How to Recruit Nurses? (Tips to Attract the Right Candidate)

Finding out how to recruit nurses quickly and effectively is vital for healthcare settings today. Scarce teaching facilities and inadequate funding have resulted in fewer nurses entering the workforce in recent years. Also, COVID-19 burnout, short staffing, and similar factors have driven more nurses to leave the profession prematurely.
At the same time, an aging population, preventative care programs, and chronic illness treatment all require more nurses than ever! In turn, the time and resources needed to recruit top nursing professionals are now luxuries most facilities can’t afford. With this in mind, consider a few simple tips on how to recruit nurses to your hospital or practice easily and efficiently.

1. Ensure flexible scheduling
   Rigid, inflexible scheduling is a surefire way to lose your current nursing staff and scare away potential recruits. Long hours and lack of time off are major contributors to nursing burnout. Scheduling inflexibility only compounds this issue, and nurses new to the workforce know this!
   In turn, a facility would do well to ensure flexibility when scheduling its nurses. Then, when recruiting nurses, note any programs in place for rotating schedules, approving time off requests, and the like. Demonstrate how you accommodate a nurse’s scheduling requests as much as possible. This flexibility is sure to attract new nurses and keep current nurses on staff.
2. Address workplace safety
   Workplace violence and verbal abuse from patients are all too common for today’s nurses. In fact, it’s not unusual for nurses to suffer recurring physical injuries when on the job. Consequently, healthcare facilities should work diligently to ensure the safety of their nurses; for example:
   ● Educating staff on recognizing the potential for violence and for de-escalating dangerous situations.
   ● Supporting healthcare workers in filing charges against those who commit violence against them while in your facility.
   ● Use an ombudsman to address concerns regarding safety practices.
   ● Increasing security staff, alarm systems, and monitoring where possible.
   You can then advertise your programs to potential nurses during the recruiting process. The

safer a workplace, the more likely they will respond to your recruiting efforts!

3. Focus on their rewards, not just your staffing needs
   Too often, healthcare facilities concentrate on their demands and requirements when recruiting and not enough on rewards offered! When considering how to recruit nurses, put yourself in their position. What would attract you, as a nurse, to your facility? For instance, do you offer above-average wages and regular wage increases?
   Also, consider offering continuing education and counseling for dealing with stress, loss of patients, and the like. Remember that many nurses today are interested in a work-life balance, not just a career. In turn, emphasize all the self-care benefits your facility offers that reward their hard work.
4. Use a recruiting agency
   Lastly, consider using a recruiting agency for your staffing needs. An agency can help determine your facility’s benefits and stress these during the recruiting process. They can also note what top nursing candidates look for in a workforce, such as increased security measures.
   Additionally, note that an agency typically has established social media accounts for recruiting nursing candidates in your area. Also, they might have accounts with various medical journals and other advertising outlets. In turn, they can make recruiting the best nurses for your facility quick and effective, and as efficient as possible.
   Peabody Healthcare Agency makes finding the right nurse for your company a breeze. Get in touch with our team today!