Pennsylvania hospitals' efforts to grow the healthcare workforce helped reduce turnover rates by an average of 28% for key positions statewide over the past year.
The finding is from a report released Jan. 30 by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, which surveyed hospitals from Oct. 17 to Nov. 27 about their efforts to recruit, retain and develop workers.
Nearly 100 Pennsylvania hospitals participated in the survey, representing every region of the state and more than half of licensed beds of HAP member hospitals. Positions surveyed were:
- Nursing support staff
- Certified nurse midwives
- Certified registered nurse practitioners
- Certified registered nurse anesthetists
- Staff registered nurses providing direct patient care
- Respiratory therapists
- Medical assistants
- Radiologic technologists/technicians
- Phlebotomists
- Clinical nurse specialists
- Physician assistants
- Medical technologists/lab technician
Here are six results from the survey.
1. Nearly all hospitals increased base pay (97%) and offered flexible work schedules (95%).
2. More than half of hospitals (56%) offered sign-on, schedule-based, and/or referral bonuses, and 49% of hospitals offered retention bonuses.
3. Thirty-nine percent of hospitals provide childcare.
4. Nearly all hospitals (99%) are partnering with community colleges and four-year colleges/universities to develop healthcare workers, and 92% of hospitals are working with high schools.
5. More than half of hospitals have partnerships with trade/technical schools and/or community organizations.
6. Nearly all hospitals have implemented violence prevention strategies such as staff education on safety protocols (97%) and enhanced security measures (95%).
View the full survey results here.