Do Temporary Nurses Help or Hurt the Staffing Problem

MEMORANDUM

To: XXXX XXXXXX, JD, LLM, Assistant Professor

From: XXX X XXX

Date: March 31, 2023

Subject: Advice to Human Resource Practitioners on Managing Pros and Cons of Traveling Healthcare Workers

I am writing to provide advice to human resource practitioners on how to manage the pros and cons of traveling healthcare workers. This topic is of great importance as it directly impacts the staffing and operational needs of healthcare organizations. In this memo, I will break down my findings into four categories: causes of the issue/concern/topic importance, behaviors or attitudes resulting from the issue/concern/topic, performance implications, and recommendations.

1. Causes of the Issue of Concern

The need for traveling healthcare workers has increased in recent years due to various factors, including an aging population, a shortage of healthcare professionals in certain areas, and the need for specialized care. Although traveling healthcare workers provide many benefits, such as filling staffing gaps and providing specialized care, there are also potential drawbacks, including decreased continuity of care and increased costs. The importance of managing the pros and cons of traveling healthcare workers is crucial for healthcare organizations to ensure optimal patient care while also managing costs.

The issue of traveling healthcare workers can elicit a range of opinions and perspectives depending on the stakeholders involved. Some general feelings from different perspectives include:

From the perspective of top managers:

Top managers may view traveling healthcare workers as a necessary solution to staffing gaps or as a way to bring in specialized expertise (Gamble, 2002). However, they also tend to be concerned about the direct and indirect costs as well as the impact on the organization's reputation and may be hesitant to rely too heavily on outside workers.

From the perspective of middle and lower managers:

Middle and lower managers may see traveling healthcare workers as a valuable resource that can help them meet staffing needs. However, they may also be concerned about the potential challenges of integrating these workers into their teams and ensuring continuity of care. They may also be responsible for overseeing the work of traveling healthcare workers, which can be challenging if they are not familiar with the organization's policies and procedures (Spurk & Straub, 2020).

From the perspective of employees themselves:

Permanent staff may view traveling healthcare workers as a potential threat to their job security or as a source of competition for shifts and resources. They may also view traveling healthcare workers as a valuable resource for filling staffing gaps or providing specialized care, and may welcome their support. Employees may also have concerns about the quality of care provided by traveling healthcare workers and the potential impact on patient outcomes.

2. Behaviors or Attitudes Resulting from the Issue

The use of traveling healthcare workers can lead to various behaviors and attitudes among healthcare professionals. Permanent staff may feel threatened by the presence of traveling workers, leading to decreased morale and increased turnover. Additionally, traveling healthcare workers may feel disconnected from the organization and its culture, leading to decreased engagement and commitment to patient care. These behaviors and attitudes can have a significant impact on the overall performance of healthcare organizations.

3. Performance Implications for Organizations and Human Resource Practitioners:

The performance implications of traveling healthcare workers are significant for both organizations and human resource practitioners. While these workers can fill staffing gaps and provide specialized care, there are also potential drawbacks, including decreased continuity of care and increased costs.

Patients often develop relationships with their healthcare providers over time, and these relationships can be disrupted when a traveling worker is brought in to provide care (Altman et al., 2019). Patients may feel uncomfortable sharing personal information with a healthcare provider they have never met before, which can negatively impact the quality of care they receive.

Another potential drawback of using traveling healthcare workers is increased costs. These workers are often paid more than permanent staff, and facilities may also incur additional expenses related to travel, housing, and other logistics. In some cases, the cost of using traveling healthcare workers can outweigh the benefits they provide.

There is also the fact that relying on traveling healthcare workers fails to address the underlying issues that lead to the need for this practice in the first place. For instance, burnout can be a major factor in the nursing shortage, causing decreased job satisfaction, cynicism, and a lack of engagement. Anxiety and depression can lead to absenteeism, decreased productivity, and poor decision-making (Fond et al., 2020). It becomes a vicious circle in which nursing shortage is worsened. These issues can have a significant impact on the overall performance of healthcare organizations, including increased healthcare costs and decreased patient satisfaction. If these underlying causes are not addressed, the issue of traveling healthcare workers, which is a symptom of the cultural problem underneath, major problems in nursing will continue.

Human resource practitioners must take a proactive approach to manage the pros and cons of traveling healthcare workers to prevent these performance implications. This may include developing policies and procedures to manage the use of traveling workers, addressing morale and engagement concerns among permanent staff, and monitoring costs associated with traveling healthcare workers.

4. Recommendations:

Based on my research, I recommend that healthcare organizations and human resource practitioners take the following steps to manage the pros and cons of traveling healthcare workers: The organization should develop policies and procedures to manage the use of traveling healthcare workers. This may include guidelines for when and how traveling healthcare workers are used, expectations for communication and collaboration with permanent staff, and requirements for training and orientation. The organization should also address morale and engagement concerns among permanent staff to ensure a positive and productive work environment. This may include providing opportunities for permanent staff to provide input on the use of traveling healthcare workers, promoting a culture of inclusion and collaboration, and recognizing and rewarding the contributions of all staff members.