to proactively schedule themselves to avoid last minute begging. One example: Commit to one 12-hr OT shift each week for 6 or 12 weeks, each OT shifts is time and a half plus $10/hr., etc.

PS. I can't change leadership practices. ? Just looking for unique staffing incentives. Thanks in advance for sharing!

[Subee2, BSN, MSN, CRNA]

2 hours ago, KrysyRN said:

I worked for an organization (not a hospital but a 24/7 operation) that worked us to death during our scheduled shifts but compensated us to the point that we felt like we were given winning scratch off tickets when we picked up a few hours of overtime. Not only did they give us a lump sum for a certain amount of hours extra that we worked [typically $50 for every two to three hours], but they also mailed us cash cards [anywhere from $150 to $300] within a week or two as a bonus. Nurses would jump at the chance to work for the extra cash. We would obsessively check the "extra time board" waiting for hours to appear.

On top of this, we were told that they were keeping track of hours of extra time that each nurse worked each year. It would affect our yearly raise. During our yearly eval, we not only got a raise, but we were given an extra bonus AGAIN for picking up extra hours throughout the year.

Another way our scheduler lured us in to working extra time was by splitting shifts into smaller blocks of time, such as 2- or 4-hour blocks, instead of full shifts. This worked really well.

Yes! Doing an extra 12 EVERY week for 6 or 12 weeks...No way. But staying for an extra 2 or 4 hours is compatible with life. But this place sounds like it has a loser reputation as a place to work and they can't attract staff. Fix the reputation and the rest will follow. They're just putting fingers in the dike and there's only so much time a person can spend with their finger in the dike, waiting for it to cave in.

[JKL33]

7 hours ago, Rionoir said:

Ok but it’s not lol

So what were your study results?

[Crash_Cart]

3 hours ago, JKL33 said:

So what were your study results?

Study results were posted earlier. Didn't you read them?

[JKL33]

@Crash_Cart - I thought it was clear that I'm interested in the study by Rionoir. S/he has been involved in researching this issue and that's why I was replying to him/her.

But so you know, I clicked on your links back when you posted them and was not at all impressed. A company involved in the "incentive industry" has published an article (not a study) stating that people like incentives other than cash. I clicked on a link within the article which was supposed to go to more information, but it seemed like a dead link and I did not see the study itself linked anywhere.

If there are actual studies posted, I have overlooked them sincerely and would be happy to go back and read them.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Someone said it before. Have adequate and a reasonable work load, respect staff every day, and there won't be much staffing shortage.

[MSO4foru, ADN]

Again.. . Staff appropriately and treat you staff with respect. Just earlier tonight( night shifter so this would have been my ) middle as WE ended night within 45 minutes - I was flexed - oh wait had call in can you come in, looking for staffing- oh nevermind- flexing you within 45 - 50 minutes. Went to groc store and 3 wardrobe changes between. PJs- not at work- to work- bank to not work. I don't count one of those as expected to work. At least part of shift.

Clarification- I do Friday Saturday and Sunday nights.

[MSO4foru, ADN]

Really hate spelling / grammer errors... especially my own. I am Curious- O. P - does your organization not have staffing pool? Or is the plan make incentives for staff that get canceled when a reason is found to cancel staff who signed up for OT? ... sorry bad and particularly sarcastic mood..

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

An inhouse float pool with AMAZING differential to work float might work. Hire from outside, or offer three month rotations to your current staff. You'll have to orient them to a couple units to make them useful, but if they enjoy the money and variety, they will be a great resource.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

On 8/9/2019 at 2:31 PM, KrysyRN said:

another way our scheduler lured us in to working extra time was by splitting shifts into smaller blocks of time, such as 2- or 4-hour blocks, instead of full shifts. This worked really well.

I have actually done this — for example when I worked 15-23, I sometimes offered to stay until 0300; or I’ll offer to work 11-15 if they are short on day shift. They can take it or leave it... and I’ve never been told no thanks, we don’t need help for four hours. ?

[whofan, ADN, BSN, RN]

Its good that you are offering, my hospital is doing away with theirs. We used to get $8/hr over OT pay on all OT shifts if were understaffed by 1-2 nurses. If were short more than 5 we would get $20/hr plus OT, we were still short but people were way more willing to come in, now we having $6 if we are super short, and there is talk about doing away with that, but we are hemorrhaging staff at the moment. Money will help you get OT players in but it won't work indefinitely

[Quota, BSN, RN]

My hospital offers surge bonuses when a unit is short staffed, basically my unit all summer. When surge bonus is approved you get a $360 bonus for the extra shift plus time and a half for the shift itself. Once the schedule is set you can look at the calendar and enter yourself to pick up extra shifts as you want, or not.

We are working on staffing on my unit at least. A handful of open positions for experienced nurses plus 6 new grads in the process of starting orientation right now.

[159Nursesrule, ADN, BSN, CNA, EMT-B]

At HCA any gift they give you is valued and taxed. So if they give you a $50.00 Coffee card they report it as income and take taxes off for it.