Hospitals respond to nurse demands for work-life balance

Using creative staffing and flexible scheduling are strategies hospitals can implement to attract and retain nurses. Jill Bayless, MSN, APRN, senior vice president of clinical services at Community Hospital Corporation in Plano, Texas, believes nurses crave a better work-life balance. Her system uses a dyad model comprised of an RN and certified nurse’s aide or patient care technician working together to provide patient care. Before the system implements staffing changes, the CNO and nursing director on each unit meet with staff to explain the proposed changes and listen to their ideas and concerns. The system offers a variety of flexible scheduling including eight-hour shifts, shorter telehealth hours, shift hours corresponding to the school day and seasonal work from September until May. (HealthLeaders Media article, 1/20/23)