(Graph courtesy of St. Charles Health System)
In the past year, St. Charles Health System has seen a major turnaround in the strength of its workforce, according to a variety of metrics: Vacancy rates have decreased from near 20% to approximately 6-7% for acute nursing; in 11 of the past 12 months, the number of hires has been more than the number of caregivers leaving the system; and St. Charles has significantly decreased its reliance on high-cost temporary traveling nurses to fill needed positions. In the first two month of 2024, St. Charles hired just 5 temporary traveling nurses, compared with 196 in January/February of 2022.
Additionally, many traveling nurses are opting to make St. Charles their permanent home by securing positions with the health system.
“These are highly skilled nurses who could find a home anywhere. They are choosing St. Charles – that speaks to our strong culture and competitive rates of pay,” said Rebecca Berry, chief human resources officer for St. Charles.
Chris Collins, a client relations manager for FocusOne, which provides traveling nurse staffing for hospitals across the country, says that the percentage of travelers converting to be permanent nurses at St. Charles is notable. “With many of our clients typically experiencing conversion rates of less than 5%, St. Charles definitely stood out with their impressive 12% conversion rate in 2023. There are several likely factors that helped contribute to that success. Notably, St. Charles offers attractive pay packages and is situated in a location known for its picturesque scenery. However, it’s the culture St. Charles has created that sets them apart and makes them attractive to those looking for a permanent position.”
Michael Teeters spent more than six years as a traveling nurse before becoming a permanent staff member at St. Charles last month. He’s one of 14 traveling nurses to be hired as a permanent caregiver in 2024. “St. Charles feels like home, like where I’m meant to be. The people that work here are incredible,” said Teeters.
Learn more about Teeters and additional stats.
About St. Charles Health System:
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, La Pine and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, nonprofit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,500 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.
