With the improvement in medical care and increased access to sound healthcare facilities, life expectancy has increased by 3 years in the US. Essentially it has risen to 78.8 years in 2019.
Automatically, this implies that the geriatric population has risen to almost 46 million. In fact, speculations are rife that the older generation is expected to increase to 90 million by 2050. It is this population that needs the most care and timely medication. That’s why nurses are crucial.
While healthcare facilities can use nurses’ email lists and healthcare industry email lists to hire qualified nurses, they need a proper staffing agency to ensure the availability of nurses. This blog will help you understand the nitty-gritty of starting a nurse staffing agency.
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While there is a 5.1% increase in enrollment into the nursing programs in 2019, it is insufficient to combat the demand for nurses. Moreover, with the more than 1 million registered nurses set to leave the workforce by 2030, it has become crucial to hire more nurses.
However, you might wonder where healthcare facilities hire nurses from isn’t it? That’s where the nurse staffing agency comes into play. They are the ones who will help you fill the gaps in a healthcare facility.
A nurse staffing agency recruits quality candidates to help healthcare facilities adapt to the changing needs. It also enables them to fill in staffing shortages due to nurses being on leave or patient numbers increasing. Essentially a nurse staffing agency will help healthcare facilities in the following ways:
Now that you know what a nurse staffing agency is, you might wonder how they work. Especially if you want to start a staffing agency for nurses, you need to know how they work.
A nurse staffing agency works similarly to other staffing agencies. They have a pool of qualified candidates with specialized skills available to work whenever a healthcare facility requires it.
When a healthcare facility partners with a nurse staffing agency, they can easily find temp nurses to fill in for nurses on leave. They can also easily find full-time nurses.
With a nurse staffing agency, healthcare facilities can find the following types of placements:
Essentially, a nurse staffing agency works to eliminate nurse staffing shortages and provides healthcare facilities with improved productivity.
Knowing how staffing agency works and how they can benefit healthcare facilities might motivate you to start your staffing agency for nurses, isn’t it? However, you might wonder how to start a staffing agency for nurses.
Here are ten easy steps to start an in-demand staffing agency for nurses:
Firstly, you must think of a name to call your nurse staffing agency. The name should be original and recognizable. Moreover, you should check out local directories and national players to ensure your name doesn’t clash with any other agency.
Furthermore, your agency name should represent you well.
While starting a staffing agency, it is necessary to ensure your paperwork is in place. That includes registering as a business entity, be it a limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or corporation.
You should also have your business license to ensure adherence to state laws. Moreover, you might benefit from having a nursing license as it will help you understand your customers’ and employees’ situations.
You might need to check the health and safety codes required by the state where you are starting your agency. Moreover, in some states, you might need to register your agency with the Department of Labor and Health. So, ensure you read through all the state rules and adhere to those requirements.
(Source: Smartsheet.com)
Creating a sound business plan for your nurse staffing agency is important. That implies you need to list the objectives of your business. You should also develop your mission statement and vision for the agency. After that, you should list the required employees and their roles and responsibilities.
Then you must list the equipment you need and the expenses you might incur. Then include a proper pricing strategy with projected profits. Having this business plan will give you a starting point to work with.
It will take time to recruit nurses and build a clientele. So, you must ensure you have enough funding to sustain without revenue for at least six months. Moreover, with hospitals taking their own time to make payments, you must ensure you can meet your payroll and sustain your business.
You must ensure you buy sufficient insurance to protect your nurses and other employers. Moreover, you will be liable for any mistakes your nurses make, so you must protect yourself.
So, get the appropriate professional, workers’ compensation, and general liability insurance.
You should establish a well-organized and efficient payroll system. You can either do it yourself or outsource it to a company that meets all state and federal requirements.
You can take the help of well-organized, well-vetted, and trustworthy databases like the nurses email list. These lists have the contact details of the nurses, their geographic location, preferences, and qualifications. You can purchase such lists and scour them to recruit the best nurses.
Another important step is to market yourself well. You must be active on social media forums, register yourself in local and national directories, and align yourself with several healthcare facilities to promote yourself. Ensure you have a user-friendly website with direct call-to-action.
Once you are all set up, you should search for potential clients. You can access a healthcare industry email list and contact various hospitals and healthcare facilities to contact potential clients. Moreover, you can contact trade organizations, American Hospital Associations, and other such entities to get potential clients and kickstart your business.
Nurses are the pillars of the healthcare system. They are the ones who perform many functions as ascribed by the doctors. Moreover, they care for geriatric patients with utmost patience and perseverance. Additionally, with nursing shortages, it is imperative to have expert nurse staffing agencies.
So, if you aspire to start a nurse staffing agency, follow the steps and research more about how to start a staffing agency for nurses. You will contribute positively to the healthcare system and ensure facilities have nurses when needed.