Why Some Hospitals Are offering Housing to Candidates

June 30th, 2015

As the battle for the top candidates in the medical industry gets fierce, one hospital is using a unique perk to ensure their staffing needs are met. A Florida-based hospital actually sold off some of their land to a developer to build an apartment complex. The developer agreed to offer special three-month leases to employees of the hospital before opening rentals to the general public, and once all units are filled, hospital workers get placed on the top of the waiting list if desired.

Of course, not all hospitals or medical offices enjoy the luxury of extra land for a housing project, but let’s look more closely at the issue to see if your organization needs to up its game when engaged in the hiring process.

A Useful Perk for attracting Out of State Job Candidates

This Florida hospital felt that convenient housing located close to their facility offered a great perk for out of state recruits interested in relocating to the area for a new job. This makes a lot of sense for the hospital, as the central Florida area is known for poor commutes and the high cost of apartment rentals. This gives them a unique advantage when competing against the other medical establishments in the area for top candidates currently living in another region.

Smart candidates who research a location before considering a move for work are probably aware of the area’s strengths and weaknesses, so medical firms sometimes must offer innovative perks to lure the top talent.

Affordable Housing only one Piece of this Hospital’s Strategy

This new apartment complex, located five minutes away from the medical facility, is part of the hospital’s “health village” concept which hopes to include retail and dining establishments, a parking garage, and a fitness facility with a pool. The hospital’s effort to attract the top medical industry talent provides a good example for medical firms across the country.

If your healthcare organization is looking to improve its hiring efforts, then be sure to talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the top medical staffing agencies in the country, we offer the business insight and quality candidates to help ensure your company’s success. Schedule some time with us today!

Phone Interview Questions for Traveling Healthcare Professional Candidates

June 26th, 2015

If you currently enjoy the lifestyle of a traveling healthcare professional, interviews tend to be a regular part of your career, considering its freelance and contract-based nature. Most assignments generally cover a few months at the most, so expect to interview for a new assignment a few times a year. Naturally, many of these interviews take place over the phone or even on video chat services like Skype.

Here are a few tips for making sure you are ready for the typical set of questions used in healthcare position phone interviews.

Employers are looking for a Cultural Fit from their Traveling Professionals

Of course, healthcare companies want to know your professional abilities are top notch and a portion of any interview will focus on your educational background — and more importantly, your work history. These firms also understand that temporary or traveling employees generally offer exemplary work skills, as one wouldn’t last long as a traveling healthcare professional if they consistently performed poorly.

Healthcare employers need to know that you will make a good cultural fit on their team and be able to hit the ground running on your first day. With that in mind, expect them to tailor questions during a phone interview to better get a feel for your personality and how you’ll fit in at their office.

Typical Questions to determine the Cultural Fit of a Healthcare Employee

Expect any interview questions to determine your personality or cultural fit to probe about your inspiration beyond a professional life — hobbies, favorite books, music, or movies, etc. Questions about any charitable work and community service you provide are also good bets. Considering the importance of empathy in the healthcare industry, there will probably a question or two on that subject.

Ultimately, make sure you take each interview seriously as far as any prep work; phone interviews are as important as the in-person version. Research the company in question and be sure to ask some meaningful questions of your own.

If you need additional advice on interview preparation for traveling healthcare professionals, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the top medical staffing agencies in the country, we can make a difference for your career. Meet with us at your earliest convenience.

IT Skills all Nurses should Have

June 19th, 2015

There’s no denying the importance of technology within the healthcare industry. It is vital that nurses and other medical professionals stay up to speed with the latest IT innovations related to their job.

If you work in the nursing profession, honing your information technology skills are an important part of a successful career. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some IT skills all nurses need to possess in their tool box.

Experience with a Variety of Records Systems is a Must

As the medical industry continues in its migration towards 100 percent usage of electronic record keeping, it is important that nurses become well-versed in the variety of record systems used in the industry. This also includes the data analysis and reporting techniques helping to derive relevant and actionable information from stored patient data.

The Growing Importance of Nursing Informatics

The added emphasis on the development of information technology skills in nursing has led to a new career specialization called nursing informatics. As hinted at in its name, nursing informatics is a hybrid discipline, combining skills from both nursing and information technology. Although the American Nursing Association first defined the term in 1992, this area of nursing has seen rapid growth over the last 10 years.

The development of IT systems related to clinical documentation, electronic medical records (EMR), and electronic health records (EHR) is a major area of responsibility of informatics nurses. If you are an experienced nurse with an affinity for computers and IT, consider moving into a nursing informatics role in the future.

Integration of Medical Records Systems remains Vital

One of the ways IT-savvy nurses can make a valuable difference in today’s healthcare industry is by helping to understand the challenges involved with integrating data records between the variety of EMR and EHR systems currently in use. Understanding how data is organized is a great skill to help with this process.

If you are interested in supercharging your nursing career by emphasizing on information technology, talk to the industry experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the top healthcare staffing agencies in the country, we understand how IT makes a difference in the field and can help ensure you have the right skills to succeed. Meet with us at your earliest convenience.

Five Leadership Questions to Learn

June 12th, 2015

Anyone in a managerial or leadership role in business needs to be constantly questioning — themselves, their direct reports, maybe even the executives that manage the manager. Any answers to the most meaningful questions offer hope to significantly transform the organization or team in a positive manner. With that in mind, here is a look at five leadership questions every manager needs to learn.

How do you analyze Both Internal and External Environments?

You need to spend time analyzing both the environment inside your office in addition to the external marketplace where your company competes. Focusing too much on either area gives short shrift to the other. A successful company fully understands the inner workings of the office as well as its business sector — local or otherwise.

Are your Employees receiving All the Training needed for Success?

After doing the appropriate internal analysis of your team’s abilities, question whether or not your company’s training programs are up to snuff. A significant investment in employee development programs remains a hallmark of the top companies, especially in the healthcare industry.

Does your Company have the Plans to achieve its Strategic Goals?

Sure, having a set of worthwhile goals for your company is one thing, but do you also place enough emphasis on planning to achieve those goals? Make sure to spend significant developing both the strategies and tactics to allow your firm reach those goals and beyond.

Do you accurately measure your Company’s Operational Efficiency?

All the planning in the world won’t help if your company can’t execute the plan. Make sure you put the right metrics in place to measure your firm’s operational efficiency, and pay attention to what those statistics tell you.

Does your Company boast a Positive Corporate Culture?

If your firm is finding it difficult to hire and retain the top medical industry talent, maybe there is an issue with your company culture? These cultural issues need to be part of any analysis of your internal office workings.

If your organization needs any additional advice on growing a top notch medical company, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the top staffing agencies in the healthcare industry, we offer the business insight and vetted candidates to help ensure your firm’s success. Schedule a meeting with us today!

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