Healthcare costs have been on the rise for years. These spikes affect not only the people who pay for services but also the hospitals and healthcare facilities that provide care.
Soaring healthcare staffing costs are old news as these expenses have increased for years. However, with the impact of COVID-19, vaccine mandates, and other challenges - hospitals and facilities now feel the financial squeeze. Rural hospitals have been impacted the most, with many forced to close or shut down before the pandemic issue arose. Considering many of those facilities served populations in need of more centers nearby, this decrease in hospital beds was amplified with the waves of patients from COVID-19.
How can facilities that provide healthcare cut their costs? Posting PRN jobs on a virtual platform and avoiding expensive staffing agencies is one innovative solution that thousands of facilities are implementing to curve expenses. Keep reading to learn more about these challenges and solutions.
How COVID-19 Impacted the Healthcare Staffing Industry
The impact of COVID-19 has left a devastating blow on healthcare staffing. Consequently, this has led to some facilities turning to healthcare staffing agencies to fill in the gaps of needed employees. However, agency costs can be avoided when technology is used to support staffing shortages and to hire per diem clinicians such as registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNS), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs).
The Drawbacks To Healthcare Staffing Agencies
Safe staffing is essential to the healthcare system. Going through the whole hiring process is tedious, and takes up a lot of precious time, and resources - financially and otherwise - from a facility.
Most health facilities would turn to staffing agencies for more per diem clinicians, but there are many drawbacks to this. Healthcare staffing agencies within the healthcare job market lack transparency. They tend to overcharge in facilities that desperately need staffing, taking advantage of healthcare facilities' staffing shortages. Consequently, hospitals are forced to raise their prices for services which then affects the average consumer or patient’s medical bills.
White House is Urged to Investigate Price Gouging by Staffing Agencies
The problem has grown and intensified to the point where, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA), the White House has been asked to investigate the matter. Healthcare staffing agencies are now under investigation for the accusations of overcharging and pocketing profits made through their services.
Of course, for every problem, there is a better solution. Through the help of our healthcare staffing, Nursa™, we help connect registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) to healthcare facilities to fill in short-term staffing shifts. We provide real-time available nurses who are ready to work. Nursa™ provides high-paying jobs for our clinicians, as well as gives affordable prices to healthcare facilities. Our staffing app is the best alternative to healthcare staffing agencies.
The Issue With Price Gouging In The Healthcare Industry
The increased demand for per diem clinicians leads understaffed hospitals to price gouge. Price gouging in healthcare is the rising prices of healthcare bills, taking an unfair advantage over consumers in emergencies. It’s reported that our healthcare facilities actually waste $1 trillion annually.
The issue of price gouging severely impacts not just the health facilities, but the patients and consumers as well. Hiring new per diem clinicians through Nursa™ helps reduce costs within medical facilities, and thus, the issue of price gouging. More patients will have access to the care that they need and deserve, as well as offering great paying jobs to clinicians without the risk of being overcharged by staffing agencies.
How Much Do PRN Nurses Earn?
As the shift in demand for per diem nurses increases, many ask how much do PRN nurses cost? Per diem nurses and allied clinicians in healthcare facilities earn more than those who work in nursing homes or physician offices. PRN nurses (RNs and LPNs) working per diem are often paid between $40 to $60 per hour, but they can vary based on the job type. A PRN CNA can expect to earn about $10 or more per hour than their average hourly rate at a staff job.
Nursa™ Provides The Best Network Of Per Diem Nurses
Nursa™ is an on-demand nurse staffing app that allows healthcare facilities to fill in jobs quickly. If you’re a facility director or staffing manager looking for PRN nurses, even on short notice, you will be able to fill those shifts through Nursa™.
You can easily review and schedule available clinicians, and manage their shifts. We are dedicated to supporting you behind the scenes, we empower you to have the best chance at success in your career. The app is there for you 24/7, ready for you to hire new clinicians. Download the app today, and find the best RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and allied healthcare staff for your available PRN jobs.
Check out the most popular ways to stay hydrated on the job in our post about the best water bottles for nurses.
