Optimize Healthcare Staffing: 5 Tips for Recruiting LPN Nurses
Healthcare staffing is becoming more and more complex with the rise in demand for solid professional practitioners. That’s why hiring Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) is very challenging in a highly competitive healthcare market.
Of course, effective staffing is crucial for maintaining high-quality patient care.
If you’re not sure where to get started, this article provides five unique tips to optimize your LPN Nurse recruiting efforts.
Each tip is designed to streamline your recruiting process and attract top talent.
Read on to discover innovative approaches to hiring skilled LPNs.
What Are LPN Nurses and Why Are They So Valuable
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) are US nurses trained in practical nursing but not allowed to give medicine without permission.
LPNs are indispensable assets in the healthcare system because they bridge the gap between patients and the broader medical team.
Besides, they have a wide range of responsibilities that are crucial for effective patient care. For instance, LPNs administer medications after obtaining a physician’s permission, monitor vital signs, and provide basic patient care. They are also usually the primary point of contact for patients and their families, offering both medical and emotional support.
LPNs bring a unique skill set to the table. They have the knowledge to perform clinical tasks efficiently while maintaining a compassionate approach to patient care. This combination of technical proficiency and empathy improves the patient experience and contributes to better health outcomes.
Besides, you can rely on LPNs to handle routine procedures, freeing up registered nurses and doctors to focus on more complex cases. This improves the overall efficiency of your healthcare team.
The Role of LPN Nurses in Long-Term Healthcare Staffing
LPNs also play a critical role in long-term care settings. They can manage care plans for patients with chronic conditions so these individuals receive consistent and quality care. LPNs monitor patients' progress and keep their primary healthcare providers informed. This continuity of care is essential for patient stability and recovery. As such, LPN’s presence in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and home health care is a solid asset.
Moreover, LPNs contribute to educating and training nursing aides and assistants. Their practical experience and knowledge make them excellent mentors. Therefore, they help maintain high standards of care across your facility. Plus, their ability to work collaboratively within a team ensures seamless communication and coordination among healthcare professionals. This team dynamic is essential for providing comprehensive care to patients.
Addressing The Problem: Healthier Staffing Shortage
While LPN Nurses are essential and valuable for your healthcare facility, the reality is that they are hard to hire and retain. In fact, the healthcare industry is projected to have a shortage of 141.580 LPN nurses by 2035, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The reality is that the population is aging, and a lot of the nursing workforce is close to retiring. This creates an imbalance in the ratio of nurses and people who need constant care.
So, how do you make sure your facility isn’t affected by this shortage? What can you do to keep staff happy and retain top talent? These are our 5 key steps.
5 Unique Tips for LPN Nurse Recruiting
Before we dive into these 5 best practices, remember that they work better when implemented simultaneously. Besides, the core value is always to care for your practitioners.
1) Implement a Referral Bonus Program for Current Staff
Leveraging the connections and trust within your existing staff can streamline recruitment significantly. Offering a referral bonus program is a strategic approach to harnessing these internal networks.
The majority – 70% of companies – choose to offer monetary incentives of up to $5,000 for successful referrals. However, another decent 15% of them offer free days instead.
If you want to create your own program, start by following the steps below:
Design the referral program: Establish clear guidelines for the referral bonus, specifying the bonus amount and conditions. Ensure the reward is substantial enough to motivate your staff.
Provide referral resources: Equip your team with digital and physical referral cards or shareable links. These should include details about open positions and how to submit referrals.
Track referrals efficiently: Implement a system to track all referrals, such as a dedicated spreadsheet or an online form. Maintain transparency about the status of each referral.
Reward promptly: Once a referred qualified candidate is hired and meets the predefined criteria (e.g., completes the probation period), process the bonus payment promptly. Acknowledge the referrer’s contribution in a staff meeting or internal newsletter.
Celebrate Success
We recommend creating an exclusive referral leaderboard with quarterly rewards for the top referrers. This adds an element of friendly competition and recognition, further encouraging participation in the referral program.
2) Highlight Employee Testimonials and Success Stories Online
A Glassdoor study showed that 55% of job seekers didn’t apply for the job opportunity after reading a negative review of a company.
Additionally, 86% of Glassdoor users read company reviews and ratings before applying for roles.
That’s why keeping a close eye on your reviews and employee experience is essential for your online presence.
Prospective LPN candidates seek authentic insights into your company culture before applying. Here’s how to highlight employee testimonials and success stories:
Collect Genuine Testimonials From Healthcare Professionals
Approach employees who are passionate about their roles. Ask them to share their experiences and achievements within your healthcare organization. Ensure the testimonials reflect diverse perspectives and job functions.
Having clear testimonials offers a better behind-the-scenes view of how things are done and about core values. Curating testimonials gives potential LPNs good insights into your workplace and shows you’re a trustworthy organization that offers solid healthcare careers to your candidates.
