According to the group’s 2011 Health and Safety Survey of 4,614 RNs, more hospitals provide patient lifting equipment and needles with safety devices, and fewer nurses are physically and verbally abused on-the-job.

However, 80% of respondents said they continued to work despite frequent neck, back, or shoulder pain, and 13% reported three or more on-the-job injuries within a year, up from 7% in 2001. Meanwhile, typical shift lengths have increased, with 56% of respondents reporting that a normal shift lasts 10 or more hours, compared with 48% in 2001. However, 55% of RNs said they worked 40 hours per week or more, down from 64% in 2001.

ANA states that safe work environments are crucial to maintaining an adequate nursing workforce. About 60% of RNs surveyed said safety concerns and stressful working conditions influence their decision to continue practicing in the nursing field.

My SelfCare for Healthcare  program teaches nurses how to care for the mind, body and spirit. Email me at leann@leannthieman.com to set up a time chat.

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals.

According to new data released by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), enrollment in undergraduate nursing programs increased by 5.1 percent in 2011. At the same time, enrollment in PhD nursing programs increased by 7.9 percent over the previous year.

Though it is good news that nursing schools are expanding their student capacity, 75,587 qualified applicants were still turned away last year. The top reasons reported include:

• Insufficient clinical teaching sites (65.2 percent)
• Lack of faculty (62.5 percent)
• Limited classroom space (46.1 percent)
• Insufficient preceptors (29.4 percent)
• Budget cuts (24.8 percent).

IOM’s report called for at least 80% of the nursing workforce to hold a baccalaureate degree by 2020 and a doubling of the number of nurses with doctorates. AACN believes that implementing the IOM recommendations will drive the nursing profession forward; moreover, high levels of education will better position nurses to become full partners in reforming healthcare delivery systems.

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals.

An NEP brings outreach and inspections to bear on specific hazards of an industry for a three-year period. OSHA said 2010 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed nursing and residential care facilities “experienced one of the highest rates of lost workdays due to injuries and illnesses of all major American industries. The incidence rate for cases involving days away from work in the nursing and residential care sector was 2.3 times higher than that of all private industry as a whole, despite the availability of feasible controls to address hazards,” it said.

“The data further indicate that an overwhelming proportion of the injuries within this sector were attributed to overexertion as well as to slips, trips and falls. Taken together, these two categories accounted for 62.5 percent of cases involving days away from work within this industry in 2010.”

“These are people who have dedicated their lives to caring for our loved ones when they are not well. It is not acceptable that they continue to get hurt at such high rates,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. “Our new emphasis program for inspecting these facilities will strengthen protections for society’s caretakers.”

Hopefully this information will help us take better care of our nurses and protect the people who dedicate their lives to the healthcare industry.

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals.

Every nurse wants to work in an organization that has a healthy work environment, where team members work collaboratively and collegially, and where nurses make decisions about the way care is practiced, delivered, and measured for continuous improvement.

Ensuring such an environment is simpler if organizations adopt a formal shared governance structure that empowers direct care nurses and other healthcare workers to be involved in decision making about patient care in all practice settings. Shared governance is a proven strategy for nurse retention.

Email me today to talk about how to create healthy work environments and increase retention at your facility – LeAnn@LeAnnThieman.com.

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals.

A lot of the students are from villages or smaller towns and they are assisted with negotiating the big university system, which can be overwhelming. The program offers tutoring, networking opportunities, scholarships and one-on-one academic counseling. Students who take advantage of those offerings are eligible for a small stipend.

Many graduates of the program end up working at the University Hospital or returning to their home communities, where their patients benefit from a local nurse’s knowledge of the culture and where they are a valued part of the community.

How can your hospital grow its own nurses? Visit www.NurseRecruitmentandRetention.com for free resources or contact me directly to talk about your nurse recruitment strategy.

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals.

Forward-thinking hospitals and organizations are planning now for the inevitable exodus of nurses within the next 10-15 years. Many are cultivating a “pipeline” of nurses to meet the anticipated needs and increasing their nurse recruiting efforts.

What is your hospital’s plan for the future? Call me today to talk about my programs that increases nurse retention and nurse recruitment – 970-223-1574.

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that healthcare and social assistance, along with professional and businesses services, will generate 8.2 million jobs by 2018, more than half the increase in total employment.

The evidence is clear on employment websites. There are numerous openings around the region for physicians (both primary care and specialists, particularly in rural areas), nurses, certified nursing assistants, technicians (radiology, surgery, and ultrasound), medical assistants and home health aides. There are positions related to healthcare, such as food service workers and information technology workers.

Have hope! All the evidence within the healthcare industry says nurses are and will continue to be in demand!

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals.

The goal of the program is to provide a new nurse with a mentor who serves as an active listener, providing support, enthusiasm, and nurturing in a nontraditional learning environment. Many hospitals report that nearly all of the nurse participants remained at the facility – great news for nurse retention!

Another success is the development of a program for nurses affected by the daily stresses on the job. Programs teach nurses how to recognize stressors, decrease, and cope with them. Nurses who have participated in these programs report decreases in stress and fatigue, fewer aches and pains, and overall better work life balance.

On that note….I have some very exciting news! My new “SelfCare for HealthCare” Book will be out soon! Stay tuned to Nurse Recruitment and Retention Facebook Page, my Twitter and LinkedIn for updates and opportunities to score a free copy.

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals.

AARP also singled out Scripps for alternative work programs such as:

• Flexible schedules and phased retirement
• Wellness program that rewards participants with free health insurance premiums
• Generous retirement package
• Employee alumni network that provides a route for re-employment.

Last year, Scripps rehired 198 former workers, 58 of which were 50 or older.  Overall, 16 % of the 1,562 new hires at Scripps in 2010 were at least 50 years old.

Everyone in the healthcare industry can all learn a lot from Scripps Health, on how to care for our “seasoned” nurses, to retain nurses and the vast knowledge and experience the bring. Email me at LeAnn@LeAnnThieman.com to schedule a consult about your hospitals nurse recruitment and nurse retention strategy.

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals.

Even more startling is the impact that nurse burnout can have on patient care. Findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2011 indicate that inadequate nurse staffing correlates to higher patient mortality. With so many facilities striving to be a 5-Star Facilities, hospital executives need to look at patient care from a 20,000 foot view see what the real disconnect is…nurse burnout.

Nurses who nurture their bodies, minds and spirits cope better and burn out less. To learn more about my SelfCare for HealthCare Program visit http://www.leannthieman.com/selfcare-healthcare. PS – Hold tight, the book will be out soon!

As a nurse speaker, I specialize in nurse recruitment, nurse retention, and work life balance and can help improve morale, retention and recruitment. CONTACT ME TODAY to talk about my powerful keynotes, workshops and programs. I look forward to helping your organization achieve its goals