Using Pre-Employment Testing to Improve Retention of Nurses
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Nursing is a demanding and rewarding profession that requires a combination of skills, knowledge, personality and attitude. However, nursing also faces a global challenge of retaining qualified and competent staff, as many nurses experience burnout, dissatisfaction and turnover. According to the World Health Organization, there is a projected shortage of 18 million health workers by 2030, mostly in low- and middle-income countries .
One way to address this issue is to use pre-employment testing as part of the recruitment and selection process for nurses. Pre-employment testing is a method used by employers to evaluate a candidate’s skills, intellect, personality and other traits that are relevant for the job. Pre-employment testing can help healthcare organizations to:
– Identify candidates who have the basic aptitude required for the job, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and numeracy skills.
– Assess candidates’ personality and behavioral traits that are aligned with the organizational culture and the demands of the nursing role, such as empathy, resilience, teamwork and stress management.
– Reduce hiring costs and time by screening out unqualified or unsuitable applicants early in the process.
– Increase employee retention by ensuring that new hires are comfortable with the type of work required of them and have realistic expectations about the job.
Types of Pre-Employment Tests for Nurses
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There are different types of pre-employment tests that can be used for nursing candidates, depending on the specific needs and goals of the organization. Some of the most common types are:
– Aptitude tests: These tests measure a candidate’s cognitive abilities, such as verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, as well as their ability to learn and apply new information. Aptitude tests can help to evaluate a candidate’s potential to perform well in nursing tasks that require logic, analysis, decision making and comprehension.
– Personality tests: These tests measure a candidate’s behavioral tendencies and preferences, such as how they interact with others, how they cope with stress, how they handle emotions and how they approach work. Personality tests can help to predict a candidate’s job fit by determining if they have the appropriate temperament for nursing, such as being compassionate, adaptable, collaborative and conscientious.
– Skills tests: These tests measure a candidate’s job-related skills, such as typing, computer literacy, medical terminology, clinical knowledge and procedures. Skills tests can help to verify a candidate’s proficiency in essential nursing skills that are required for the job.
Benefits of Pre-Employment Testing for Nurses
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Pre-employment testing can provide valuable information for healthcare organizations that want to hire and retain qualified and competent nurses. Some of the benefits of pre-employment testing are:
– Improved quality of hire: Pre-employment testing can help to identify candidates who have the necessary skills, knowledge, personality and attitude for nursing, which can lead to better performance, productivity and patient outcomes.
– Reduced turnover: Pre-employment testing can help to reduce turnover by ensuring that new hires are well-matched with the job and the organization, which can increase their satisfaction, engagement and loyalty.
– Enhanced diversity: Pre-employment testing can help to enhance diversity by reducing bias and discrimination in the hiring process. Pre-employment tests are objective and standardized measures that can be applied consistently and fairly to all candidates.
– Increased compliance: Pre-employment testing can help to increase compliance with legal and ethical standards by following best practices for validity, reliability and fairness. Pre-employment tests should be based on a thorough job analysis, aligned with the job requirements and supported by scientific evidence.
Challenges of Pre-Employment Testing for Nurses
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Pre-employment testing is not without challenges or limitations. Some of the challenges of pre-employment testing are:
– Cost: Pre-employment testing can be costly in terms of time, money and resources. Pre-employment tests need to be developed or purchased from reputable vendors, administered securely and professionally, scored accurately and interpreted correctly.
– Resistance: Pre-employment testing can encounter resistance from candidates or stakeholders who may perceive it as intrusive, irrelevant or unfair. Pre-employment tests need to be communicated clearly and transparently to all parties involved, explaining the purpose, process and benefits of the tests.
– Ethics: Pre-employment testing can raise ethical issues regarding privacy, confidentiality and consent. Pre-employment tests need to be conducted in accordance with legal regulations and ethical guidelines, respecting the rights and dignity of candidates.
Conclusion
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Pre-employment testing is a useful tool for healthcare organizations that want to improve their recruitment and selection process for nurses. Pre-employment testing can help to identify candidates who have the skills, personality and fit for nursing, which can lead to improved quality of hire, reduced turnover, enhanced diversity and increased compliance. However, pre-employment testing also has some challenges and limitations that need to be addressed carefully and responsibly. Pre-employment testing should be used as part of a comprehensive and holistic approach to hiring and retaining nurses, complementing other sources of information, such as resumes, references, interviews and assessments.
Bibliography
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: World Health Organization. (2016). Global strategy on human resources for health: Workforce 2030. https://www.who.int/hrh/resources/globstrathrh-2030/en/
: Brook, J., Aitken, L. M., MacLaren, J., & Salmon, D. (2021). An intervention to decrease burnout and increase retention of early career nurses: a mixed methods study of acceptability and feasibility. BMC Nursing, 20(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-00524-9
: PeopleScout. (n.d.). How to Use Pre-Employment Assessments and Testing in Healthcare Recruiting. https://www.peoplescout.com/insights/pre-employment-assessments-healthcare/
: Criteria Corp. (n.d.). The Benefits of Using Pre-Employment Tests. https://www.criteriacorp.com/resources/definitive-guide-validity-of-preemployment-tests/the-benefits-using-pre-employment-tests
: SHRM. (2020). EEOC: Employers Can Screen for COVID-19. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/coronavirus-employers-can-screen-for-covid-19.aspx
