Improving Nursing Recruitment and Retention at Advocate Health

By Stephanie McDonald, AVP, Emergency Services, Advocate Health 

“I’m sorry, but I’ve already accepted a position elsewhere.” That was a quote our nurse managers and recruiters heard far too often. It was commonplace for the past few years at Atrium Health, part of Advocate Health, as vacancy rates have remained higher than pre-pandemic rates. The impact? We relied heavily on expensive contract labor to bandage over the problem, and we still struggled to cover all shifts in some departments.  

A fresh look at our recruiting and talent-acquisition processes in 2024 highlighted some opportunities. We convened a team to create our new candidate-centric model. Led by one of our esteemed chief nurses, Denise White, the…