Staff Retention Is Essential
In the "5 Ways to Reduce RN 'Churn'" blurb in the March Staffing Watch, PwC Saratoga offered several best practices to help hospitals reduce RN turnover. Since most health care organizations view employee retention as a priority, they need to ensure their recruitment strategies and onboarding programs effectively build relationships, engagement and commitment early on in an employee's new job. The turnover rates within health care are rather significant. According to NSI Nursing Solutions' 2011 National Healthcare & RN Retention Report, the national hospital average turnover rate was 14.6 percent in 2010 while the turnover rate for bedside RNs was 13.8 percent. Twenty-seven percent of all RNs who terminated had less than one year of service, accounting for 31.1 percent of all RN exits. Across all industries, more than 59 percent of employees who leave do so between their first six months and one year on the job, according to a Society for Human Resource Management study. Another 50 percent leave before reaching two years of employment. An employee retention strategy is essential for organizations to achieve positive business outcomes.
Kevin Sheridan
Chief Engagement Officer
HR Solutions Inc., Chicago
When Clinicians Are Difficult
Re: "When Employee Satisfaction Means Firing a Doctor," H&HN Daily, March 28
I believe that listening to employees is a huge sign of respect and the rippling effects re: safety, quality and morale are felt for a long time to come. I hope that docs and nurses with poor conduct patterns are given constructive feedback and opportunities to learn first, but letting them go if they can't or won't change is a leadership imperative. Physicians and nurses are precious resources!
Beth Boynton, R.N., MS
www.bethboynton.com
