There has been a nationwide nursing deficit of varying degrees for decades, but now—due to varied forces, including an aging population and the rising incidence of chronic disease, an aging nursing workforce, and the limited capacity of nursing schools—this shortage is becoming more severe, which has worrying implications for patients and health-care providers alike.
At University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, Human Resources and Nursing staff are collaborating to recruit and retain RN and BSN-level nurses to the system’s three hospitals, its skilled nursing and rehabilitation center in Chestertown, and its many outpatient services and facilities, including two home care agencies.
Melanie Buser joined University of Maryland Medical System in January as nursing recruiting specialist for UM Shore Regional Health. Buser brings more than 15 years of overall human resources and talent acquisition experience for a variety of health care and information technology industries.
Buser came to UM Shore Regional Health after four years with Conifer Health Solutions, most recently as recruiting specialist, in Annapolis. Prior to 2012, she held HR positions with Northrup Grumman, Force 3, SAIC and ASI, Inc.
“I’m excited to be working with Shore Regional’s HR and nursing teams to attract the best candidates for nursing vacancies throughout the five-county region,” says Buser, adding that Shore Regional offers many advantage for career-minded nurses of all ages and interests.
“Shore Regional’s benefit package is very competitive with that of other hospitals, and we have an excellent track record in cultivating talent and promoting from within, including scholarship support for nurses who wish to advance their education or achieve certification in a nursing specialty,” Buser says. “I also have been impressed by the very culture of the nursing department – nurses here are a very strong force in all aspects of patient care. Many of our nurses have won awards, both internally and externally, for their exceptional teamwork, their clinical excellence and innovation, and their dedication to improving patient outcomes.”
UM Shore Regional Health enjoys a relatively low turnover rate in its nursing positions, but even so, outreach to attract new applicants to the system is a top hiring priority. To that end, a number of incentive programs have been created and a direct mail campaign to nurses living within the five county region is in progress. “We even have a Facebook page now – it’s called UM Shore Nursing Careers,” says Buser.
Buser is based in the HR offices adjacent to UM Shore Medical Center at Easton. She can be reached by calling 443-908-1556, or via email, MelanieBuser@umm.edu.
Stephan Sonn says
Nurses have been the heart and conscience even before the inception of modern health care
it would be interesting to know their contribution to policy decisions at UMMS.
Linda Donahue says
Having several lifelong friends in the nursing field, and I can’t help but wonder why the powers to be can’t see this. You are not going attract many people to a professtion when you offer them low wages and long hours. I know hospitals are always trying to cut cost, but that becomes rather pointless you have no staff.