In recent weeks, RPI’s Account Managers have received an increasingly high number of requests for nurses and personal support workers (PSWs), primarily in public health facilities and nursing homes. As we’ve stated many times in the past, we’re proud to be considered an essential business during these difficult times, and our Account Managers are working diligently to ensure that all of our clients – and their patients/residents – are more than satisfied with the employees that we provide.
To that end, we want to use this blog to provide what we feel are some essential tips that all health facilities, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and other similar outlets should keep in mind when hiring staff during this pandemic. We’ve spoken to many clients and candidates in order to get their thoughts, and here’s what we’ve come up with:
A little bit of training goes a long way
It’s understandable that, given the current situation, there’s simply no good way to provide the in-depth training and orientation that most new employees of a health facility would get under normal circumstances. With that being said, however, it’s very important to provide your care workers with at least a minimal amount of training – even if it’s just 30 minutes to an hour. This recent article published in the Globe and Mail is a very difficult read, and it highlights the unfortunate reality of life in a nursing home right now – whenever possible, you want to try to avoid this and ensure that your new employees are given a detailed brief of what their duties are, and what they should expect. If you’re hiring through an agency like RPI, it’s very important to let the Account Managers know the details of your training program, whatever they may be.
Don’t over-promise your access to PPE
It’s no secret that PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), which includes things like gloves, masks, and gowns, is currently very difficult to get. In fact, there’s a fairly severe shortage that’s being felt throughout the healthcare industry. This is why it’s very important that any new employees are made aware of your facility’s PPE supply. If these employees are going to be interacting with patients or residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, they must be able to regularly change their PPE, especially when moving from person to person. If your facility doesn’t currently have the means to provide this PPE, be sure to make your employees aware of this so that they can make alternate arrangements if possible.
Consider offering “Hero Pay”
The current pandemic has led to many organizations paying their employees in a method known as “Hero Pay.” Essentially, this means that workers who have been deemed ‘essential’ during this pandemic are given extra pay and other benefits for continuing to work – supermarkets, for example, have adopted programs such as this in recent weeks. When you’re hiring for your facility through RPI, please be sure to let us know if you’re offering a similar system of pay to your employees. You’ll be sure to see an increase in high-quality candidates if ‘Hero Pay’ is included in their compensation.
In closing
Above all else, it’s important to be sympathetic and understanding to the concerns of your employees, both old and new, during this difficult time. If you have any questions or if you want to learn more about how RPI can help you with your staffing needs, please reach out to our Account Managers via one of the methods below.
Phone: 416-850-9809; Toll-Free: 1-866-505-3383
Email: info@rpigroup.ca
