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Staffing shortages are probably here to stay, unfortunately, and for a variety of reasons. These shortages can lead to significant problems for hospitals and their staff. The good news is that hospital staff scheduling software can ensure that your institution has the staff it needs to meet demand.
Top Issues with Healthcare Staffing
High turnover
Turnover rates are skyrocketing. In 2023, the national turnover rate was 18.4% for RNs and as high as 8.4% for primary care providers.
Increased expenses
High turnover rates contribute to understaffing, which in turn leads to burnout and higher turnover rates. Turnover also costs money, which makes it hard for already-strapped hospitals to hire new workers. In fact, the average cost to replace just one bedside RN is $46,100; the average hospital loses between $5.2 million and $9 million replacing bedside RNs.
Absenteeism
Overworked employees are likely to call in sick or simply not show up, and their absenteeism can ratchet up burnout and stress on the remaining workers. Absenteeism is especially stressful during flu season and other high-use seasons.
Overtime and overscheduling
While hiring is expensive, paying overtime is also costly. What’s more, scheduling too much overtime through traditional physician scheduling modes can cause burnout and absenteeism, which is eventually counterproductive to adequate staffing measures.
Overscheduling happens when staff members work back-to-back shifts without any downtime or work too many shifts too close together. While most staff members enjoy squeezing in an extra shift now and then, excessive overscheduling can lead to burnout and medical errors.
Scheduling vacation time
Vacation time is important to every worker, of course, but especially to those working in the high-stress environment of a hospital. Vacations provide opportunities to rest, take care of family, and tend to important personal business. To be effective and meaningful to the worker, though, vacation time must be the right length and at the right time, which can be challenging for emergency medicine scheduling systems.
Unfortunately, many hospitals that struggle to give healthcare staff adequate time off between shifts often find it nearly impossible to provide proper vacation time or extended sick leave. This is especially true for institutions that don’t use hospital staff shift scheduling software.
Shift swapping
Shift swapping is a healthcare worker’s best friend, but it can be somewhat of a nightmare for administration – especially in facilities that do not use hospital staff scheduling software that allows workers to swap shifts without having to involve a scheduling manager. Without the ability to trade shifts themselves, workers may call in sick or fail to show up.
Hospital Staff Scheduling Software to the Rescue
Hospital staff scheduling software may be your most effective tool against common staffing issues. The innovative technology of ByteBloc allows hospitals to post up-to-date schedules online, maintain control over these shifts through advanced features, automate on/off requests, and more. Providers love ByteBloc because it gives them 24/7 access to personalized schedules, mobile apps, and the ability to request shifts, time on/off, and vacation time. Perhaps most importantly, ByteBloc allows them to swap and even split shifts.
For more information on how hospital staff scheduling software can help your organization deal with staffing problems, consult with ByteBloc.
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