15% Of ACLS, PALS, NRP, and BLS - Click Here

Recently Health Ed Solutions spoke with three executives from Favorite Healthcare Staffing, a national healthcare staffing company, to explore which skills are currently in highest demand by their healthcare clients. According to vice presidents Ken LaOrden, Cathy Vollmer, and David Corwin, there are clearly many opportunities currently available for individuals with the right skills.

HES: What types of healthcare professionals are most in demand right now? Is there a certain area for which you are getting many requests?

KL: We are seeing an increase in “per diem” placements, which are day-to-day staffing. Registered nurses with specialty skill levels are particularly in demand: ICU, OR, NICU, PICU, labor and delivery, cath lab, and case managers. Additionally, we are seeing an increase in requests for nurse practitioners. On the allied health side of staffing, respiratory, physical, and occupational therapies are all in high demand.

HES: Do you have a sense of why those particular areas are growing?

CV: One of the reasons specialty nurse staffing, on a day-by-day basis, is growing is hospitals are attempting to schedule staff based on their census for that given time. As it relates to the specialty areas, these areas are growing due to the increased acuity of the patient entering the hospital–increasingly patients are treated in outpatient settings and must be in a very serious condition to be admitted. More technology and treatment modalities are available and accessible for patient care and treatment. More sophisticated technologies and methodologies of care require more nurses with advanced levels of expertise. 

The growth in the allied health area is being driven by the fact that so much more is being done these days to help patients rehab quickly so they can be sent home. Consequently, rehab is very, very busy.

More demand for nurse practitioners is driven by the shortage of physicians, along with the need to manage case loads. Many physician practices are incorporating nurse practitioners to assist in managing their case loads and growing numbers of hospitals are managing their patient loads by using nurse practitioners to help facilitate patient care.

HES: In terms of that specialization, how important are certifications when you are placing a nurse or other healthcare professional?

KL: Favorite Staffing does not place nurses or other healthcare professionals unless they have the appropriate certifications. And, we require all of our healthcare professionals to have at least one year of experience. So certifications are more than important, they’re required for our candidates.

Health Ed Solutions offers ACLS certifications and recertifications, PALS certifications and recertifications, and BLS courses online.