A nursing administrator is taking a human effort inventory of the facility to help predict what future personnel needs the facility will have in the coming 5 years. The facility is currently at 95% capacity and thriving. The board of directors have begun deliberating about the feasibility of adding a new wing to the facility to accommodate 50 more beds. The current nursing staff is already strained, and the director of nursing is currently looking to fill two open RN positions. Moreover, the administrator has heard that two new nursing facilities are expected to open in the next year or two. Unemployment in the area is high, but there is a shortage of RNs. A new nursing program has just started at the local community college, and enrollment is high. However, it will be a couple of years before the first-class graduates from the program.
1. What do the factors in this case study indicate about the current hiring environment for nurses in the area?
2. If you were the administrator, how would these factors affect your decisions regarding hiring? Would you be inclined to expand your staff now or to wait a few years?
3. What further information should you obtain before making any decisions?