Here’s how you can do it:
Create Engaging Content for Social Media
Develop a mix of video and written testimonials you can share online. Videos should be short, authentic, and engaging, while written testimonials should be concise and compelling.
Post these testimonials on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Use relevant hashtags and tag employees to increase visibility and engagement. Update your social media regularly with new stories.
Optimize Your Website
This is especially important whether you are a healthcare staffing agency, clinic, or hospital. Nurses expect to navigate a professional website while job seeking.
Dedicate a section on your website to employee testimonials. Ensure it is easy to navigate and visually appealing. To keep it dynamic, feature a mix of text, photos, and videos.
Highlight Healthcare Career Progression
Nurses don’t just want a paycheck; they seek career opportunities. Showcase success stories that demonstrate clear career paths and growth opportunities within your organization. This helps potential candidates visualize their own future with you.
3) Collaborate with Nursing Schools to Offer Scholarships and Internships
Collaborating with nursing schools to offer scholarships or internships is a strategic move to attract top LPN talent.
That’s how you build a pipeline of skilled candidates and prove your commitment to education and professional growth. This approach benefits both the students and your organization. This leads to a strong, motivated workforce. Here’s how to do it:
Identify partner schools: Research and select nursing schools with reputable LPN programs. Consider factors such as program quality, student demographics, and geographic proximity to your facilities.
Develop scholarship criteria: Define the eligibility requirements for your scholarships. Criteria might include academic performance, financial need, and a demonstrated commitment to the nursing profession.
Create internship programs: Design internships that offer real-world experience in various clinical settings within your organization. Structure the program to include mentorship, hands-on training, and exposure to different nursing specialties.
Establish clear agreements: Work with school administrators to formalize your partnership. Draft agreements that outline each party's responsibilities, including scholarship administration, internship placement, and student evaluations.
Promote the opportunities: Advertise your scholarships and internships through the school’s career services, online job boards, and social media. Attend career fairs and host information sessions to engage directly with students.
Monitor and support: Track the progress of scholarship recipients and interns. Provide ongoing support through regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and professional development opportunities.
Post-Internship Employment
We suggest offering post-internship employment guarantees for top-performing interns. This incentivizes students to excel and also secures highly capable LPNs for your organization. This proactive approach helps maintain a steady influx of talented, well-trained professionals.
4) Develop a Mentorship Program that Pairs new LPN Hires with Experienced Nurses
Developing a mentorship program is crucial for integrating new LPN hires into your healthcare team. Effective mentorship, especially in modern healthcare, enhances job satisfaction and reduces turnover. In fact, studies show that a mentorship program increases retention rates to 70%. Besides, 55% of nurses believe that mentorship improves their problem-solving skills.
This approach builds strong, confident nurses who contribute significantly to your organization. Follow these steps to implement the right mentorship strategy:
Identify experienced mentors: Select seasoned nurses who demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills. Ensure they are willing and enthusiastic about guiding new LPNs.
Define program goals: Establish clear objectives for the mentorship program. Focus on areas such as skill development, professional growth, and acclimation to your organizational culture.
Create structured plans: Design a structured mentorship plan that outlines the frequency and format of mentor-mentee interactions. Include regular check-ins, shadowing opportunities, and skill-building sessions.
Match mentors and mentees: Pair new LPNs with mentors based on compatible schedules, professional interests, and personalities. This alignment increases the likelihood of a successful mentorship relationship.
Provide training for mentors: Equip mentors with the tools and training they need to be effective. Offer workshops on communication techniques, coaching strategies, and conflict resolution.
Monitor and evaluate: Regularly assess the mentorship program's progress. Gather feedback from both mentors and mentees to identify areas for improvement and celebrate successes.
Recognition Program for Healthcare Workers
Most graduate nurses are looking for long-term or permanent placement as healthcare professionals in a facility. A mentorship program can help them, but you need good professionals to act as mentors first. We recommend implementing a formal recognition program for outstanding mentors. Acknowledging their contributions with awards or public recognition boosts morale and emphasizes the importance of mentorship within your organization. This recognition can also motivate other staff to participate in the program, further enhancing its success.
5) Organize Themed Recruitment Events
Organizing themed recruitment events can attract a diverse pool of LPN candidates and provide a firsthand look at your organization’s culture.
These events create a welcoming atmosphere and offer potential hires an opportunity to engage directly with your team. This strategy can significantly enhance your recruitment efforts.
