Whether you are fresh out of school or an experienced medical professional, it helps to understand what skills recruiters and hiring managers are hoping to find among potential nursing employees. Armed with this knowledge, you are able to tailor your candidacy — including your résumé and cover letter — to ensure a chance at an interview. If you decide to work with a medical staffing agency, their recruiters can prepare you for a successful job search process.

With a great new medical industry job in mind, here are the things recruiters want to see in a nursing candidate. Good luck in your efforts!

In-demand Technical Nursing Skills

There’s no denying the impact made by technology in the healthcare industry. Because of this, recruiters remain on the prowl for nursing candidates comfortable with computers as well as a whole host of specialized medical equipment, including dialysis machines. Familiarity with electronic medial records (EMR) software and quality assurance programs is another important ability for nurses.

Consider becoming certified in any of these technical nursing skills to add some heft to your résumé. Showing practical application of these abilities in a cover letter or during an interview definitely increases your chances at a job offer.

Soft Skills are also Important

Softer skills are also vital in the world of nursing. An empathic nature is a must; arguably being the most important trait for any nurse to possess. Leadership ability, especially with experienced nurses, also holds weight with many healthcare recruiters and hiring managers.

Bilingualism continues to grow in importance, and can be a requirement in certain areas of the country. Consider taking a language course to improve this part of your skill set. If interested in relocation, this ability simply gives you more options for potential employers.

Being Flexible is a Plus

Flexibility is important for all nursing candidates, but especially so if you are fresh out of school. Many hospitals or medical offices typically want nurses who are willing to work different shifts as well as regular weekend schedules. Once again, being open in this regard simply shows you are willing to help a potential employer.

Hopefully, these insights into what nursing recruiters hope to find in a candidate helps your job search end up successful.

When you need additional advice on looking for employment in the healthcare industry, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the top medical staffing agencies in the country, we can help take your career to the next level. Connect with us at your earliest convenience.

There’s no denying the importance of ethics for any healthcare professional. Empathy and an ethical nature rank as two of the most necessary traits for those working in the medical industry. Even when boasting a staff made up of moral and right-minded people, ethics-related policies still need to be formally defined in any healthcare establishment’s employee manual — for both legal and patient care considerations.

With creating a living document covering all relevant topics in mind, here are some ideas on how to best incorporate a code of ethics in your medical organization’s employee manual.

The Nursing Code of Ethics is a Good Start

The American Nursing Association publishes its own Nursing Code of Ethics, which serves nicely as a starting point for any medical employee manual’s ethics section. All nurses are expected to follow the ANA code in their daily work routine. Encouraging the other medical professionals at your office to do the same by including the Code in your organization’s employee manual emphasizes the importance of ethical behavior.

Consider incorporating some of the Code’s content into your job descriptions as well. Other nursing organizations publish their own ethical codes which may offer additional insights relevant to your employees.

Your Employees are Accountable for their Own Ethical Behavior

Stress the accountability each employee holds for their own behavior — both actions and words. This needs to be clearly stated in the manual, either at the front of the manual itself or in the ethics section. Additionally, any discipline policies need to be explicitly defined, so everyone knows the consequences for unethical conduct.

Formalized Definitions are a Must

Make sure your manual offers a section that formally defines any terms referenced throughout the text, including the ethics section. This helps lessen any confusion when an ethical — or legal — issue arises. Place the section in the manual’s appendix for easy access.

Leverage Ongoing Education on Ethics

Simply putting an ethics section in your employee manual isn’t enough to ensure ethical behavior in your medical office — a point echoed by Martha Turner, assistant director of ANA’s Center for Ethics and Human Rights. “Ethics, like most other disciplines, must be learned. Ethics is not intuitive or just ‘being good,” said Turner. As such, providing an ethics training program nicely compliments the contents of any employee manual.

When you need further insights on managing your medical office, talk to the knowledgeable team at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the country’s top healthcare staffing agencies, we offer great candidates able to contribute to your team. Schedule some time with us soon!

Workplace diversity is vital in many business sectors, but it remains especially so in the medical industry. Considering the importance of providing quality healthcare to the public — including racial and ethnic minorities — employing a diverse medical staff helps to ensure everyone gets equal access to medical services. Medical colleges also need to step up their efforts at fostering a diverse student population to ensure healthcare providers enjoy a robust supply of quality workers.

