Perioperative Staffing:Mission Critical

Deborah Marie Ebert, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, CCRN-K, CPAN, CAPA

Associate Vice-president Perioperative Services

Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center

Houston, Texas

I have nothing to disclose.

Grateful Appreciation to the Recruitment and Retention Task Force 2.0

Task Force Members

Debbie Ebert, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, CCRN-K, CPAN, CAPA (chair)

Larry Asplin, MSN, RN, CSSM, CNOR

Andrea Barron, BSN, RN, CNOR

Elena Canacari, BSN, RN, CNOR

Patricia DeFrehn, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC

Donna Doyle, DNP, RN, CNOR, NE-BC

Leilani Salimone, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR

LynnMarie Verzino, MHA, BSN, RN, NE-BC

Kristy Simmons, MSN, RN, CNOR (AORN BOD liaison)

Erin Kyle, DNP, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC (AORN staff liaison)

Objectives

current challenges associated with recruitment and retention of perioperative nurses

Review

AORN resources created by Recruitment and Retention Task Force 2.0

Identify

strategies to recruit talent and improve retention of perioperative nurses

Discuss

Current State of Nursing

• 6,000,000 more nurses need to meet global demand

• One in 6 nurses will retire in the next 10 years

• Periop nursing shortage includes staff nurses and leaders

• Severe shortage in academic setting

oOne-third expected to retire by 2025

Challenges Associated with Recruitment and Retention of Nurses • Cost to train 1 perioperative

nurse = $120,000.00

• 9% vacancy rate for full-time periop positions

• 48% of respondents reported procedures cancelled due to staffing

• Average length to hire an experienced periop RN = 115 days48% of respondents reported procedures cancelled length to hire an experienced peri days

Creating a Healthy Perioperative Practice Environment

• Workplace/culture of safety

• Collaborative practice

• Zero tolerance

• Encouragement of professional practice

• Accountability

• Communication-rich

• Diversity, equity and inclusion

• Continuous quality improvement

• Recognition of value of contributions

• Shared decision making

• Professional development/learning

• Expert, credible, authentic, visible leadership

• Resilience and well-being support

• Effective staffing

R&R 2.0 Initiatives

1

1 Explore creative methods of recruitment of novice and experienced nurses to the perioperative specialty.

2

2. Explore and recommend strategies to increase diversity in perioperative nursing.

3

3. Develop resources to assist educators and managers/directors in recruitment and retention.

4

4. Develop a template for succession planning key management positions in the operating room.

5

5. Develop options for utilizing retired or soon to be retired perioperative nurses in facilities.

• Surgical Services Open House

• Behind the Mask | AORN - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjXMU3yDvmk&t=4s

• eBook- HOW TO RECRUIT& RETAIN PERIOPERATIVE NURSES Amid a Nursing Shortage

• Guidelines and Clinical Resources>Tool Kits>Recruitment & Retention

Initiative #1

Explore creative methods of recruitment of novice and experienced nurses to the perioperative specialty.

• Building a diverse team

• Fostering an inclusive culture, and

• Investing in equity across our association.

• 6 DEI Teams formed to develop action plans | board members and 33 staff volunteers

• Tool Kit developed and added to Guidelines and Clinical Resources>Tool Kits>Recruitment & Retention

Initiative #2

Explore and recommend strategies to increase diversity in perioperative nursing.

Tool Kit developed and added to Guidelines and Clinical Resources>Tool Kits>Recruitment & Retention

AORN Creative Team Formatting

Initiative #3

Develop resources to assist educators and managers/directors in recruitment and retention.

• Leadership Succession Planning Tool (Algorithm, Info on interview screening, Leader attributes and 9 Box Model)

• Succession Planning Template (Tracks high risk and high potentials)

• Guidelines and Clinical Resources>Tool Kits>Recruitment & Retention>Leadership Development

Initiative #4

Develop a template for succession planning key management positions in the operating room.

• White Paper

Guidelines and Clinical Resources>Tool Kits>Recruitment & Retention

AORN Creative Team Formatting

Initiative #5

Develop options for utilizing retired or soon to be retired perioperative nurses in facilities.

Summary

• A sense of urgency is required to secure a stable work force.

• AORN Tools offer strategies to support recruitment and retention.

• A new paradigm is needed to recruit, train and retain nurses

• Nursing leaders are key in providing healthy work environments for perioperative nurses that:• Recruit and retain perioperative nurses

• Celebrate inclusivity

• Cultivate resilience

Crowdsourcing

Questions to Ponder

• Are we preparing nursing students for the reality of nursing?

• Are we engaging youth early enough in the education spectrum?

• How is travel nursing impacting your facility?

• Have mandatory vaccinations impacted retention?

• What retention strategies have you implemented?

• What methodologies are in place to build team resilience in both front line and leaders ?

• What, if any changes have you made in your scheduling matrix due to staffing shortages?

Breakout Session

References

1. Ferguson SL and Williams MA. The lamp still burns: Nurses on the forefront of COVID-19, health disparities, and gender inequalities. Nursing Economic$. 2021;38(5):252-253.

2. Vortman R and McPherson S. The state of the perioperative nursing specialty workforce: A concern for executive nurse leaders. Nurse Leader. 2021;19(3):281-288.

3. Stamps DC, Foley SM, Gales J et al. Nurse leaders advocate for nurses across a health care system: COVID-19. Nurse Leader. 2020; 19(2):159-164.

4. Wyatt D. Our shared purpose: Diversity, equity, and inclusion. AORN Journal. 2021;113(2):131-133.

5. Jung D, Latham C, Fortes K, and Schwartz M. Using holistic admissions in prelicensure programs to diversify the nursing workforce. Journal of Professional Nursing. 2021;37:359-365.

6. Thompson RA. Increasing racial/ethnic diversification of nursing faculty in higher ed is needed now. Journal of Professional Nursing. 2021;37:A1-A3.

7. Edmonson C and Marshall J. Keeping the human in health care human capital: Challenges and solutions for RNs in the next decade. Nurse Leader.2020;18(2):130-134.

8. Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). AORN Position Statement on a Healthy Perioperative Practice Environment. Published June 30, 2021. https://www.aorn.org/-/media/aorn/guidelines/position-statements/posstat-healthyperioppracenv-0721.pdf. Accessed Sept. 18, 2021.

9. Stanton C. Action needed to stop lateral violence in the perioperative setting. AORN Journal. 2015;101(5):P7-P9.

10. American Nurses Association. Mental health help for nurses. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/hnhn/2017-year-of-the-healthy-nurse/mental-health-wellness/. Accessed Sept. 18, 2021.

Thank you for your time and contribution.

• Deborah Marie Ebert, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, CCRN-K, CPAN, CAPA• Associate Vice-president Perioperative Services

• Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center• Houston, TX• Deborah.ebert@memoralhermann.org• 702.592.0417