These are the main pillars of successful recruitment in a job fair.
| Step | What it entails |
|---|---|
| Plan Activities | Design activities that allow attendees to interact with current staff and learn about your organization. Consider including workshops, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions to build connections with potential candidates. |
| Showcase Your Facility | Offer guided tours of your healthcare facility. Highlight key areas where LPNs will work and showcase state-of-the-art equipment and technology. This transparency helps candidates envision themselves as part of your team. |
| Provide Networking Opportunities | Create spaces for informal networking. Arrange meet-and-greet sessions with department heads and senior nurses. These interactions can provide valuable insights and make candidates feel more comfortable. |
| Offer On-the-Spot Interviews | Set up stations for immediate interviews. Ensure HR and department representatives are available to conduct these interviews, demonstrating your organization's efficiency and interest in securing top talent. |
| Promote the Event Widely | Advertise the event using multiple channels, including social media, local nursing schools, and professional associations. Highlight the unique aspects of the event to attract a broad audience. |
Insider Tip
We recommend following up with attendees through personalized emails or phone calls. Express appreciation for their attendance and interest. This personalized touch can significantly increase the likelihood of candidates choosing your organization over competitors.
After Hiring Healthcare Professionals: Addressing Talent Retention in the Medical Field
Comprehensive healthcare staffing solutions are essential. However, hiring is just one part of the process. Nursing and healthcare staffing problems don’t necessarily come from the hiring aspect; it’s about retention.
Burnout, stress, lack of leadership, inadequate staff, and scheduling issues are the main problems related to nurses quitting that are under the control of the medical facility.
Bringing skilled professionals on board is a victory, but keeping them engaged, satisfied, and motivated is the key to long-term staffing success.
Here are the most common reasons nurses quit:
Let’s take, for example, burnout and work-life balance. The healthcare field is demanding. Long hours, emotionally challenging situations, and constant pressure can lead to burnout, a major driver of employee attrition. Addressing this requires proactive measures such as:
Better scheduling: Exploring flexible scheduling options where possible, ensuring adequate breaks, and minimizing mandatory overtime can significantly improve work-life balance.
A supportive culture: Fostering a culture of open communication, where staff feel comfortable discussing their concerns and seeking support, is essential.
Wellness programs: Offering resources such as counseling services, stress management workshops, and mindfulness programs can help employees manage stress and improve their overall well-being.
Remember: Leaders who are supportive, approachable, and communicate effectively create a positive work climate.
Feeling rewarded is equally important.
For example, LPNs are five times more likely than RNs to quit because of poor pay. By comparison, more registered nurses than LPNs leave because they lack career advancement opportunities.
So, you want to solve these issues first.
Afterward, you can consider the following solutions as well:
Employee recognition programs: Regularly recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions, both big and small, boosts morale and reinforces positive behaviors.
Team building activities: Organizing team-building activities can strengthen relationships among colleagues and create a more cohesive and supportive work environment.
Prioritizing these strategies is how your healthcare organization can create a workplace where professionals feel valued, supported, and motivated to stay. This ultimately leads to improved patient care and a more stable and successful healthcare system.
Secure Top LPN Nursing Talent
Effective LPN recruitment is key to your healthcare team's success. So, implement our solid roadmap to transform your staffing efforts. The right LPNs will considerably improve your patient care and operational efficiency.
You should also analyze your current strategies and consider how they can be improved.
Continuous improvement is essential in this competitive field, and staying ahead requires adapting and refining your approach.
Remember, your organization's future will be defined by its ability to attract and retain skilled LPNs.
So, try our strategies now and improve your recruitment process to ensure long-term success.
Alternatively, consider partnering with one of these top nursing recruiters.
FAQ
Why is staff retention so important in the healthcare community?
High turnover rates in healthcare are incredibly costly, both financially and in terms of patient care. Recruiting and training new staff is expensive and time-consuming. Furthermore, consistent staff ensures better continuity of care, stronger team cohesion, and a more positive patient experience. Ultimately, retaining skilled professionals leads to a more stable and effective healthcare system.
What are the main reasons healthcare professionals leave their jobs?
Several factors contribute to turnover, but some of the most common include burnout and work-life balance issues, inadequate compensation and benefits, limited opportunities for professional development, and a negative or unsupportive work environment.
How can healthcare organizations address burnout among their staff?
Organizations can optimize scheduling to minimize long hours and mandatory overtime, promote a supportive culture where staff feel comfortable discussing their concerns, and invest in wellness programs that offer resources for stress management and mental health support.
Is compensation the only factor that matters in nursing retention?
While competitive compensation and benefits are important, they are not the only factor. Healthcare professionals also value a positive work environment, opportunities for professional growth, and a sense of purpose in their work.
How can healthcare organizations support the professional development of their staff?
Offering tuition reimbursement and continuing education opportunities, establishing mentorship programs, and creating clear career advancement pathways are all effective ways to support professional development. These initiatives demonstrate an investment in employees' futures, increasing their loyalty and engagement.
What role does leadership play in nursing staff retention?
Leadership plays a crucial role. Supportive and effective leaders create a positive work climate, foster open communication, and empower their teams.
Are travel nurses LPN Nurses?
No, travel nurses are not LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses). Travel nurses are typically Registered Nurses (RNs) who work on temporary assignments at various healthcare facilities. While LPNs can also travel and work in different locations, the term "travel nurse" generally refers to RNs.
