University of Washington Medical Center

TON - January 2015 Vol 8 No 1

The University of Washington (UW) Medical Center in Seattle is a leading academic medical center, with specialties in cardiac care, cancer care and stem-cell transplantation, obstetrics (including high-risk neonatal intensive care), orthopedic care, and solid organ transplantation. U.S. News & World Report ranks UW Medical Center as the top hospital in the metropolitan Seattle area and in Washington state, and the center is ranked seventh in the nation for its cancer care.

UW Medical Center partners with the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance to provide integrated care for oncology patients. The multidisciplinary team includes medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, clinical pharmacists, nurses, nutritionists, and other healthcare professionals with specialized training.

The hospital has 450 licensed beds and more than 4000 employees. In 2012, the medical center reported 17,900 admissions, 23,400 emergency department visits, 300,000 clinic visits, and 15,000 surgery cases.

The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA spoke with Sandra Elliott, one of two nurse recruiters at UW Medical Center, about her role in finding and hiring nurses to fill the various vacancies that arise.

Describe your job.
Sandra Elliott (SE):
I have an awesome job. I have the privilege of recruiting nurses to work at one of the top hospitals in the United States. I recruit for staff nurses, nurse practitioners, and nurse managers.

Applicants find us through our online presence. I also attend national conferences, such as the Oncology Nursing Society Annual Congress, to let nurses know about the opportunities in Seattle. While most nurses don’t attend conferences to look for a job, I love this opportunity to meet nurses and find out if they are interested or if they know other nurses who may want to work in Seattle.

Why is your hospital a good place to work?
SE:
We were the first hospital in the world to receive the Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and we were the first hospital to receive a fifth redesignation. Our nurses are highly educated and receive ongoing education. The nurses have autonomy and work in a collegial environment. Our hospital is known for providing excellent patient care. We provide excellent benefits for our staff, including insurance coverage for family members and a work/life balance. This makes UW Medical Center a wonderful place to work.

What are your biggest challenges?
SE:
My biggest challenge is finding highly skilled nurses to fill available positions. There is a shortage of nurses and nurse practitioners in some specialty areas, and recruitment is very competitive. For example, it is hard to find neonatal ICU nurse practitioners.

In cancer, we have 4 oncology inpatient units and must recruit both locally and nationally to attract top-notch staff. For new graduates, we provide a residency program for training to become an oncology nurse. We also have study groups to obtain oncology certification.

What is your biggest reward?
SE:
I get a lot of satisfaction from finding the right applicant for a specific position. I interview applicants first, and then they interview with the manager. It always makes me happy when it is obvious that the applicant is a good fit for the unit.

How did you become a nurse recruiter?
SE:
I have a broad-based human resources (HR) background, and I have worked at UW for many years. When an opening came up as a nurse recruiter, I applied for it. This is my favorite job, as I have the opportunity to partner with managers I have known for many years. It is really satisfying to see people you hire continue to grow and be rewarded for providing excellent patient care.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to be a nurse recruiter?
SE:
I would say it is important to work in a lot of different HR and customer services environments and to understand the healthcare environment. Also, build relationships with managers, and try to understand their needs.

What would you be doing if you won the lottery?
SE:
I would travel around the United States and then all over the world.

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