Communications

(Nov. 22, 2024) – Strategies that address workforce recruitment and retention are essential to providing optimal health in Kansas. The Workforce Strategies Award recognizes a team of employees, providers or volunteers who have significantly contributed to the well-being, retention or recruitment of health care workers at their facility.

Jennifer McNiel, MSN, RN, CPHQ Director of Nursing Excellence		Anna Serner, MSN, RN, PCCN HR Director of Nursing		Claire Sutherlin, BSN, RN, CCRN Nursing Recruitment and Retention Program Coordinator

The American Hospital Association shared data indicating that half a million nurses would leave the field by the end of 2023, bringing the total shortage to 1.1 million. The University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, Kansas, has established a multi-pronged approach to help overcome this looming challenge. The Nursing Recruitment and Retention Team was quickly convened to combat the rising need to attract and retain nursing staff post-pandemic. From the beginning, the team partnered hand-in-hand with the human resources talent acquisition team to understand the current state of the nursing workforce, brainstormed innovative strategies, created streamlined processes, collected meaningful and actionable data and tracked successes and opportunities.

"The team openly and honestly gathered feedback from all stakeholders, including hiring managers, talent acquisition consultants, schools of nursing and most importantly, new hires and candidates," said Jennifer McNiel, MSN, RN, CPHQ, director of nursing excellence and Magnet programs.

The NRRT bridged communication gaps between various teams within the health system so all teams were aligned. They implemented a flexible scheduling system to consider the personal needs of nurse associates while ensuring optimal patient care coverage. In the past two years, they have successfully launched multiple scholarship programs, a nurse extern program, a nurse associate entry program and different recruitment events. The NRRT worked closely with human resources to streamline recruitment and onboarding processes, ensuring a seamless experience for new hires.

The accomplishments in hiring, retention and recognition have been remarkable. Despite the competitive market, in 2023, the team improved their open vs. filled position rate by 6 percent. Students hired as nursing externs were partnered with a registered nurse preceptor for exposure to experiences. This program began in 2022 with seven externs and expanded to 15 in 2023. More than 50 percent of eligible nurse externs have accepted employment at The University of Kansas Health System as RNs. The team established partnerships with 71 unique nursing schools, contributing to 352 new graduate RNs being hired in 2023. As a result of these initiatives, nursing turnover for FY 2023 was 9.03 percent, while the national average was 22.5 percent.

"The NRRT has had a positive impact on nursing recruitment and retention at The University of Kansas Health System. The team continues to work to strengthen the nursing workforce and ensure sustainability. The candidate-centric approach has ensured that our patients receive consistent, high-quality care from dedicated and skilled nurses," said Claire Sutherlin, BSN, RN, CCRN nursing recruitment and retention manager."
--Shelby Stacy