Running head: REACTION PAPER; DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE HEALTH CAR

Reaction Paper; Developing an Effective Health Care Workforce Planning Model

Laurence Weinreich
Siena Heights University
Human Resource Management
LDR 625
Professor Fick
November 03, 2016
Reaction Paper; Developing an Effective Health Care Workforce Planning Model
Summary
The white paper Developing an Effective Health Care Workforce Planning Model by
Drake, Pawlowski, & Riley, 2013, sponsored by; The American Hospital Association (AHA), the
American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), and the American Society for Healthcare
Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) is an effective guide to understanding workforce
planning models (WPM) and how to set up and run a successful WPM. This paper was a
response to The 10-year impact statement from the American Hospital Association the
mission of the American Hospital Association Workforce Center is toassure hospitals have a
competent and engaged workforce to deliver high quality care to patients and families (Drake,

Pawlowski, & Riley, 2013, p. 1). This paper looked at over 30 different sources for information
about existing WPMS and conducted interviews of 32 c-suite executives to reach their
conclusions and offer suggestions to the reader on ways and means of improving their employee
workforce, hiring, retention, and measuring the results of your efforts after the tips and tools
have been applied in real- life situations.
Reaction
The paper starts with advice on how Health Care Organizations can evaluate and adjust
themselves to keep up with a changing world. The key components of an WPM are listed- as

Data

Strategy

Planning

Evaluation
This includes a worksheet assessment tool to help with data collection. Then moves into
the strategy section listing key components of this area to look at with a second useful strategy
tool. Planning is stressed with a section on developing partnerships to attract more employees to
interview and accept positons at your HCO. Recruiting and onboarding is another area which the
paper addresses and ends that section with advice on retaining the employees you have now
hired. The paper ends with a section on training programs and how to effectively evaluate and
measure the effects that the program has had on your Health Care Organization so that you can
gage if more change is needed or if the new road that the HCO is traveling is correct.
This white paper combines very well with my class textbook and is very useful in our
course. In our textbook workforce planning is rationalized as History tells us that policy and
political pressures are generated when either the market or the public signals a shortage of some

REACTION PAPER; DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE HEALTH CAR

type of basic good or service (Fried & Fottler, 2008, p. 31). This white paper directs how to
keep that shortage from hurting ones Health Care Organization by retaining the HCOs
employees by implementing a successful retention plan combined with a mentoring plan to retain
employees. The paper walks through the entire process with a check list of items so that nothing
is missed.
The chapter and this paper has entered my life at an opportune time. I have lost my three
radiology nurses and am in a situation where I must recruit and retain nurses to replace the ones
who have left. The American Hospital Association, Workforce 2015: Strategy trumps shortage
Retaining existing workers, including those able to retire, and attracting the new generation of
workers, (p.2) was cited as a must do in a tight labor market. I am now working in a tight labor
market with very few radiology nurses to choose. This paper has helped me to formulate a plan
to find replacement nurses and keep those nurses once I have recruited and trained them. In
reading this white paper I have learned that I need a recruitment plan which consists of a
written description of the organizations vision, mission, and values and profile of the health
care worker (Drake et al., 2013, p. 14). Selecting the right candidate is the first step in the
process of filling the need of the HCO and starts the steps towards retaining that new employee.
From the exit interview of one nurse who left last week, onboarding 6 months ago failed
in my department and that was a factor to her leaving. This guide lays out the steps needed to
successfully onboard a new employee. The retaining section has helpful suggestions such as,
involving employees in committees and gaining feedback from employees to keep them engaged
in the workplace. A mentoring program would have been of great help and this paper has
excellent ideas presented to assist in starting and maintaining a great program for mentors.
Conclusion

REACTION PAPER; DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE HEALTH CAR

I have found this paper very helpful and it has presented itself at the right time to be very
useful to me. It is well written and very well laid out with easy to follow steps to help the reader
implement successful programs to attract and retain employees. This paper and one other I found
have both addressed engagement, and how to keep employees engaged so they stay- as stated in
Collins, Teresa, Ricci, & Christine, 2012, Conduct regular anonymous surveys to objectively
measure employee engagement. The initial survey will help you understand each departments
baseline. Use survey results to determine barriers to engagement, and then develop an action plan
to address the issues (p.1). I feel that I have gained some valuable tools in which to help me
become successful at my job.

REACTION PAPER; DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE HEALTH CAR

References
American Hospital Association. Workforce 2015: strategy trumps
shortage. January 2010. [Online information retrieved 11/8/2012].
http://www.aha.org/content/00-10/workforce2015report.pdf

Collins, Teresa and Ricci, Christine. Top 10: investing in the future
through workforce planning. 2012 [Online information retrieved
11/8/2012]. https://www.besmith.com/sites/default/files/Top%20
10%20Strategies%20for%20Workforce%20Planning.pdf

Drake, S. H., Pawlowski, U., & Riley, V. (2013). Developing an Effective Health Care Workforce
Planning Model. Retrieved from Siena Heights University:
www.mysiena.sienaheights.edu

Fried, B. J., & Fottler, M. D. (Eds.). (2008). Human Resources in Healthcare Managing for
Success (3rd ed.) Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.