What does overhire mean?

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 20, 2008

To hire people when there are no vacant positions in the budget for them. For example, if a department is budgeted for 50 positions and they have hired enough nurses to fill 52 positions, they have overhired by 2 positions.

Hospitals may do that for a variety of reasons. They may be planning an expansion and want to bring the additional staff on board to get the trained before the actual expansion happens. They may also overhire in the summer to pick up the best of the new grads -- betting that some of the existing staff will resign by the time those overhires finish orientation .... and/or some of those new grads won't complete orientation .... and/or some of those new grads will not pass boards the first try... etc.

Other hospitals never overhire and gamble that a supply of new nurses will be available when they need them.

cheyne stokes · Mar 20, 2008

OK, thanks. Could that affect me if I was hired on a floor where they had more than enough staff? For example, could they cut my hours back after orientation?

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 20, 2008

OK, thanks. Could that affect me if I was hired on a floor where they had more than enough staff? For example, could they cut my hours back after orientation?

Theoretically, yes, but probably not ... depending upon the specifics of the situation. It's a good question to ask in an interview.

At a lot of hospitals, there are 2 kinds of staff members. The first kind occupy an official budgeted position. (I'll call those folks "regular staff" people.) The second kind work only as needed (often called "PRN" or "per diem" staff). When there is plenty of staff and not enough work for everyone who wants to work, it is usually the PRN people who are cancelled first. That's the nature of their postion. They only work when there is a need ... and if there is no need because the "regular staff" are able to handle things by themselves, there is no need for the PRN folks.

Also, if it is a big unit and it is only overhired by a couple of positions, there are almost always enough people out on medical leave or on orientation, or on vacation, etc. so that you would be needed to work. Similarly, if you're not going to start orientation immediately and you'll have several weeks of orientation ... it is HIGHLY unlikely that there would be zero people leaving by the time you finish orientation and are counted in the staffing numbers.

Most times, when units overhire ... they know what they are doing. They know that by the time you finish orientation and start counting in their staffing numbers, you will be needed to take care of the patients. Your position will not be an overhire by then. But it is a good idea to ask about it as part of your interview process.

Personally, I am a big advocate of overhiring when the bulk of new grads is job-hunting. By the time they graduate, pass boards (which some won't pass), complete orientation (which some won't complete), etc. it will be several months from now -- and certainly by then, a few staff members will either leave or have babies and go part time, or transfer to other positions, etc. If a unit waits until those people actually leave to start replacing them, the best new grads will have already accepted other jobs and the process of getting other people hired and oriented could take months, leaving the unit short-staffed in the meantime. In my experience, hospitals that don't allow an occassional overhire are cutting things too lean -- leaving periods of short-staffing that could be prevented by a little judicious overhiring during the summer "new grad season."

I have great respect for hospitals that hire people and get them oriented in anticipation of a predictable need -- rather than wait for the actual shortages due to vacant positions before they will hire somebody. It's a bit of a gamble, but it's a pretty safe bet if the management knows what it is doing.

cheyne stokes · Mar 21, 2008

Thank you very much for your reply. This clears up the question of overhiring as far as new grad nurses are concerned which, I agree, makes complete sense.

I will also ask about this in my interviews.

Thanks again.

suanna · Mar 21, 2008

Be prepared to get some flack from the established staff. What "overhire" means to us is that experienced staff will be floating all over the hospital while new grads take care of our patients. The impression I get from our administration is that if an experienced staff member gets fed up with floating off thier floor 50% of the time and quits- all the better- the new grad is paid less per hr, and is younger- less sick time, lower benifit costs, fewer demands for perks. If there is a need to overhire-expanding program, lots of new grads that may not pass NCLEX... then I don't see anyone having an issue, but from my experience most overhires are as welcomed as a root canal.

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 21, 2008

Be prepared to get some flack from the established staff. What "overhire" means to us is that experienced staff will be floating all over the hospital while new grads take care of our patients. The impression I get from our administration is that if an experienced staff member gets fed up with floating off thier floor 50% of the time and quits- all the better- the new grad is paid less per hr, and is younger- less sick time, lower benifit costs, fewer demands for perks. If there is a need to overhire-expanding program, lots of new grads that may not pass NCLEX... then I don't see anyone having an issue, but from my experience most overhires are as welcomed as a root canal.

You're right. Like anything else, overhiring can be done badly. When it is done badly, people can be hurt. My experiences have been overwhelmingly positive as it has been used judiciously with realistic anticipation of future needs.

That's why it is always good to discuss it as part of the interview process. It pays to know the circumstances so that you know what you are getting into.