Like other health systems, Bon Secours Mercy Health has faced challenges in terms of recruitment and retainment, with its nursing vacancy rate reaching a historic high at one point during the pandemic.
That's the impetus that led the Cincinnati-based health system to explore a nursing flex program, which provides a travel experience within the organization.
"We felt like a good tactic to deploy would be a flex program that would allow us to retain nurses by offering them a flex program within our ministry or recruiting from an existing agency that was working in our departments," said Allan Calonge, chief people officer, core operations.
BSMH built the program throughout 2022, and it "really hit the ground running" in the third quarter of last year, Mr. Calonge said.
Participants have three team options: site flex team (working at different units within the same facility), market flex team (working at different facilities across a market), or system flex team (travel to different hospitals and sites within the organization's footprint). BSMH is a 48-hospital organization with about 55,000 employees in the U.S. across roughly 10 markets.
Mr. Calonge said nurses in the program can access various incentives, including diverse experiences, flexible scheduling, financial incentives, career opportunities and growth.
"It's certainly a higher hourly rate than what you would get as a typical full-time or part-time nurse in one of our facilities. So, the money is a little bit better," he added. "And then at the end of the day it does offer an entry into full-time employment, or anchoring yourself into an actual market into one of our full-time or part-time roles."
According to a health system flier about the program, nurses who join the flex team and find it is not a good fit can stay with BSMH by still applying for any open, unit-based jobs.
Since the rollout of the program, BSMH has seen its nursing turnover reach its lowest level in three years, Mr. Calonge said.
"We've seen turnover plummet," he said. "I know other health systems have seen reduced turnover. But our vacancies have plummeted as well for both nursing and allied health."
He said the program also has been a great tactic for front-line leaders and nursing leaders to offer to nursing professionals as they recruit top talent.
Currently, the health system has about 800 workers total in all of its flex programs. And moving forward, the goal is to get nursing vacancies down to pre-pandemic levels, Mr. Calonge said.
"We're not there just yet. We are making our way toward that," he said.
Outside of the nursing flex program, BSMH also has a partnership with Guild Education that allows workers to continue and further their education while working for the health system. BSMH said the partnership, which includes full tuition assistance, standard tuition assistance and tuition reimbursement options, has also played a key role for both hiring and retention.