The recruitment of newly qualified nurses to their local hospital: can improvements be made?
OBJECTIVE
This project aimed to improve the recruitment of locally qualifying student nurses.


BACKGROUND
Newly qualified nurses are an important resource, but the recruitment rate of locally qualifying nurses appeared to be low in one acute hospital NHS Trust. A collaborative working party was established, to address this situation.


METHODS
A survey approach was used to collect data from one group of qualifying students prior to a new strategy for recruitment being implemented. Two subsequent groups of qualifying students were surveyed to evaluate the new strategy, and again 6 months post-employment.


RESULTS
After implementation of the new strategy, recruitment rose from 22% to 82%, with 41% of respondents stating that it had influenced their decision to stay in the Trust. Reasons given for recruitment to the Trust included convenience, familiarity, loyalty, enjoyment of clinical placements and perceived supportiveness of the Trust.


CONCLUSIONS
Recruitment of qualifying students to their local Trust can be approached more effectively and good results obtained. The benefits of working collaboratively in relation to recruitment issues are also highlighted.
Baillie
Lesley
L
University of Luton, Aylesbury Vale Education Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital NHS Trust, Aylesbury, Bucks, UK. lesley.baillie@luton.ac.uk
Allen
Rodney
R
Coogan
Fiona
F
Radley
Robin
R
Turnbull
Liz
L
D006801:Humans; D007586:Job Application; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000379:methods*; D011231:Preceptorship; D013222:State Medicine; D013338:Students, Nursing; D006113:United Kingdom