The Employment Report

May 29, 2008 – Active Communications International, Inc. (ACI) announced their 1st annual Nurse Recruitment and Retention Conference being held July 24-25 in Chicago, IL.

The U.S. is facing a severe nursing shortage. Already, and estimated 8.5% of the nursing positions in the U.S. are unfilled, and some expect that number to triple by 2020 as 80 million baby boomers retire and expand the ranks of those needing care. Hospital administrators and nurses’ advocates have declared a staffing crisis as the nursing shortage hits its 10th year, the longest stretch in 50 years.

In 2007, 55% of nurses reported their intention to retire between 2011 and 2020. In addition, there are currently 500,000 registered nurses who are not currently practicing their profession. Due to this nursing shortage, hospitals are forced to become more creative and aggressive with their recruitment and retention programs.

This conference will highlight the best case studies presented by America’s top hospitals ranked by US News and Magnet Status facilities. Senior level administrators and industry leaders from America’s best nursing programs will share their latest experiences and key strategies on how to:
-Implement cost-effective strategies for nurse retention and recruitment
-Create new hire support programs that work
-Attract and retain new graduate nurses by collaborating with local nursing schools
-Successfully transition new graduate nurses into the workplace
-Achieve Magnet Status and use it as a recruitment and retention tool
-Retain the retired and soon-to-be retired nurse

The conference is by invitation only and will allow 75 attendees. Key speakers include:

Wilhelmina Manzano, Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer: NEW YORK-PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL, New York, NY: In this presentation, attendees will learn the key strategies implemented by New York Presbyterian Hospital to promote and enhance the role of nurse leaders. They will hear the process for aligning organizational goals, creating a performance-based incentive program, organizational talent review and leadership succession planning. The presentation will highlight the outcomes related to nursing and hospital performance.

Juanita Parry, Director of Nurse Recruitment and Retention: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH SYSTEM, Ann Arbor, MI: Attendees will learn what to do when the nurses at their institutions ask for new and different ways of celebrating National Nurses Week (NNW), creative solutions of how the University of Michigan retention team addressed the challenges of the divergent expectations of the nursing staff and the goalsof the nursing strategic plan as well as skills in developing a simple online survey to find how nurses at their facility would like to be recognized and celebrated during NNW.

Arlene Koch, New Hire Support and Retention Coordinator and Clinical Education Specialist: METHODIST MEDICAL CENTER OF ILLINOIS, Peoria, IL: Attendees will learn the tools necessary for implementing an RN New Hire Support Program, the job description and necessity of haveing a “New Hire Support and Retention Coordinator”, and how to apply the New Hire Support Program results: nurses retained, dollars saved, and how this impacts the bottom line.

Steve Taranto, Director of Human Resources: MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL, Boston, MA: Attendees will learn how Human Resources and Nursing can partner to achieve optimal recruitment and retention outcomes, Human Resources role in achieving Magnet Degination, and the values of achieving AARP Best Employer and Working Mother Best Company Status.

Diana Halfer, Clinical and Organizational Development: CHILDREN’S MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, Chicago, IL: Attendees will learn how to identify what new graduate nurses are searching for in future employees, successful mentoring activities for the first year of employment, and practices used to improve novice nurse recruitment and retention.

Anne Scharm, Director, OD, Recruitment and Retention, Cassie Seibt, Team Leader of Nursing Resource, Michele McClelland, VP of Human Resources, Susan Hermann, Director of Professional Practice and Magnet Designation: DELNOR HEALTH SYSTEM, Geneva, IL: Attendees will learn how to build upon their current culture to find new graduates, develop new graduates and retain them within their organization, how adjust their plan along the way through various methods of feedback internally and externally, and how to build a partnership between recruitment and nursing to create a solid process from beginning to end.

Barbara Jo Johnson, Senior VP, Human Resources Development: CENTEGRA HEALTH SYSTEM, Crystal Lake, IL: Attendees will learn the importance and key features of the Red Carpet Clinical Rotation and the Alumni Nurse Program, how to create, assess and maintain a successful Red Carpet Clinical Rotation, and how to create, assess and maintain a successful Alumni Nurse Program.

Elizabeth Sheriden, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Chief Nursing Executive, SOUTH JERSEY HEALTHCARE, Vineland, NJ: Attendees will learn how to achieve low vacancy rates through strategic recruitment efforts, how to attain employee loyalty resulting in retention, and how to reduce agency staff through in-house incentive programs.

Nelson Tuazon, Senior VP, Chief Nursing Officer: EAST ORANGE GENERAL HOSPITAL, East Orange, NJ: Attendees will learn how to utilize out-of-the box approaches in promoting effective recruitment and retention strategies, the negative and unintended consequences of sign-on bonuses along with some time-tested and well-proven strategies, the strategies utilized by a small urban community hospital in eliminating $3 million agency costs, decreasing vacancy rates to less than 5% and increasing retention rates to greater than 95% in 28 months.

Herminia Shermont, Director of Nursing and Patient Services Surgical Program, Deborah Krepcio, Educational Clinical Nurse Specialist: CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL BOSTON, Boston, MA: Attendees will learn how to foster improved collaboration and relations among staff and leadership in their program, how to develop a program that defines clear role responsibilities for all staff in the areas of partnership, coaching and collaboration, communication and promoting a sense of belonging and holding staff and leadership accountable for fulfilling their role obligations, how to promote group cohesion/support with higher levels of staff satisfaction by utilizing different vehicles to improve collaboration and communication (Lunch Bunch, Preceptor Group, Huddles, Patient Directed Information Sessions), and how to identify successful strategies in changing a culture.

Tom Zinda, Director, Recruitment and Employment Branding: WHEATON FRANCISCAN HEALTHCARE, Milwaukee, WI: Attendees will learn how to create a strong employee brand, how to think “outside the box”, and the best ways to plan a hiring event.

For more information contact:

Liza Scalf, National Events Manager
Phone: (414) 221-1700 x 127
Fax: (414) 221-1900
Email: lscalf@acius.net
www.acius.net

Active Communications International, Inc. (ACI) is a leader in conference planning and production. With offices in Chicago, London, Montpellier and Milwaukee, we produce world-class events focusing on areas of most relevence to our served industry sectors. We are dedicated to deliver high-quality, informative and value added strategic business conferences where audience members, speakers and sponsors can transform their business, develop key industry contacts and walk away with new resources.