{"id":11684,"date":"2020-03-24T14:07:40","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T18:07:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advertise.nurse.com\/?p=11684"},"modified":"2025-08-18T13:10:44","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T17:10:44","slug":"maneuvers-hiring-nurses-during-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nurse.com\/solutions\/blog\/maneuvers-hiring-nurses-during-coronavirus","title":{"rendered":"Maneuvers for Hiring Nurses During COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"

High-tech tools and inventive moves can keep recruiters on the go.<\/h2>\n

Will nurse recruiters ever catch a break? Recruiters are all too familiar with the uphill battle of hiring during normal<\/em> challenges, such as the nursing shortage. But now we have the perfect storm as recruiters struggle even more with hiring nurses during the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n

Recruiters are now trying to pull off one of the greatest feats ever \u2014 pulling nurses out of thin air. Let\u2019s find out how to make that happen during a pandemic.<\/p>\n

Lisa Marie May is the senior director of talent acquisition with Avamere Health Services, a provider of skilled nursing facilities in nine states and headquartered in Wilsonville, Ore. May sees a trend where it appears nurses are not too keen on leaving their current positions.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing impacting recruiting, we have clinical people staying put and not willing to move on to new employment,\u201d she said. \u201cWith skilled clinical professionals, the number of people in our applicant pool has dropped, and not as many people are applying.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Given the high demand for nurses, the dangers of healthcare jobs, and the idea that no one can feasibly predict the fallout from COVID-19, \u00a0job change at a time like this is considered a risky and disruptive move.<\/p>\n

What does fewer applicants mean for healthcare facilities hiring nurses during coronavirus?<\/h3>\n

To minimize stress and disruption, it only makes sense that nurses want to keep their existing jobs and the familiarity that goes with their surroundings, May said. It not only helps nurses preserve their own well-being, but also their patients’ well-being too.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the caring nature of the (healthcare) staff, that they don\u2019t want to interrupt what is going on because they are dedicated to the patients and don\u2019t want to disrupt the continuum of care,\u201d May said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Admittedly, that kind of dedication comes with a double-edged sword, especially for organizations in dire need of clinical staff, which includes rural locations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe already have a shortage<\/a>, so it impacts recruiting even more,\u201d May said.<\/p>\n

Virtual interviews, meetings become common<\/h3>\n

Face-to-face interviews probably feel like a distant memory and a luxury offering that once helped your candidates get a warm, fuzzy feeling during the hiring process. But now with our social distancing marching orders in place, that leaves recruiters swapping in-person interviews for virtual meetings.<\/p>\n

Lisa Rangel spent 13 years in recruiting. She\u2019s the founder and managing director of Chameleon Resumes<\/a>, a Rutherford, N.J., company, with clients in sectors including healthcare, legal and finance.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of clients are asking if coronavirus will slow down hiring,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a great question for healthcare recruiters to ask during a time when several other job sectors have already collapsed and \u00a0unemployment claims<\/a> are on the rise.<\/p>\n

Even with quarantines in place, we have workarounds to help recruiters stay one step ahead. High-tech tools such as Zoom, MS Teams and Slack makes virtual interviews a reality, she said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

WebEx and UBER Conference also provide video or audio-conferencing capability, adding to the toolkit for professionals recruiting nurses during COVID-19.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind, sometimes video conferencing only provides audio, not the live video portion, according to May. As a reminder, this can make an interview feel impersonal, and candidates don\u2019t always like the experience under normal circumstances.<\/p>\n

But given our unique situation in the middle of a pandemic, hopefully candidates will show some compassion.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Society for Human Resource Management<\/a> (SHRM) reports that recruiters also are using Skype, Google Hangouts and BlueJeans to connect recruiters with candidates,<\/p>\n

SHRM reminds recruiters to prepare candidates for a virtual interview.<\/p>\n