ewalls8063

I am a former DON, now regional nurse manager at a company that owns several LTCs in a few southern states. Like most other facilities, mine are having severe staffing issues. There have been no applicants to positions posted, even with a major sign on bonus. The company has a reputable reputation and provides competitive pay and benefits, but nothing is drawing nurses and CNAs in. At first I thought maybe it was because so many left to do travel jobs, but even the travel agencies are having trouble filling their slots. Covid has been a driving factor in changing the nursing world along with the vaccine mandates and CMS restrictions. Patient/staff ratios have become more unsafe than they ever were. We are finding that agency staff are not doing a thorough job and the facilities that have contracts are seeing worsening QMs. No offense to the good agency nurses, but most are there for the money and low accountability. So, my question is to those out there who have left the profession, or may be considering it. What could the company have done different to get you to stay and what could other companies do to entice you to work there?