Cooperative education. An innovative recruitment technique

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Staffing

Background:

• Facing a critical nursing shortage due to declining enrollment and interest in nursing careers.
• Identified a need for innovative solutions for both short-term and long-term healthcare staffing.
• Recognized the shrinking pool of college-age students impacting future nursing workforce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a creative strategy to alleviate the nursing shortage.
• To recruit and retain nursing students by offering early exposure to critical care roles.
• To bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice for nursing students.

Main Methods:

• Hired senior nursing students on a part-time basis.
• Provided academic guidance throughout their clinical experience.
• Facilitated observation of critical care nurses' daily work.

Main Results:

• Successfully integrated student nurses into the workforce, addressing immediate staffing needs.
• Provided valuable real-world experience for nursing students.
• Offered a potential pathway for increased interest and commitment to critical care nursing.

Conclusions:

• Part-time employment of senior nursing students is a viable strategy to combat nursing shortages.
• Early exposure to critical care nursing can enhance student engagement and career choice.
• This innovative approach supports both current staffing demands and future workforce development.