For CNOs who want to improve nurse retention, it's important to identify the biggest hurdles.
On this episode of HL Shorts, we hear from Abby Rudy, VP of Nursing, Adult Critical Care at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, about the biggest barriers to nurse retention in 2025. Tune in to hear her insights.
This health system's virtual nursing program has matured into a scalable and sustainable care model since last year.
Virtual nursing is quickly becoming a staple of care delivery in nursing workflows. Creative program expansion is what will keep the ball rolling for health systems who want to continue exploring the technology's potential.
Derek Godino, senior director of nursing at Geisinger, recently gave HealthLeaders an update on the health system's virtual nursing progress over the past year.
Godino is part of the HealthLeaders Virtual Nursing Mastermind program, which brings together several health systems to discuss the ins and outs of their virtual nursing programs and what their goals are for now and the future.
New year, new goals
In 2024, Geisinger had several goals for virtual nursing: to open up the workforce by creating a new role to consider, to improve care quality, and to boost nurse and patient engagement and experience. According to Godino, the program has matured into a scalable and sustainable care model.
"We've optimized workflows and refined our onboarding and training protocols," Godino said.
Additionally, Geisinger has put emphasis on integrating virtual nursing into many different aspects of nursing workflows.
"We've also strengthened our interdisciplinary partnerships and improved the integration of virtual nurses into daily clinical routines," Godino said, "enhancing team cohesion and patient experience."
Going forward, the health system plans to expand virtual nursing services into transitional care and chronic disease management in the post-acute and ambulatory spaces, Godino explained. New technologies are also on the horizon for the program.
"From a technology perspective, we are exploring AI-powered decision support tools, biometric monitoring integration, and more advanced virtual rounding capabilities to improve efficiency and patient engagement," Godino said.
The current strategy
Godino explained that the biggest challenge so far has been ensuring consistent technology infrastructure across sites due to infrastructure requirements and limitations. As of right now, Geisinger is working with two to three primary vendors for technology platforms, hardware, and support services.
"This number has slightly decreased as we've consolidated, to streamline integration and support," Godino said. "We anticipate this may change as we evaluate new partnerships for expansion into outpatient settings or adopt more sophisticated analytics and AI tools."
The health system's staffing strategy has moved towards blending experienced nurses who want flexible or alternative roles with nurses who have specialized skillsets that are ideal for remote care, Godino explained.
"We've aligned our recruitment and retention strategies with these profiles and have invested in remote work support and engagement programs to maintain a strong sense of team identity," Godino said.
To measure the program's results, Geisinger is looking at clinical outcomes, such as falls, readmissions, and escalation events, and operational outcomes, such as staff satisfaction and time savings. Godino said they are also looking at financial metrics, like cost avoidance and length of stay.
"Early data has shown positive trends, particularly in nurse workload reduction and improved patient communication, with ongoing efforts to quantify broader ROI," Godino said.
Onward and upward
Moving forward, Geisinger is looking beyond just virtual nursing. According to Godino, the program will serve as a critical connector between inpatient discharge and outpatient follow-up, specifically for care coordination, chronic condition management, and the Geisinger at Home program.
"By embedding virtual nurses into these models, we can provide continuous, proactive support and reinforce care plan adherence, reducing unnecessary readmissions and improving patient satisfaction," Godino said.
The biggest surprise so far, for Godino, has been how quickly both nurses and patients have adapted to the virtual nursing program.
"The acceptance and appreciation from patients, especially around responsiveness and continuity of care, have exceeded expectations," Godino said.
The HealthLeaders Mastermind seriesis an exclusive series of calls and events with healthcare executives. This Virtual NursingMastermind series features ideas, solutions, and insights intoexcelling your virtual nursing program.Please join the community at our LinkedIn page.
To inquire about participating in an upcoming Mastermind series or attending a HealthLeaders Exchange event, email us at exchange@healthleadersmedia.com.
Solving for staffing, burnout, and workplace violence issues will require thinking differently about solutions, says this CEO.
HealthLeaders spoke to Phil Dickison, CEO of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), about the 2024 National Nursing Workforce Study and what CNOs should take from it. Tune in to hear his insights.
As CNOs deal with nursing shortages, it's critical to understand why they are happening.
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) recently published the latest 2024 National Nursing Workforce Study which surveyed 800,000 nurses about the state of the nursing workforce.
According to the study, there are five main reasons that nurses are leaving, according to the data. According to Phil Dickison, CEO of NCSBN, solving these issues will take thinking differently.
"Every one of those numbers is a voice, it is not simply a number on a page," Dickison said in regard to the survey participants. "My argument is that [as leaders] we need to be better about…listening to these voices of the nurses before we invoke solutions."
Prioritizing nurse wellbeing has an impact on the entire workforce, not just nurses, says this nurse thought leader.
