Hiring and Retaining Healthcare Professionals
What are optimal ways to hire and retain the 3.5 billion healthcare workers predicted to come into the workforce by 2012? (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Use a proven interviewing technique and an effective mentor program!
For many years, healthcare workers were hired for what they knew, but not how they did their job. Interviewers should ask questions that highlight a person’s skills such as dependability, sensitivity, and problem solving. Ask specific questions that will allow a candidate to explain how they have used these skills on the job. For example:
- Tell about a time you had to deal with an upset person. What did you do?
- Explain a day you went above what was asked for on the job.
As you listen to a candidate’s examples, you will gain a better understanding of not only what they did, but also how they did it. This is the true test for hiring your next healthcare professional.
Using a model from Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, let’s see how a mentor program can help retain workers. You can provide a rich on-boarding experience during the first year by pairing the new hire with a mentor. Mentors utilize their knowledge and experience to serve as an educator, counselor, and guide. A mentor provides 1:1 training during the initial orientation phase and continues as an expert resource during the first year.
Implement a formal application, selection, and training process for mentors. Training workshops should include:
- Coaching principles
- Adult learning concepts
- Effective communication
- Conflict management skills
New healthcare employees report that mentors help them improve their confidence, learn critical thinking skills, and give them much needed encouragement during their first year. At Tri-City Medical Center, instituting a mentor program improved retention by 10% for new healthcare professionals, resulting in savings in recruitment and training costs. It also created a supportive learning environment that improved worker’s first year satisfaction.
Written by Janis Whitaker, JP Whitaker & Associates and Darcy Wright, MBA, Education Program Specialist for Tri-City Medical Center’s Professional Education Department. She was instrumental in launching Tri-City’s Professional Mentor Program in 2004. In 2006, the Mentor Program was a winner of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) PEAK Performance Award. wrightdl@tcmc.com
