Dr. Iman Abuzeid, CEO and co-founder of Incredible Health, a healthcare career platform that uses artificial intelligence, says healthcare organizations that communicate information about their work experience, benefits and perks at their facilities will be better able to find candidates who want to join their teams.
Abuzeid recounts Healthcare IT News Data from the company’s fifth annual U.S. Nursing Report also shows that hospitals have introduced more flexible schedules and nursing salaries have increased 66% in hospitals this year — Up 40% from last year.
The study also found that while nurses would trust a platform that uses generative AI to connect them with healthcare employers, they are hesitant to use AI in their work and fear employers using AI to deliver healthcare.
In the following Q&A, Abuzeid explains why healthcare leaders should not only share their AI roadmap with nurses and other healthcare workers, but also take the time to communicate about their organization’s success using AI to improve patient care and the employee experience.
Q. Despite the staffing shortage, nursing groups across the United States are reporting layoffs and furloughs. What is your understanding of the current job market challenges facing nurses?
ONE. Nurses face many challenges when searching for a job, including applying to multiple employers but not receiving a response, limited understanding of employer expectations for resumes, limited guidance when interviewing, and limited knowledge of the myriad of opportunities available to them nationwide.
We’re seeing that healthcare systems that deliver what nurses really want are attracting more talent.
Our 2024 Healthcare Executive Report found that 82% of healthcare leaders had difficulty recruiting registered nurses to fill open positions in the last year.
The top request healthcare executives hear from nurses is for a raise, and more than half (64%) say raising pay is the most effective way to attract and recruit nurses. Additionally, health systems increasingly offer career advancement opportunities and flexible work schedules.
Hospitals that implement this recruiting strategy are seeing success.
Q. How can artificial intelligence help reduce the nursing shortage and improve the work experience of healthcare workers?
ONE. AI can close the nursing shortage by expanding opportunities and streamlining the job search process for healthcare workers.
AI-powered tools can more efficiently match nurses with the right roles and automate administrative tasks, freeing up time for patient care. Additionally, these technologies can enhance the overall job search experience by providing tailored job recommendations and improving the hiring process.
At Incredible Health, we recently introduced a suite of AI-powered products to support both nurses and health systems in the recruitment process.
One feature, the Resume Wizard, allows nurses to create a free resume that is automatically optimized to showcase their skills and match them to hospitals and positions that meet their criteria.
Healthcare systems on our platform use generative AI to help recruiters instantly automate tailored messages to nurse candidates, highlighting key details about hospital benefits, perks, and other differentiators of joining their team. Since implementing this feature, we’ve seen a significant 20% increase in the number of nurses accepting interview requests on Incredible Health’s marketplace.
It helps nurses make more informed decisions about which job opportunities to pursue and helps hospitals differentiate themselves from competitors.
Q. If more than half of nurses surveyed (53%) fear AI is “creating a generational divide,” what does that mean for the seasoned workforce and the organizations that rely on them for knowledge, training, and mentorship?
ONE. Experienced nurses play a vital role in training and mentoring the next generation of nurses in the workforce. Data from our recent report also found that most nurses are using AI for scheduling and basic administrative tasks, but only 11% reported using AI to recommend patient care during admissions.
It is to be expected that there will be some apprehension when exploring a new technology that has some unknown implications, but the older generation can rest assured that these tools are only assisting in automating tasks, not replacing patient care.
Q. If nurses are hesitant to use AI to recommend patient care (12% in the Incredible Health study reported using these tools), what is behind this fear and how can healthcare organizations address it?
ONE. The fear behind this may vary from nurse to nurse, but our data shows that 64% of nurses believe AI will harm their jobs.
These concerns aren’t limited to the health care industry — many American workers worry about how AI could impact the future of work.
A lack of communication around AI and its role can cause stress for employees. To mitigate this, healthcare leaders should share more about their AI roadmap, intended use, and how it has made a positive impact within the organization.
Q. Anecdotally, how has AI improved communication with existing nurses and resulted in positive outcomes like higher salaries, flexible schedules, and reduced reliance on traveling nurses — and attracted new nursing talent to end shortages within the organization?
ONE. Healthcare systems on our platform use generative AI to help recruiters instantly automate tailored messages to nurse candidates, highlighting key details about hospital benefits, perks, and differentiators for joining their team.
Promoting the benefits their health system offers, such as flexible work schedules and career advancement opportunities, will help attract talent and retain nurses.
This year, 35% of hospitals have implemented more flexible work schedules, up 23% from last year, and 66% have increased nursing pay – up 40% from the year before.
Improved nurse retention and better staffing ratios are a direct result of giving nurses what they want.
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Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Email: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.
Update August 15, 2024: An earlier version of this article stated that nursing salaries had increased by 40% this year, an unintentional combination of statistics presented in Abuzeid’s response. We apologize for any confusion this error may have caused.
