Profiling "flexible" nursing staff: bank nurses in Scotland

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Workforce Studies
• Organizational Behavior in Healthcare

Background:

• Nurse banks are internal resources for temporary nursing staff within healthcare organizations.
• Understanding the characteristics and operational nuances of nurse banks is crucial for effective workforce management.
• Previous research has not extensively detailed the heterogeneity of nurse banks and their associated nursing staff in the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey nurses working on three distinct nurse banks within the NHS in Scotland.
• To identify and compare the demographic, biographical, and professional profiles of nurses across different nurse banks.
• To investigate management-level concerns regarding the operation and support of nurse banks, particularly focusing on communication and training.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to nurses employed on three selected nurse banks in the NHS in Scotland.
• Data collected included nurse demographics, career aspirations, and work commitments.
• Management-related issues were identified through survey responses from participating nurses.

Main Results:

• A total of 203 nurses responded to the survey.
• Significant variations were observed in the profiles of nurses across the three nurse banks, encompassing age, personal details, career goals, and work commitments.
• Nurses reported substantial dissatisfaction with access to training opportunities.
• Effective communication with temporary nursing staff emerged as a primary concern for management.

Conclusions:

• There is no "standard" operational model for nurse banks within the NHS in Scotland.
• The profile of nurses working on these banks is highly variable, lacking standardization.
• Addressing communication gaps and improving access to training are critical for enhancing nurse bank effectiveness and staff satisfaction.