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      Mary Flahive-Dickson says many people want to remain in healthcare, but not in acute-care settings because of stress and burnout.
each two nurses on a shift, but HMC is now shooting for a one-to-one ratio. “The feedback from nurses has been tremendous,” Hatiras said. “Given everything going on, we think this is a good solution.”
It’s a way to reduce the burnout factor, which is real and significant, Flahive-Dickson said. When it’s not chasing healthcare workers toward early retirement, she noted, it’s making others
more picky about their work setting. Her staffing agency hears from some clients who want to stay away from high- stress hospital and acute- care settings, and ask instead about shifts in schools, clin- ics, camps, and the like.
Berman said his indus- try has long had to stay on message simply because the role of a nurse in a skilled- nursing facility has never been the most glamorous- sounding job. While some people have a passion and calling for it, others need to be persuaded that this is ful- filling work, he noted.
“Everyone is looking for staff, and everyone is being bombarded with different messages recruiting people. That becomes more chal-
lenging for us.”
Some organizations have become creative in
building their own talent pipeline. Faced with a shortage of CNAs in the region, Legacy Lifecare created its own school, covering the cost of train-
ing for several dozen individuals so far and hiring many of them.
Likewise, Golden Years offers a 75-hour home health aide certification course, a $1,200 to $1,500 value, for free. “We’re giving them an edu- cation and certifying them and, in return, ask them to sign on for six months,” Flahive-Dickson said. “It’s one of the ways we try to offset the
incredible need that COVID posed.”
Hatiras understands that other industries are
facing similar headwinds when it comes to the availability and rising cost of talent. “You’ve seen everyone struggle. Look at the restaurant indus- try. When I see McDonald’s advertising high pay
“I don’t think this is going to be a short-lived situation. It’s going to take a long time to dig out from under ... you can’t refresh the pipeline immediately.”
rates and tuition reimbursement, you know how bad things are.
“I don’t think this is going to be a short-lived situation,” he added. “It’s going to take a long time to dig out from under ... you can’t refresh the pipeline immediately.”
Steve Walsh, president and CEO of the Massa- chusetts Health & Hospital Assoc., took a similar perspective during a recent meeting of the Health Policy Commission’s advisory council.
“I get that people fully want to go back to some semblance of normal,” he said, “but our health- care organizations don’t have that option.” u
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
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