orm_september-2024 - 13

Salary/Career Survey
Open positions. For the first time
since 2020, most respondents reported
the percentage of open positions had
stayed the same for both RNs and STs.
As noted earlier, only 28% of respondents
reported the percentage of open
positions for RNs increased, compared
to 45% in 2023. The percentage of
those reporting an increase in open
positions for STs fell from 48% to 38%.
The number of open positions also
improved this year, with 20% of OR
leaders reporting no open FTE positions
for both RNs and STs, compared to
11% and 17%, respectively, in 2023.
About two-thirds (64% for RNs and 66%
for STs) had zero to four open positions.
For RNs, 19% had five to nine
open positions, 6% had 10 to 14, and
9% had 15 or more. For STs, those percentages
were 16%, 11%, and 6%.
Staffing changes. The most commonly
reported staffing change was hiring
more direct care staff (48%, up from
35% last year, 32% in 2022, and only
14% in 2021). Just 16% of respondents
reported hiring management, comparable
to 13% in 2023 and 15% in 2022.
This figure was 5% in 2021.
The next two most common changes
were losing staff to retirement (38%)
and reduced use of agency/travel staff
(36%). Other changes include reduced
use of overtime (27%) and losing staff
to burnout (25%). (This year's survey
was the first to include retirement and
burnout options.) Write-in responses
beyond the survey options included losing
staff to pay and schedule changes.
Recruitment. According to a report
from NSI Nursing Solutions, Inc, filling
an open OR nurse position takes an
average of 92 days. Respondents reported
a much lower average of 77 days
for RNs, down from 112 days in 2023
and 94 in 2022. The news was less
positive for STs: Average time to fill a
position was 120 days, compared to
130 last year and 112 in 2022.
The percentage of respondents reporting
that recruiting experienced
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How has the turnover rate changed in the past 12
months for RNs and STs?
Increased
Decreased
Stayed
the same
RNs
STs
RNs
STs
RNs
STs
30%
44%
33%
41%
22%
15%
19%
10%
48%
41%
48%
48%
2024 (N=222)
2023 (N=254)
How has your staffing changed during the past year?*
2024
Hired more direct care staff
Lost staff to retirement
Reduced use of agency/travel (RNs/STs)
Lost staff who transferred to another unit
Reduced use of overtime
Lost staff to burnout
Increased use of agency/travel (RNs/STs)
Eliminated open positions
Hired more management
Redeployed staff temporarily to another unit
Had layoffs of direct care staff (RNs/STs)
Had layoffs of management
Required staff to take time off without pay
Other
None of these
*Respondents could choose more than one answer.
RNs had not changed compared to 12
months ago jumped from 25% in 2023
to 41% this year, the highest percentage
since 42% in 2014. In all, 14% reported
easier recruitment. Nearly a third (32%)
found it easier to recruit new or inexperienced
OR nurses, up from 22% in 2023
and 17% in 2022. Only 18% found recruiting
this group to be more difficult.
ST recruitment also improved, but to
a lesser extent. Half of OR leaders reported
recruitment was more difficult,
down from 65% in 2023, and 35% reported
it was unchanged. Only 15%
noted that recruitment was easier.
The number of respondents who require
certification in perioperative nursing
jumped from 7% in the past 2 years
to 17% this year. In all, 71% require an
associate degree in nursing, compared
to 68% in 2023 and 59% in 2022. The
percentage of those requiring a baccaOR
Manager | September 2024 13
48%
38%
36%
33%
27%
25%
23%
16%
16%
10%
8%
7%
6%
8%
5%
2023
35%
n/a
22%
31%
24%
n/a
41%
18%
13%
13%
3%
8%
8%
11%
6%
2022
32%
n/a
14%
31%
17%
n/a
47%
18%
15%
38%
7%
7%
14%
9%
2%
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orm_september-2024

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