Becker's Hospital Review

24 CMO / CARE DELIVERY The cost of nurse turnover in 24 numbers By Molly Gamble N urse recruitment and retention is top of mind for every hospital and health system executive given that the shortage of registered nurses is only expected to intensify. e 2023 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report features input from 273 hospitals in 35 states on registered nurse turnover, retention, vacancy rates, recruitment metrics and staffing strategies. It found the average cost of turnover for one staff RN increased 13.5 percent from 2021 to 2022, to $52,350, among other dollar figures and statistics that are helpful to understand the financial implications of one of healthcare's most challenging labor disruptions. Here are 24 numbers that illustrate the cost of nurse turnover, according to the most recent edition of the report, which can be found in full here. 1. In 2022, the turnover rate for staff RNs decreased by 4.6 percent, resulting in a national average of 22.5 percent. 2. e average cost of turnover for a staff RN is $52,350, with the range averaging $40,200 to $64,500. is is up from the average cost of turnover for an RN in 2021, which was $46,100. 3. Each percent change in RN turnover will cost or save the average hospital $380,600 per year. 4. Fiy-one percent of respondents said the RN vacancy rate in their hospital tops 15 percent; 5 percent said they have an RN vacancy rate of less than 5 percent. 5. e RN Recruitment Difficulty Index ranges from 61 to 120 days, meaning it essentially takes at least two months or up to four months to recruit an experienced RN. roughout 2022, all specialties experienced an increase in time-to-fill with the exception of labor and delivery RNs. 6. For every 20 travel RNs eliminated, a hospital can save $3,140,000 on average. Every RN hired saves $157,000. 7. From 2021 to 2022, the percent change in regional RN turnover ranged from 0.7 percent to -7.9 percent. e West saw the high end of this range while the North Central region saw the low end. 8. Over the past five years, RNs in step down, emergency services, behavioral health and telemetry were most mobile with a cumulative turnover rate between 108.7 percent and 115.2 percent. "Essentially, these departments will turn over their entire RN staff in less than five years," the report states. 9. RNs in surgical services, pediatrics and women's health were less mobile, with 2022 turnover rates of 16 percent, 17.1 percent and 17.2 percent, respectively, compared to the national average of 22.5 percent. n Ballad Health CEO defends uneven nurse pay By Alexis Kayser B allad Health's CEO said he believes nurses at the system's tertiary hospital deserve the higher pay they receive, the Elizabethton Starr reported April 18. Alan Levine, chair and CEO of the 21-hospital system based in Johnson City, Tenn., made the statement at an April 17 meeting with the Carter County (Tenn.) Commission. Commissioner Nancy Brown told Mr. Levine she believes nurses at Sycamore Shoals Hospital in Elizabethton, Tenn., should make the same as nurses at Johnson City Medical Center, a tertiary hospital for the sickest patients. "I don't agree," Mr. Levine said. The hospital is experiencing a "massive nurse shortage," Mr. Levine continued, and the Johnson City facility must be fully staffed for its patients to receive care. Ballad Health raised pay at four of its facilities in August, including Johnson City Medical Center, according to NBC affiliate WCYB. Entry-level nurses and support staff saw their starting salary rise from $22 to $27 per hour. n CommonSpirit Health rolls out new virtual nursing technology By Giles Bruce C hicago-based CommonSpirit Health has launched the first virtual nursing program in its system, at Saint Joseph Hospital in Lexington, Ky. As part of the initiative, a virtual registered nurse assists the bedside nurse and patient care assistant, leads multidisciplinary rounds, and helps with charting, education and discharges. Patients and their families can also access the virtual nurses through the tap of a screen. "Virtually integrated care is more than a virtual nurse — it is a team model that enhances patient care through technology," said Anthony Houston, EdD, market CEO for CHI Saint Joseph Health, in an April 18 news release. CommonSpirit developed the technology and chose CHI Saint Joseph Health as the pilot site with plans to roll it out to other parts of the country. "Like many other healthcare systems, CHI Saint Joseph Health has been searching for ways to address staffing issues, and I'm proud to see a new care model that will truly make a difference for facilities and patients alike," stated Melissa Bennett, BSN, RN, market COO and chief nursing officer of CHI Saint Joseph Health. "It is a game-changer for our facility." n

• Cover