Moffitt ‘thinking outside the box’ to address nursing shortage
TAMPA, Fla. - This week is National Nurses Week and as healthcare facilities face a growing nursing shortage, recruiters say it highlights the need to show appreciation for the hard work nurses do daily.
The Florida Hospital Association projects a deficit of nearly 60,000 nurses by 2035 if nothing is done to address the shortage.
"It is of the utmost importance that we have qualified individuals to take care of patients," Weaver Jones, supervisor of talent acquisition for nursing at Moffitt said. "And, you know, one thing that makes Moffitt attractive is our staffing ratios. We have some of the best staffing ratios in the Tampa Bay area."
File: Nurse in hospital.
To help with the growing nationwide shortages, Moffitt is getting creative by partnering with local nursing schools and offering more incentives and new programs.
READ: Fewer nurses passing licensing exams in Florida as critical shortage continues
Moffitt has also teamed up with the University of South Florida and Nova Southeastern University to launch the accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.
"With that, we pay for their scholarship if they're in the accelerator program. And so that's helped to bring a lot of nurses into the organization," Jones explained.
File: Nurse at a computer in hospital.
Recruiters are also expanding their efforts to include out-of-state job fairs and events.
"We have expanded our reach for our residency programs nationally, as well as with our local partners here in Florida. And we've also expanded our outreach to Puerto Rico," Liza Bryant, Director of Talent Acquisition said.
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Understanding the importance of nurses and the work they do every day, especially for patients at Moffitt Cancer Center.
File: Nurse in hospital.
"So many people in the community have been touched by cancer, whether it was a family member or friend, and the opportunity to work with Moffitt and to be a part of that research and that care is so important to nurses," Bryant said.
Moffitt is set to open its new Moffitt McKinley Hospital in July and is looking to hire several nurses in preparation for the opening.