Let’s look more closely at some of the reasons a diverse medical staff is a must at your healthcare organization.

The Healthcare Industry must keep up with Changing Demographics

A 2004 study by the Sullivan Commission commented on the importance of the healthcare industry matching the demographic makeup of the public they serve. The overall health of the nation simply depends on it. “The fact that the nation’s health professions have not kept pace with changing demographics may be an even greater cause of disparities in health access and outcomes than the persistent lack of health insurance for tens of millions of Americans,” reported the Commission.

One of the entities hoping to change things when it comes to a diverse medical workforce, the Healthcare Professionals for Diversity (HPD) Coalition is made up of over 50 different organizations hoping to foster the growth of minorities in both medical educational institutions and the profession itself. The Coalition’s main goal is to promote diversity across the entire medical community.

Why Diversity matters in the Healthcare Industry

The Chief Diversity Officer of the American Association of Medical Colleges, one of the leading organizations in the HPD, Dr. Marc Divet commented on the importance of a diverse workforce in the American medical world. Obviously, this diversity begins at the nation’s medical colleges. “This is a defining moment for health and wellness in America. The combined forces of health reform, demographic shifts, continued economic woes and the projected worsening of physician shortages portend major upheaval for the health care enterprise in the near future,” said Dr. Divet.

Expanding healthcare access to the underserved, including better treatment services in these regions of great need, is only one of the main reasons to increase diversity across the medical landscape. Ultimately, providing equitable medical care to everyone, irrespective of race or ethnicity, remains an achievable goal. Promoting diversity at both the educational and professional levels will help it be reached.

When you need further insights on the medical industry, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce, as one of the top healthcare staffing agencies in the country, we provide great candidates able to make a positive difference in your medical office or hospital. Contact us at your earliest convenience.

Managers walk a fine line when it comes to giving their medical staff enough direction to keep the office running smoothly without stifling their own ideas and insights. Micromanaging your team could lead to a lowering of employee morale, with patient care possibly suffering as a result. It is important to realize your management tendencies as soon as possible to prevent any adverse impacts.

With an efficient healthcare office in mind, here are some ideas for noticing when you are micromanaging your medical staff.

An Inability to delegate Responsibility to your Team

If you find it hard to delegate tasks to your medical staff, this is an obvious sign you are micromanaging them. Remember, you employ talented and trained medical workers typically with significant professional experience. Make it a point to let them carry the weight at times, as it helps them grow in confidence while making your whole team better as a result.

When making out task lists for your office, don’t merely assign the boring duties to your direct reports. Give meaningful tasks to your senior staff members so their own managerial abilities begin to develop.

Not Letting your Team make their own Decisions

Delegating some decision-making duties to your team, while still requiring your approval before implementing their ideas is another sign of micromanagement. Sometimes, this fleeting amount of authority does more harm than good, as a disgruntled, talented medical professional may look elsewhere for a chance to grow their career. Give your employees the freedom to make their own decisions — with no final approval from you required.

Your Criticism is too Granular

Spending an inordinate amount of time each day going over your employees’ reports with a fine-tooth comb is another sign of too much management. Keep your criticisms from becoming too granular, like when worrying too much about spelling and grammar instead of the actual medical content on the reports.

Additionally, don’t hover over their workstations keeping an eye on their activities as it keeps them from staying focused on doing a good job. In many cases, they are too worried about making a mistake in front of you.

Knowing the signs of micromanagement is the first step in correcting them before they lead to a retention problem at your medical establishment. Hopefully these ideas offered some insight into your own managerial style.

When you need additional advice on building and managing a top-notch medical team, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the nation’s leading healthcare staffing agencies, we offer the great candidates and business insight to help your company’s prospects. Schedule some time with us as soon as possible.

Productive employees are engaged employees, which leads to a happier and more efficient workplace. In the medical industry, this typically results in patients receiving better care, which is ultimately your organization’s most overriding concern. Keeping your staff from becoming overworked and stressed out helps ensure the overall productivity of your medical office.

In short, making your employees’ lives easier is a good thing for your company and the patients you serve. Here are three tips towards fostering a productive atmosphere in your medical establishment.

