Nursing

Vacancy rates plummet at Philadelphia area hospital system

Staff Development Weekly: Insight on Evidence-Based Practice in Education, September 15, 2006

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Five years ago, saddled with a 12% nursing vacancy rate, Main Line Health System in Philadelphia formed a nursing summit group to tackle the problem. It worked.

Now, the nurse vacancy rate among the three hospitals-Bryn Mawr, Paoli, and Lankenau-sits at 5.5%, considerably less than the statewide 7.8%.

Initially, the group used bonuses to boost recruitment, offering payments of about $25,000 for nurses who agreed to stay in the system for three years. But what has really made the difference, hospital officials say, is the implementation of shared governance. In turn, the hospital system hopes, this will help push the hospitals further along the road to achieving American Nurse Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition®.

A clinical career leader and self-scheduling have also created favorable working conditions.

Sources: Philadelphia Business Journal



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