Managing Healthcare Staffing Needs

In an industry where a single profession (nursing) is heavily dominated by women, you might expect to see a higher than average number of women holding high-level leadership positions in hospitals and healthcare settings. Unfortunately, even when the numbers should support a preponderance of women in leadership, the proverbial glass ceiling is very much still in existence. 

There are a lot of myths circulating about the cost of travel nurses. Between workplace gossip, blogs and misinformed Web sites, it’s hard to tell what is real and what is an exaggeration.  I’ve personally seen articles that state that travel nurses make $75 per hour and that they get fantastic housing benefits that outweigh any benefits that permanent nurses might have. I’ve also heard that nurse staffing firms make up to $50 per hour of the bill rate they charge. Well, as with most things, the truth lies in the middle.

The Silence Kills study, conducted by VitalSmarts and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, reveals that more than three-fourths of caregivers regularly work with doctors or nurses who are condescending, insulting or rude. A full third of study participants say the behavior is even worse and includes name-calling, yelling and swearing.

Timing is everything.   Before the financial system crisis raised its ugly head, it appeared that the coming year would likely see some serious healthcare reform debate at the federal level.  Now, as Congress grapples with a bailout of the financial markets, it looks like healthcare reform will once again not get the attention it desperately needs. 

I recently had the good fortune to visit South Africa with the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) through their professional exchange program People To People. During this trip, I had the opportunity to visit a variety of healthcare settings where I could meet and talk with the nurses working in each; and visit one of the largest nursing schools in the country.