Leverage Temporary Medical Workers to keep Stress Levels Low

Bringing in temporary medical workers to help out during busy times at your office is a smart tactic aimed at preventing your permanent employees from working too many hours.  Stress isn’t good for your staff’s well-being or the care of your patients. Temp workers offer other benefits; including closing any skills gap on your team, or allowing you to test the temp’s abilities before potentially offering them a permanent position.

Work closely with your medical staffing agency partner for access to quality candidates willing to work on a temporary basis. Your regular employees will thank you.

Schedule Staff Strategically based on their Sleep Schedules

It is important not to switch your employees between different shifts on a frequent basis. Take into consideration their regular sleeping patterns when making your work schedules. Try to match shifts with your team member’s preference, and stick to these schedules once they are established. Happier workers and better patient care will be the result.

Be Open to Employee Insights for Operational Improvement

Allowing your staff to contribute their own insights and ideas on your medical office operations is a great way to keep them engaged. Experienced medical professionals working on the frontlines of the industry offer a unique perspective that sometimes gets missed by management. Employees feel they have a stake in the game and their own performance will likely improve as a result.

Maintaining an open door policy welcoming employee opinions helps to start this process. Consider a more formal setup, like holding regular staff brainstorm sessions or an online message board where everyone is encouraged to contribute.

When you need additional insights on building and maintaining a top-notch medical office, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. One of the top staffing agencies in healthcare industry, we offer great the candidates perfect for both temporary and permanent assignments. Meet with us at your earliest convenience.

While a summer season filled with vacations and other leisurely activities makes it difficult to think about professional networking, it isn’t good for your career to slack off during these three months. You never know when an opportunity for additional responsibility and salary might arrive on your doorstep. The summertime offers a great choice for both relaxation AND developing your healthcare industry career.

With taking your medical professional future to its highest level as the goal, here are a few tips for networking during the summer. Let’s check them out.

Don’t let the Good Weather stop your Networking Efforts

It is important to stay networking throughout the entire year. While it may be tempting to slack off a bit during the summer, be sure to keep a steady effort level. Sure, take a few days off if you are going on vacation or prefer your weekends to be work free, but make sure to re-engage when you return.

Try to attend a medical professionals conference during the summer as these are great events for meeting people who could help your career. If the conference is located in a part of the country known for vacationing, you will be able to kill two birds with one stone!

Volunteer in your Community

Consider volunteering your services to other medical establishments either in your own area or in another region. This is another great way to meet a variety of people in the industry. The Red Cross definitely has a need for medical professional volunteers to help with any summer weather-related disasters like hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes.

Making a regular deposit in your professional karma bank never hurts as well!

Online Networking is still Important

Even during the summer, there are times where you can’t be outside on a 24×7 basis. Redouble your online medical networking efforts over this time, especially by staying active on LinkedIn. Add new industry connections both locally and across the country, while recommending and endorsing the abilities of those with whom you’ve previously worked — in many cases, they will return the favor.

If you have any writing ability, consider publishing your own healthcare or nursing blog. This is a great way to become a thought leader in the industry; putting yourself on the fast track to career success.

Whenever you need additional insights on medical career development, talk to the knowledgeable recruiters at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the country’s top healthcare staffing agencies, we can help take your career to new heights. Meet with us soon!

While definitely rewarding at times, working in the medical industry can also be stressful, especially if the stress outweighs your sense of professional accomplishment. Maybe you are being overworked or just don’t get along with many of your coworkers? Whatever the reason for your unhappiness, finding a different position in the healthcare industry could be the key to putting your career back on track.

It is important to take stock of your current satisfaction level and, if warranted, make the jump to another position. Here are three signs you are unhappy and need to start looking for something new.

Your Professional Development is Stifled

If you feel your current employer isn’t providing a proper opportunity for professional development, you need to find a new job to truly get that chance. Maybe your company doesn’t invest in a training program or tuition reimbursement for acquiring an advanced degree. This is a short-sighted policy, as employee training is vital in an industry where patient care remains the prime directive.

When looking for another position, pay attention to any opportunities for professional development offered by a potential new employer. Medical companies need to invest in their staff for their own long-term health.

A Salary and Benefits Package lower than the Industry Standard

In addition to investing in their employees training and education, healthcare companies also need to ensure they compensate their staff at competitive levels for their region. This includes both salary and a benefits package. If you feel you aren’t being paid what your worth, research the average salaries for your position and location.

