The U.S. added a strong 304,000 new jobs in January, while the unemployment rate edged up to 4.0%. The healthcare sector contributed 41,000 of the new jobs last month, with growth distributed primarily between hospitals (18,800) and ambulatory care (22,100).

As we continue our National Apprenticeship Week celebration, we wanted to highlight the profound effect that StaRN - or Specialty Training Apprenticeship for Registered Nurses - has had on the healthcare and staffing communities. Most recently, the program was presented with the Elevate Award by the American Staffing Association, which recognizes the most innovative and effective work-based learning programs designed specifically for temporary and contract employees. 

In an environment where team-based patient care is the new norm, positive working relationships are more crucial to a hospital or medical group’s success than ever before.

Focusing on clear communication, sharing of patient information, care coordination, collaboration among care team members and a well-organized plan of care—both inside and outside the hospital—helps patients get better fast and stay well. To do so, the relationships between care team members must be equally as healthy. 

HealthTrust Workforce Solutions was honored with a 2018 American Staffing Association Elevate Award! This national award recognizes the most innovative and effective work-based learning programs designed specifically for temporary and contract employees. 

As the competition for nurse talent increases, HR leaders must take a closer look at what’s influencing their employment decisions—and employer reputation is leading the charge. Nurses today want to peak behind the curtain to get a real-life picture of what it’s like to work for your healthcare facility.

When it comes to nursing careers, there is no one-size-fits-all category. As circumstances change, the job that used to fit your lifestyle may not be the best fit anymore. That’s where HealthTrust Workforce Solutions can help.

“Life changes,” HWS CNO Shaun McCamant told HCA’s Clinical Excellence publication. “There are times when working per diem or being a travel nurse are the right answers for a nurse.”

When nurses join the HealthTrust Workforce Solutions team, they have access to the most sought-after positions at healthcare facilities across the country. As a fully-owned subsidiary of HCA, our nurses have unparalleled access to jobs at HCA and truly become members of the HCA family.

According to the recent Nurse Insights Study by HealthTrust Workforce Solutions, 55% of registered nurses are content to stay with their current employer, but 23% plan to leave and 22% are undecided. That’s a 45% risk of nurse turnover, which can not only disrupt patient care but also carries a high financial price — to the tune of $78 million in potential replacement and training costs.

Our parent company, HCA Healthcare, recently shared a plan to invest $300 million in nursing benefits over the next three years. In addition, HCA is putting $10.5 billion dollars toward facility expansion and upgrades.

Despite an economic downturn some thought might slow demand for healthcare, the nursing shortage persists. Job openings for nurses between 2014 and 2024 are expected to increase 16%, making the profession one of the fastest growing occupations in the country. However, supply continues to significantly lag demand — with current nurse vacancies at nearly 1 million. 

Competition for nurse talent isn’t the only thing growing. The desire for transparency into healthcare employers and what it’s really like to work for an organization is growing too — creating a whole new dynamic in nurse attraction that is essentially turning recruitment strategies inside out. 

We asked nearly 2,000 nurses and here's what we found!