Providers need people to care for those in need
Health care has arguably been the hardest-hit industry during the coronavirus pandemic, as COVID-19 cases have overwhelmed hospitals with patients, stressed senior care facilities, stretched staffing to the limit, caused stress and burnout for those caring for the afflicted, and necessitated the quick creation of large-scale and unprecedented vaccine programs.
Hillary Harlan, chief compliance officer and vice president of professional services at Butler Health System, is proud to report that while Butler Memorial Hospital has experienced its share of struggles since March 2020, all patients with an immediate need have been cared for.
“We have maintained safe staffing levels,” Harlan said. “We have not had to close any units.”
Still, the hospital is experiencing real and impactful challenges during the pandemic.
Regarding the health system's more than 3,000 employees, the biggest challenge has been maintaining nurses, nurse's aides, phlebotomists, and specimen processors and technicians in the hospital's lab.Respiratory therapists also have been stretched thin during a pandemic in which breathing issues are a symptom in almost all patients.“When you look at COVID-19 and the acuity of care specific to the illness, it's a lot of work for the (respiratory) therapists,” Harlan said.She said housekeepers also have had additional duties in sterilization during the pandemic, which is stressful for those employees.
“Housekeeping is a challenge,” she said.Because all health care facilities are looking to hire during the pandemic, a reduced pool of employees is available across the board, Harlan said.“There is extreme competition with other employers,” she said.Regarding the pool of non-professional employees, like dietary, clerical, housekeeping and other jobs, Harlan said the hospital is seeing competition for those workers from all fields, not just health care.
She said nurses, stressed out over caring for patients with a highly contagious virus and having zipped up one too many body bags, are leaving their chosen profession during the pandemic. “Employers in the health care field are seeing a trend of people leaving health care,” Harlan said.The Butler Health System is no different.“Turnover is high right now,” she said.She said some caregivers who planned to retire in a few years did so during the pandemic.Conversely, the hospital has hired retired doctors to see patients and retired nurses to serve as part-time nurse's aides during the pandemic, Harlan said.“As the surge (in COVID-19 cases) has continued, we have hired qualified retirees that weren't currently working or who wanted to help out,” Harlan said. “In the Butler community, the level of outreach we've seen by either retired health care workers or health care workers not in the workforce who have recognized our need is really lovely.”Many other means have been used by the health system to ensure patients are cared for during the pandemic, she said.Temporary agencies used by the hospital primarily provide workers for the housekeeping, administrative support and clerical departments.Online recruiters like Glass Door, Indeed and LinkedIn are another of the hospital's sources for finding employees.While holding job fairs has not been safe during surges in the pandemic, the fairs are another way to attract and hire employees.“We're hoping those will pick up soon,” Harlan said.The health system also is affiliated with Butler County Community College, Slippery Rock University and other regional schools, where degrees and certifications in various health care fields are earned by prospective employees.
“We work closely with those schools to provide students with clinical rotation opportunities, and we hope they come to work here (when they graduate),” Harlan said. “Those relationships are super important to us and very valuable.”In addition, the health system offers an employee referral incentive program in which current employees receive a bonus if a candidate they have referred is hired and works a certain amount of time.“It's been successful and very helpful in moving the needle,” Harlan said.Nominal sign-on bonuses have been paid to new hires, particularly in areas that have seen significant strain.Placement agencies are used to hire medical technicians, medical lab techs, lab supervisors and other professionals.“Travel nurses” who work for agencies that send nurses around the country to work for a health system for a contracted period of time have been used to some degree, but that option is expensive for the hospital because those nurses make top wages.
The health system also has gone to great lengths to retain current employees and care for them as the pandemic has ground on.Simply demonstrating appreciation for employees goes a long way toward keeping them satisfied at work, even during an unprecedented pandemic, Harlan said.A task force at the health system looks at ways to support staff. Examples include delivering lunches to busy units, music and art therapy and other methods.“It's just opportunities for employees to feel supported and have a little bit of an outlet,” Harlan said.For those struggling with the mental burden of performing their duties during the pandemic, the health system offers an employee assistance program that provides free counseling.Program leaders collaborate with the Butler Clergy Network to provide spiritual counseling as well.The program can be accessed by any employee in the health system.“The burnout is real,” Harlan said.Premium pay for employees in units and departments dealing with COVID-19 who are willing to work overtime is also a helpful way to retain current employees, she said.Harlan said the health system offers an outstanding benefits package that keeps many employees clocking in at the hospital and other locations.
One of the most uplifting aspects of working at Butler Memorial during a trying time, Harlan said, is the support of the Butler County community.The Circle of Light prayer circles, Butler High School Marching Band coming to play a medley for the staff, and food donated by residents and enjoyed by a tired nursing staff, housekeepers, lab technicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacy staff and others go a long way in keeping employees' spirits up.“It means more than you can know to know the community acknowledges that times aren't easy in health care,” Harlan said. “That continued community support is integral to what we do here at the Butler Health System. We couldn't do what we do without that support,” she said.
Another local health care facility is the Jefferson Township-based Concordia Lutheran Ministries, which offers senior assisted living and personal care, as well as short-term rehabilitation care and outpatient physical therapy.Most of Concordia's care centers are in Butler County and Western Pennsylvania.Laurie Roy, vice president of human resources at Concordia, said the pandemic has increased the workload at many of the company's personal care facilities.“There are challenges with the availability of talent and certainly having more needs than people available,” Roy said.She said considerable time and effort have been spent trying to hire employees in all departments.Candidates have accepted positions and not shown up for their first day or scheduled an interview and never arrived.
Roy attributes the phenomenon to the current job market.“There are so many opportunities available for people,” she said. “Sometimes you just don't know what it is that appeals to people.”She said all candidates are apprised of the company's culture and 140-year history of serving and caring for others.Concordia is able to offer flexibility in scheduling because workers are needed for all shifts.“We have multiple career paths people could take,” Roy said.The company is offering an employee referral program in which existing employees can benefit from referring a friend or family member for employment at Concordia.If an employee refers a candidate and the candidate accepts a position, the employee gets a referral bonus of up to $1,000 for a new full-time hire.“About one-third of hires this year have been through employee referrals,” Roy said.Concordia also offers a signing bonus to new employees, she said.Partnerships with Butler County Community College and other institutions have provided nurses and other medical professionals, Roy said.Concordia does not use employment or temporary agencies because leadership feels the level of care could be affected because employees do not feel a commitment to or ownership in the company and its culture.“We really are trying to hire the best people and help them see the full scope of what it means to work for a company,” Roy said. She said employees are offered benefits, recognition throughout the year, tuition programs, vacation and sick time, and a retirement plan with company contributions.“We have some very dedicated people who care a lot about the care they're giving,” Roy said. “We've been blessed with a high level of dedication from our employees.”She said available jobs are posted on concordiacareers.org, or those interested in a position can stop in at the main campus at 134 Marwood Road to inquire.“Anybody looking for an opprtunity, we'd love to talk to them,” Roy said. “If you think of yourself as having a good work ethic, please come and talk to us.”She said Concordia's longtime CEO, Keith Frndak, said he has not seen a similar employment climate in his decades in health care.“Certainly we've had challenges over the years, but this is an unusual time for trying to attract and keep employees,” Roy said.
