As we all move forward in the new workforce environment, employers face a changing perspective on the part of employees. Free time and time flexibility is becoming a key player in negotiating employment. Additionally, there is a growing shortage of medical professionals available in the country-wide licensed nursing pool.
Of critical importance is adequate staffing in our hospitals and clinics. At the height of the Covid-19 crisis, hospitals were scrambling to find licensed professionals. Those professionals were taking risks in the form of being over-worked and at risk for contracting the virus. It was a wake-up call for all of us.
Often newly licensed nurses are seeking short stints in a variety of disciplines within the medical environment. Consider the idea that maybe permanent, full-time nurses might be an outdated and more expensive option for hospital, over the long term. Let’s look at some of the advantages of using an online medical staffing agency to provide interim, intermittent, or long-term/temporary assignments.
Obviously, no hospital or clinic wants to be caught short-handed. In the past, if a member of the staff had an emergency, there were no viable options to fill that void for a day or more. This would be nearly unheard of ten years ago. But now, a clinic owner (or even a hospital) can be assured that they will get professional help when hiring part-time nurses. Remember, these short-term positions will be filled by nurses who have been pre-screened and vetted. When possible, previous employers are contacted and asked for truthful recommendations.
It is a significant advantage to be able to see a potential employee in action. There is always the possibility of hiring a temp to work full time for you if you find them to be a good fit. It’s a chance for your existing staff to get to know the person. This makes for a certainty when hiring. It is like having a “trial period” without any obligation. When the assignment is over, it’s over and you can say goodbye without embarrassment or regret.
Surprisingly, hospitals and clinics have busy seasons. No one knows exactly why, but those are times when having that extra nurse can make the difference between happy patients and disgruntled patients. Seasonal illnesses can cause staff shortages as well.
While part-time and temporary employees are slightly more expensive, the employer saves on the headache of a chaotic environment with everyone scrambling around. An extra set of eyes and hands shortens the end-of-day paper work.
Employees who prefer working part-time or temporary jobs rarely expect to be given health care or dental benefits. Additionally, they don’t expect bonuses either.
If you would change your perspective on employment in general and interviewing in particular, you will realize that there is no better way to pre-screen an employee than to have that person work for you for a week in a temporary capacity. You will see their personality in real-time, not just when they are on their best behavior during an interview. No obligation and you get to see if they are the real deal.
There is nothing worse than having an employee who is inept, grouchy, difficult or worse, inappropriate with patients. Let’s all have a paradigm shift into the post pandemic employment era.