Solving Lubbock’s healthcare staffing crisis with an app

The demand for healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, continues to grow in Lubbock, Texas. This situation is similar across other parts of Texas.

Explore the different healthcare staffing options available in Lubbock, Texas, and learn why a PRN healthcare staffing platform stands above the rest.

Healthcare staffing options in Lubbock, Texas

In Lubbock, Texas, facilities are looking for solutions to increase the availability of healthcare staff as much as possible.

In this article, discover:

• What the most common staffing challenges for Lubbock facilities are.
• How to find the best staffing option for each facility in Lubbock.
• How Nursa can help your facility, and why it is the best on-demand staffing option.

What are some of the common staffing challenges in Lubbock?

Healthcare facilities in Lubbock have many different staffing challenges. Some examples include the following:

• Last-minute call outs: When a clinician or staff member notifies the facility, often with little warning, that they are unable to work their scheduled shift, whether due to emergency, illness, or personal problems.
• Seasonal surges in patient census: Seasonal surges occur when hospitals experience heightened activity at certain times of the year, such as flu season.
• Emergencies: Emergencies, such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, or mass casualty incidents, can create spikes and demand for hospitals and other healthcare services.

These staffing issues force healthcare facilities to seek emergency or last-minute staffing, usually with expensive nurse staffing companies in the region.

Specific healthcare needs in Lubbock

Specifically in Lubbock, Texas, there are critical shortages in healthcare personnel, especially in roles that impact the quality of patient care:

• Physicians: There is a shortage of primary care physicians in Lubbock. This is a major concern, as facilities have fewer hospital admissions when primary care physicians tend to patients on time.
• Nurses: As in the rest of the country, it isn’t only hospital nursing staff feeling the pinch. An article in the Texas Tribune reported that registered nurse (RN) employment in Texas nursing facilities dropped 18 percent from 2019 to 2022. 
• Professional health technicians: In addition to physicians and nurses, Lubbock also has a shortage of professional technicians who handle other healthcare operations.
• Specialists: In Lubbock, as in other cities, there is a large need for specialists, such as endocrinologists. This gap affects people with diseases such as diabetes or endocrine disorders.
• Mental health professionals: In Lubbock, there is a shortage of mental health professionals and psychologists.

With these shortages, the Lubbock, Texas, facilities are experiencing serious systemic challenges. For example, several nursing homes in the High Plains region have closed.

Additionally, Lubbock has a unique local demographic that provides the city with a diverse population. This makes it necessary for facilities to hire culturally competent, and sometimes bilingual, clinicians.

Solving the staffing crisis in Lubbock

How can facilities get the healthcare staffing they need to eliminate these issues?

The answer is not so simple. Solving a staffing crisis requires many different steps. A multi-faceted approach is the best intervention for your facility. 

Here are some ideas on how to diminish the staffing crisis in your facility:

Use flexible staffing solutions

Augmenting your staff roster with contractors to fill the gaps can provide both clinicians and facilities with peace of mind. Per diem staffing allows local nurses to fill shifts quickly, so you can avoid overworking your internal staff.

Flexible staffing reduces stress on existing staff, ensuring better coverage for patients. Facilities can partner with our platform, which specializes in healthcare staffing in Lubbock, TX.

Invest in internal training

Facilities can implement internal training programs for existing staff to be able to float to other roles in accordance with demand. Cross-training allows staff to feel more confident in all types of situations and valued for their capabilities in the facility.

Optimize processes with technology

Optimize administrative processes by automating tasks when appropriate and looking for additional technological tools that can streamline internal processes, such as a PRN staffing app like Nursa.

Partner with educational institutions

Facilities can work with nursing schools or universities to provide training opportunities, gaining extra skilled hands and establishing relationships with the future generations of clinicians. These alliances allow the educational institutions to maintain the sustainability of the new workforce.

Improve the work environment

Investing in mental health programs or resources for staff who feel tired or burned out improves staff retention and attracts new talent.

Integrate contingent staffing with PRN nurses in Lubbock, TX, into your staffing strategy to fill shift gaps, maintain safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, and reduce your reliance on costly overtime.

How can facilities choose the best staffing option?

When selecting a staffing solution in Lubbock, facilities should consider the following factors:

• The upfront and ongoing costs of using this option. Is it cost-effective?
• The time required to adopt this new option. Is it easy to implement?
• The potential for long-term hiring of clinicians from the staffing solution. Will it help with recruitment?
• The possibility of filling last-minute staffing gaps for emergencies. How quickly can it respond?
• Who is responsible for verifying the credentials of any temporary staff? Will it add an administrative burden to your HR staff?

Top staffing options in Lubbock

Healthcare facilities in Lubbock have multiple staffing options. For example:

• Staffing agencies: Staffing agencies in Lubbock, TX, provide temporary and permanent staff. They generally require more monetary investment.
• Travel nurses: Travel nursing offers high-skilled nurses for short assignments, but this option is often expensive, which reduces its practicality.
• PRN staffing: Nursa’s PRN staffing model connects facilities to local healthcare professionals without long-term contracts. Source the clinicians you need, only when you need them.

Nursa helps facilities find care professionals in Lubbock

Nursa can help your facility staff the right nursing clinicians at the right time and right place. The platform’s flexibility allows schedulers to fill shift gaps without overcommitting.

Nursa has it all for your facility:

• Transparent pricing: There are no hidden fees. No surprises on your invoices.
• Flexibility: Adapt your staffing levels to your fluctuating needs.
• No hire-away costs: Have a favorite PRN clinician that you want on your internal roster? No problem. Nursa does not charge hire-away fees.

What are you waiting for? Create an account with Nursa and fill your schedule gaps.

Sources: 

• The Texas Tribune: Texas’s nursing homes are missing something: nurses
• US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
• ICYMI: Nursing Home Staffing Shortages Cause Ripple Effects in Rural Communities, Throughout Health Care Industry‍