On this episode of HL Shorts, we hear from Diane Sieg, Registered Nurse, Author, Coach, and Creator of the Well-Being Coaching Initiative, about how health systems benefit from prioritizing nurse wellbeing. Tune in to hear her insights.
There are five major reasons why nurses are departing from the workforce, according to this new study.
As CNOs deal with nursing shortages, it's critical to understand why they are happening.
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) recently published the latest 2024 National Nursing Workforce Study which surveyed 800,000 nurses about the state of the nursing workforce. According to the study, 40% of participants indicated their intention to leave the workforce in the next five years. The study also reported that 138,000 nurses have left the workforce since 2022.
So why is this happening? Let's take a look.
Why nurses are leaving
There are five main reasons that nurses are leaving, according to the data: stress and burnout, workload, understaffing, inadequate salary, and workplace violence. According to Phil Dickison, CEO of NCSBN, solving these issues will take thinking differently.
"Every one of those numbers is a voice, it is not simply a number on a page," Dickison said in regard to the survey participants. "My argument is that [as leaders] we need to be better about…listening to these voices of the nurses before we invoke solutions."
Dickison stated that more data is necessary to determine which nurses are having certain experiences and which ones are having others. For instance, the stress that an ICU nurse faces might be completely different than what a NICU or med surg nurse might experience.
"We need to find this out because we're doing correlations now, but maybe there's better correlations that stress is higher in those areas," Dickison said. "Intuitively…we might believe that, but is it true? And if it is true, then what are the causes of stress in that area?"
Positive outlooks for the industry
Despite what the study suggests about nurses leaving, there are also some positive trends that can be drawn from the data. According to Dickison, one of the positive results has to do with the number of nurses currently in the workforce. The data show that 88% of RNs and 71% of LPN/VNs are actively involved in nursing, which is a sign that employment levels have rebounded since the height of the pandemic.
"We've started to see a rebound in the size or the number of individuals in the workforce," Dickison said. "We started to see that grow in the right direction."
The study also shows that the median age of the nurse workforce went up as experienced nurses begin to return to the workforce. Additionally, 73% of participants hold a baccalaureate degree or higher, which is the highest educational level for nurses that NCSBN has ever documented. The number of Hispanic and Latino nurses has doubled to 7.2% since 2015, and nurses are experiencing a 10-16% increase in median pre-tax income.
A call to action
Dickinson cautions that though these numbers are good, the question remains about whether the workforce is sustainable. While the survey does show moderation for some of these issues, it's critical that the focus remains on solving them.
"I have this fear that because we're showing moderated stress and burnout data that it will somehow become a backburner issue," Dickison said. "Let's not let that happen, because the fact that we moderated it is a good thing, but it is not solved."
Dickison believes CNOs need to continue prioritizing stress, burnout, salary, and workplace violence even though they might be moderated for the time being.
"We need to prioritize that as a moment in time now to go forward and not just talk about solutions, but seek and implement solutions," Dickinson said.
Dickinson also emphasized that these are multifaceted problems, and CNOs alone will not be able to solve these problems.
"What I would argue [for] at this point is somewhat of a call to action within NCSBN and [to] all of our partners, our clinical partners, our practice partners, our education partners, and our policy partners," Dickison said, "because I think this is not a single solution set."
CNOs must provide career pathways and robust wellbeing support systems to improve nurse retention, say these nurse leaders.
In the latest edition of HealthLeaders' The Winning Edge webinar series, a panel of nurse leaders discussed innovative retention strategies that CNOs can use to foster career growth, prioritize wellbeing, and create a more sustainable work environment.
The discussion included three key takeaways: how to support nurses at every career stage, the importance of providing professional development opportunities, and why it's critical to center nurse wellbeing in retention strategies.
CNOs must be ready to support nurses from the beginning to the end of their careers, and throughout life changes, according to these nurse leaders.
Nurses are multifaceted individuals with needs that must be met both at work and at home. CNOs must take the time to understand each nurse's individual needs and goals. The goal should be to create a space where nurses are not afraid to approach leaders with their needs.
CNOs must provide career pathways and robust wellbeing support systems to improve nurse retention, say these nurse leaders.
Retention is struggle for all leaders in healthcare, including CNOs.
Predictions about the nursing workforce are somewhat grim, with many studies suggesting that nurses plan on leaving the workforce in the near future. That coupled with existing shortages and continuing issues with nurse turnover, does not bode well for the industry.
So, while health systems might have different approaches, there are several creative retention strategies that CNOs should take into consideration.
The panel discussion included three key points about retention strategy.
