St. Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island

Company Name: St. Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island

Industry: Health Care

Number of Employees: 1,995

Contact Name and Information:
Dan Hanlon, Vice President
Human Resources
200 High Service Avenue
North Providence, RI 02904
Phone: 401-456-3200
FAX:  401-456-3200
dhanlon@saintjosephri.com

Job growth projections in the health care industry exceed those of many other industries today. With an aging population that is living longer than ever before, the demand for health care workers can only continue to increase. St. Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island is an integrated system of Catholic health care providers that is committed to providing "exceptional care for body and soul." In addition to an acute care hospital, the network consists of an assisted living center, an acute rehabilitation and transition facility, and a nursing school. Aware of the urgent need to recruit and retain nurses, St. Joseph Health Services has focused attention on creating an attractive benefits package to recruit new graduates and redesigned the retirement plan to retain experienced nurses. Thus far, the steps taken to ensure these pipelines are proving to be effective. Enrollment is up in the nursing school and the organization's nursing vacancy rate averages at a low 3 percent.

The Challenge

While recruitment programs by colleges and hospitals have increased enrollment in nursing schools in recent years, the increase is still not enough to keep pace with demand. Over the next decade, 1 million new nurses will be needed in the United States alone.  Additionally, fewer people are choosing jobs in health care because of a perceived lack of institutional leadership and unsupportive work environment.  The industry is also losing experienced workers as baby boomers retire. 

How Do They Do It?

St. Joseph's Health Services of Rhode Island has focused on creating a pipeline of nurses on both ends of the career path.

• Nurses with 30 years of service are encouraged to stay working and retain their benefits until age 60, instead of the earlier retirement age of 55. The plan also allows nurses who do retire the opportunity to remain working for up to 1000 hours per year. With this new system, valuable employees with experience can continue to earn a salary working on a casual or per diem basis. The program is beginning to show some success. Anecdotally, more nurses are opting to stay on the job longer.

• At the other end of the pipeline, the St. Joseph School of Nursing at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence, RI is working to provide a full tuition refund for graduates who accept employment with St. Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island. The three-year nursing program provides a few different tuition refund plans. One strategy provides staffing for the facilities and tuition reimbursement at the same time. Nursing students who simultaneously work in the hospital during their educational program are able to apply an hourly rate that is used towards tuition upon accepting a full time registered nurse position at the hospital upon graduation.

• In the interest of retaining new recruits St. Joseph conducts interviews at 30-day, 60-day and 90-day intervals. The health care company desires to understand their early experiences and challenges to put in place interventions if necessary to minimize turnover. 

• Nursing leaders are selected using behavioral interviewing techniques, and criteria based on leadership competencies, and on how their values match with the core values of the hospital. Once in management positions, they are provided with extensive training in leadership development.

Lessons Learned

St. Joseph's Health Services of Rhode Island recognizes that financial reimbursements are helpful and a step in the right direction, but the lasting solution to ensuring stability across the nursing staff is through the establishment of a work environment where people are satisfied, supported, and feel valued. With insights gained from focus group analysis exit interviews, the company is building a supportive culture that is rewarding and responds to employees' concerns. Ultimately, it is the leadership and managers of an organization that create the kind of culture in which people want to stay.