Overview
The challenge
Many millennial nurses want to build their early careers by gaining a variety of different experiences. As a result, acute care hospitals aren’t just competing against each other as they try to be an employer of choice. They are also competing against ambulatory surgical centers, retail clinics, and outpatient offices.
The organizations
- Greenwich Hospital, a 206-bed regional hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut, and part of Yale New Haven Health System, introduced blended roles to manage high patient volumes.
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, a 621-bed pediatric hospital headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, introduced blended roles to give nurses a broader understanding of the care continuum.
The approach
Frontline nurses split their time between two units or sites of care. The goal is to enable staff to expand their breadth of experience without altogether leaving their role—or the organization.
The result
Participants in both programs report improved job satisfaction as well as appreciation in forming connections with patients and families outside of their home unit.