Filling nursing roles at medical and care facilities is proving to be a growing challenge, and many operations are increasingly turning to travel nurse staffing services companies for help. In some instances, bringing in travel nurses may even actually help an organization save money. These four issues are worth taking into account if your organization is thinking about travel nurse staffing options.

Skills

Finding nurses who'll hire on to handle skill-based jobs is not always simple, and a staffing agency may be the fastest way to put someone on the job. Depending upon current bed occupancies, for example, a hospital may need to add additional skilled nurses due to a highly unpredictable spike in cases. Maintaining the contract until the spike dies down will allow the facility to meet patients' needs without committing to a longer contract. It's also possible that a hospital that cannot attract candidate, such as one in a very remote rural region, might impress a travel nurse enough to be able to turn the temporary position in a full-time hire.

Costs

It is common for medical facilities to be up against such difficulties in staffing that they end up saving money by working with travel nurse staffing firms. If the current staff is at the point that significant amounts of overtime are being logged, a travel nurse may cut costs even if their pay is actually higher than other staff members. Additional cost benefit may accrue from not dealing with issues like added workers' compensation insurance outlays.

Retention Rates

Given that travel nurses often cycle in and out of positions at hospitals and other medical operations, they can ensure that jobs remain filled. If a current nurse is rotated out every three to six months, the travel nurse staffing services provider will send a replacement. This can improve retention, ultimately addressing problems with positions, such as RNs, that can be prone to burnout.

What Nurses Get From It

Travel nurses have the chance to see the country, as many agencies have contracts with clients in multiple states. If someone isn't sure where they'd like to settle down to establish a career, or they simply don't find putting down roots appealing, this gives them a chance to spread their wings and see what the rest of the country has to offer. Most agencies do, however, expect a year of practical nursing experience prior to hiring someone.

Contact a company like SOS Healthcare Staffing for more information and assistance.