• E-mail
• Print
• RSS

Use expert spokespersons to promote your facility

Nurse Leader Weekly, March 24, 2003

Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Nurse Leader Weekly!

You have a wide range of strategies and media at your disposal when recruiting new nurses to your facility. Don't forget to use your most valuable resource: Equip your employees to represent health care and your facility in public venues.

To organize efforts, consider developing a directory of employees who are willing to speak to local groups. A directory is a great strategy for ongoing visibility and recruiting, and has a long shelf life.

The best directories will include a brief biography of each employee, including areas of expertise, possible presentation topics, a work phone number, and possibly a photograph. You can distribute the completed booklets to local school systems and the media.

Such a directory can be very helpful to local news reporters when they need to contact an individual with specific health care expertise. Quotes and statements from your employees in local news stories also provide great visibility for your organization.

To improve your ability to keep the directory up to date, distribute it electronically and make the information available online on your facility's Web site. Of course if you choose this option, you may wish to develop a printed brochure or bookmark to promote your online directory.

TIP: Place an advertisement for your organization's list of employees who are willing to speak on expert topics in the Yellow Pages or in the local newspaper.

You might also want to try the following strategies:

• Offer public speaking training to any interested staff members and encourage at least one to two expert speakers to represent each of your health care specialty areas.
• Encourage staff members to speak with local student and community groups.
• Assist employees in providing seminars that represent their areas of expertise.
• Look for opportunities for staff to serve as resources and speakers on local radio or TV talk shows.

Adapted from: Surviving the nursing shortage: Strategies for Recruitment and Retention, a new book for nurse executives, www.hcmarketplace.com/Prod.cfm?id=1449&=ENW.

Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Nurse Leader Weekly!

• E-mail to a Colleague
• Print
• RSS
• Archive