Support at every career stage
Nurses are multifaceted individuals with needs that must be met both at work and at home. CNOs must take the time to understand each nurse's individual needs and goals. For new-to-practice nurses, many of whom are Gen Z, the panelists recommended that nurse leaders meet with them within the first 30 to 90 days of their employment to discuss their career path. Then, come up with a road map for how they can accomplish those goals.
The goal should be to create a space where nurses are not afraid to approach leaders with their needs. Gen Z nurses in particular appreciate emotional connections with the people they work with, according to the panelists, and they enjoy recognition.
For more tenured nurses, the goal is to create opportunities for them to share their knowledge with the next generation of nurses. This might involve having them enter virtual nursing or telehealth positions. For nurses who have family members to care for at home, the panelists emphasized the importance of flexibility. Leaders must be able to empathize and help their nurses navigate through life changes while they continue to work.
Professional development opportunities
Nursing is a dynamic career with many pathways to success, and CNOs are responsible for equipping nurses with the skills they need to grow and mold their careers. Professional development is not only critical to nurse retention, but it is also the key to succession planning and fostering the next generation of nurse leaders.
According to the panelists, CNOs should focus on building leadership pipelines that help bolster the nurse's career path. Nurses should be able to cross train, participate in leadership development, and obtain certifications for other skillsets.
One key benefit that CNOs should consider is tuition assistance. The panelists explained that for many nurses, the cost of certification or continuing education is the one barrier standing in their way. If health systems are able to cover the initial costs up front, that can help lift financial burdens off of nurses who are ready to advance their careers.
Centering wellbeing
CNOs and other nurse leaders must also prioritize nurse wellbeing to maintain the sustainability of the workforce. This is done by creating a work environment that is as safe, efficient, and barrier-free as possible.
First and foremost, health systems must provide mental health support systems for nurses, through EAP programs and other resources. The panelists recommended mental health counseling and stress first aid, which equips nurse leaders with evidence-based stress response practices for when incidents occur. CNOs can also advocate for physical spaces in the health system where nurses can go to find a moment of relaxation in their day.
More specific strategies can include initiatives to improve individual wellbeing. For instance, promoting sleep schedule recommendations for nurses who work a mixture of days and nights. CNOs should get in touch with their workforce to see what their wellness needs are, and then make sure to provide the kinds of support they need.
These nurse leaders are coming together to share leadership strategies in celebration of nurses everywhere.
The nursing industry has grown and changed in many ways, especially in the past five years.
Heavy workloads, burnout, and workplace violence challenges persist, and nurses are departing from the industry, leaving staffing gaps and shortages behind. Despite these challenges, innovation in nursing has taken off, with AI and virtual nursing at the forefront of many CNOs' strategies.
This week is National Nurses Week, meant to celebrate the essential contributions that nurses make in communities worldwide. HealthLeaders is participating in the celebration with a week full of events, beginning with the next webinar in our The Winning Edge series.
Retention is the new recruitment
In the face of staffing shortages, retention is just as important as recruitment for CNOs. To truly build a resilient workforce, nurse leaders must focus on retaining nurses at every stage of their careers, from new graduate nurses contemplating life at the bedside to seasoned professionals nearing retirement and everyone in between.
The Winning Edge for Keeping Nurses Happy will explore innovative retention strategies that CNOs can use to foster career growth, prioritize wellbeing, and create a more sustainable work environment.
G Hatfield, Event Moderator and HealthLeaders CNO Editor
This isn’t just another webinar—it’s your chance to learn from the best in the business and walk away with strategies you can implement immediately. Join us as we face the problems, share solutions, and help you reboot your retention strategy.
Supporting nurse wellbeing is another key consideration for CNOs who want to build a sustainable workforce. Cheryl Reinking, CNO at El Camino Health, recently spoke to HealthLeaders about nurse turnover rates and how they are impacted by burnout and workplace violence.
For CNOs who want to improve retention, Reinking believes the culture of recognition at the frontline is key. Workplace violence prevention is another critical piece of the strategy. Reinking also said they brought in a nurse retention specialist in 2024 to help build professional career development plans for nurses.
For Nurses Week, Reinking will join Alicia Potolsky, associate CNO at El Camino Health, on a panel moderated by Joel Ray, chief clinical advisor at Laudio, where they will discuss how El Camino Health successfully addressed key workforce challenges and improved wellbeing for its nursing staff.
Virtual nursing, AI, and other technological advancements have taken the nursing world by storm with the promise of reducing burdens for nurses at the bedside. Virtual nursing has proven valuable in shortening admission and discharge times, and it provides support at the bedside for patient observation and education.
For Nurses Week, the following leaders in nursing and technology are coming together to discuss the natural progression of virtual patient observation, from focused observation to broader clinical applications, and to demonstrate how virtual nursing creates new clinical pathways for delivering expert care while addressing staffing challenges and maximizing the impact of existing nursing resources.
