Brandi Fields, DNP, RN, has been chief nursing officer for Mercy Health – Cincinnati's six hospitals for a little more than three years. Since she began her role, these hospitals have seen their registered nurse vacancy rate fall from double digits during the pandemic to 4%.
Ms. Fields told Becker's that, while she believes the RN vacancy rates are improving across the nation, the Mercy Health – Cincinnati market has focused on the right recruitment and retention tools to bring in "new practice nurses."
"They [the new practice nurses] have different wants and needs than maybe we did when I started at Mercy three years ago," she said. She credits Mercy Health's success to being able "to understand and listen to what those needs are."
To recruit nurses, Mercy Health ensures that its recruitment events are in a fun local environment. The events also feature leadership that conduct interviews and can make on-the-spot offers to potential employees to speed up the recruitment process.
Mercy Health – Cincinnati also utilizes a referral award bonus program that encourages existing associates to bring in people that would fit the mission vision and core values of the organization.
Mercy Health also runs a blue ribbon clinical program to encourage nursing students to visit and eventually join the Mercy Health workforce by facilitating learning opportunities and providing the students with opportunities to give feedback on their experience as well.
On the retention side, Ms. Fields said well-being, culture and communication are large pieces of the puzzle. Mercy Health – Cincinnati has implemented tools like a well-being platform and relaxation rooms at all six of its hospitals to help with retention.
The relaxation rooms, or lavender rooms, feature massage chairs and spa music to help nurses unwind when they get a break.
"They were designed by our associates," Ms. Fields said. "We let them pick what went in the room and what they were going to look like."
Mercy Health also offers a free tuition program, which helps people pursue their own career path with free tuition for multiple programs.
For hospital and health system leaders struggling with recruitment and retention, Ms. Fields encouraged flexibility and resilience.
"We need to help [employees] stay connected to what we call their 'why,'" she said. "Why they got into healthcare in the first place. What is it about them that makes them want to provide compassionate care to their patients? I think we just need to invest in them, whether it's a mentorship program or lifelong learning."