If you feel you are underpaid, give your medical recruiter a call as soon as possible!

You are Overworked and your Company is Understaffed

Consistently having to work extra shifts because your medical office is chronically understaffed definitely leads to personal unhappiness. This could be a sign your current company’s financial prospects are bleak, or perhaps they just don’t want to invest in a proper staffing level. Stress is bad for your overall health and well-being, so don’t hesitate to look for a new position when this situation arises.

Remember, a partnership with a great healthcare staffing agency definitely helps when it comes time to look for a new job in the medical industry.

When searching for a great medical staffing agency, look no further than Pinnacle Workforce. As employers of the top healthcare industry recruiters in the nation, we can help take your career to its highest level. Reach out to us when you need to make a change!

Even in a medical career filled with progressively greater professional accomplishments, you may have been fired from a previous position. This fact needn’t dissuade you from trying to better yourself by finding a new job with another company. There remains a lot of turnover in the healthcare industry and most companies won’t disqualify a candidate for a misstep earlier in their career.

The important thing is to properly address a previous firing during the job interview. This post offers a few tips on how best to answer when asked about a dismissal in your work history.

Prepare and Practice your Answer before the Interview

Probably the most important tip is to be sure you prepare your answer to this question beforehand. About the worst thing you can do is fumble over your answer while seeming unsure on how to respond. This comes off as being less than honest, which may end up disqualifying your candidacy.

Answering in a forthright, honest manner is vital. Practice the question with a friend or even your recruiter to ensure your interview performance — especially when it comes to this question — is top notch.

An Honest Answer without Blaming Others is the Best Route

A truthful answer, when asked about a previous firing, is always the best approach. Speak about the incident in a straightforward way with a clear voice while making natural eye contact with the interviewer. Never lie or try to hide the real reason for your firing behind falsehoods and half-truths.

Don’t try to make excuses or blame others for the situation leading to your firing. This also puts you in a bad light which may adversely affect your chances at a job offer more than the firing itself. It is important to frame the issue in an objective manner.

Show you’ve grown because of your Firing

Take the opportunity to display how you’ve learned from being fired and that you’ve grown in your career as a result. This gives your potential new employer some reassurances you would be a good choice for a job offer. If this is your first round of interviews after being fired, describe how you won’t make a new company feel sorry for giving you a second chance.

If you need additional insight on how to handle a previous firing in a job search, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the country’s top medical staffing agencies, our recruiters know the healthcare industry inside and out and can help you and your career. Contact us at your earliest convenience.

Congratulations are in order for earning a job interview with one of the top medical companies in the area. Whether you are hoping for a position with a hospital, medical office, or some other healthcare company, your interview performance needs to be top notch. That doesn’t mean you can skimp on the post-interview follow-up, as it also plays an important role in your overall candidacy.

With earning a great job offer as your goal, here are three things you need to do when following-up after a medical interview. Good luck in your efforts!

Follow-up using a Friendly and Professional Email

When you get home after the interview, shoot off a quick email to the interviewer. Be sure to thank them for the opportunity to talk about the open position and how your skill set matches their needs. You don’t need to go overboard with selling yourself for the job — the interview itself is where that needed to happen — just focus on a quick and professional statement.

If you haven’t heard back after a week or so, consider sending another email with a polite request on the status of the interview process. This additional email should suffice, as you don’t want to be perceived as a pest.

Don’t forget to send a Thank You Note

Another follow-up note using venerable snail mail doesn’t have to seem old-fashioned in today’s hiring landscape. In fact, it is a nice touch that truly illustrates your interest in the open position. Use a business letter outline and professional stationery for the note; expressing your appreciation of the chance to become a valued employee of their firm.

Connect with the Interviewer on LinkedIn

As the preeminent social network for professionals, a LinkedIn account is a must when working in the healthcare industry. After the interview, send a connection request to the interviewer. Beforehand, give your profile a once over, making sure the information on it matches your résumé, as any discrepancies won’t bode well for your chances at a job offer.

Consider endorsing some of the interviewer’s skills to curry a measure of favor before the hiring decision is made, but don’t go overboard. Hopefully, following these three steps helps you earn that valued job offer.

If you need any assistance in finding work in the healthcare industry, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the country’s top medical staffing agencies, we can help take your career to the next level. Contact us to schedule some time with us as soon as possible!