More than 62 percent of nurse managers reported they planned to leave their jobs within the next five years, according to a recent study. Why? Nurses managers cited burnout as the most common reason for wanting to leave their jobs. In today’s ever-evolving healthcare environment, even seasoned nurse managers are struggling to keep up with their growing list of responsibilities.
If left unaddressed, burnout among nurse managers can trickle down to unit team members and negatively impact unit performance and organizational goals. In fact, nurse managers are instrumental in helping a facility realize quality clinical outcomes and financial success. They are the link between a facility’s frontline staff and its executive leadership team. So, preventing nurse manager burnout should be a top priority for hospital leaders.
Nurse burnout is a complex issue and there isn’t a universal solution. However, hospital leaders can help to ensure a nurse manager’s workload is sustainable. Many facilities nationwide have found that partnering with a managed service provider (MSP) has helped alleviate nurse manager burnout. An MSP can:
- Provide nurse managers with a robust clinical support team. Nurse managers know a supportive work environment is critical to recruiting and retaining their workforce. To that end, nurse managers need the time and resources to implement leadership rounding with patients and staff, recognize and reward outstanding performance, and provide professional development opportunities to team members as needed. However, all too often, these important, culture-building tasks take a back seat when a unit is short-staffed. Fortunately, many MSPs, like Medical Solutions Plus, have an internal team of experienced registered nurses who can support a nurse manager by taking certain tasks off his or her plate. For example, the Medical Solutions Plus Clinical Team can provide performance evaluations for a facility’s contingent workforce and facilitate nurse coaching as needed. An MSP can address these interdisciplinary issues so that the nurse manager has more time to focus on “big picture” strategic initiatives.
- Recruit and interview top clinical talent. In this era of clinician shortages and tight budgets, many nurse managers have found it challenging to recruit candidates who have just the right mix of clinical skills and deep experience. This war for talent also means a nurse manager must act quickly to secure the best and brightest candidates. However, that’s not always possible when many hospital systems rely on a fragmented hiring process. An MSP helps a facility find quality candidates by accelerating and streamlining the hiring process. In fact, the Clinical Team at Medical Solutions Plus will take the time to personally meet with a nurse manager to develop a thorough understanding of the facility’s hiring expectations and cultural values. Armed with these specific requirements, the MSP Clinical Team can efficiently find and interview quality candidates for the nurse manager. Thanks to these healthcare staffing experts, many nurse managers typically enjoy a wider pool of quality candidates to choose from, faster time-to-fill rates, and lower turnover rates. Even better, they have peace of mind knowing they have the necessary staff to provide exceptional patient care.
- Ease the administrative burden on nurse managers. As the healthcare industry continues to move toward value-based care, nurse managers have been asked to do more with less. As a result, they often find themselves buried under a mountain of never-ending administrative tasks. With an MSP, a nurse manager no longer has to handle the administrative hassle associated with contingent staffing. Instead, the MSP will manage these duties for them, such as billing, timekeeping, credential management, supplier communication, on-boarding, and orientation. Additionally, some MSPs provide a technology solution to help nurse managers better predict staffing needs. For example, Medical Solutions Plus offers a web-based technology system that offers real-time visibility into a facility’s contingent workforce. Nurse managers have immediate access to clinician profiles, contract start and end dates, headcounts, and customizable reports. All this information is stored in one place and routinely updated by a dedicated team of professionals at Medical Solutions Plus. As a result, nurse managers can save valuable time, control spend, and optimize their workforce.
Nurse manager burnout has very real consequences, but there are steps hospital leaders can take to minimize its effects. Establishing a partnership with a healthcare staffing managed service provider is just one method hospitals can use to alleviate nurse manager burnout. Managed service providers empower nurse managers to perform at the top of their license by creating a sustainable workload. When that happens, both front-line staff and patients reap the benefits.