NurseDash: an innovative solution to nurse staffing issues

Nurses today, and the nursing profession itself demand a seismic shift in how, when, and where nurses work.

Not every nurse works full time. Many are going back to school. Many others simply want more flexibility in when and where they work. They need better options.

Thankfully, there are innovative solutions developing to meet the evolving staffing needs of nurses and the health care facilities where they work.

NurseDash is one of those solutions. An on-demand, online nursing staffing platform, NurseDash connects health care facilities that need staffing with nurses looking for open shifts. Strategic Education, Inc., Capella University’s parent company, is a partial investor in NurseDash.

“With NurseDash we set out to create a highly efficient, real-time staffing solution that eliminates many of the pain points that nurses and health care facilities have had to wrestle with,” says Jake Kohl, CEO and co-founder of NurseDash, which is currently offered in Texas and Ohio. “With the ongoing nursing shortage and challenges in finding qualified nursing talent, we believe our service fills a very real need.”

That need is indeed very real:

• More than 50% of registered nurses are now age 50 or older.
• More than 1 million nurses are expected to reach retirement age within the next 10 to 15 years.
• It is projected that an additional 203,700 new RNs will be needed each year through 2026 to fill newly created positions and to replace retiring nurses.

Simply put, there are fewer and fewer nurses to go around, and health care facilities need new tools to fill shifts quickly and efficiently.

Different than a traditional staffing agency

NurseDash differs from a traditional nursing staffing agency in that the online platform allows real-time connections between employers and nurses looking for shifts, without any unnecessary obstacles or delays.

“With a traditional agency, you typically need to pick up the phone to get the ball rolling, whether as an employer or a nurse looking for shifts, and that is inherently inefficient,” Kohl says. “With NurseDash, you post a shift on our app and can get qualified nurses right away. We avoid the middle man and let nurses and health care facilities connect directly on our platform.”

Benefits for nurses

For nurses, NurseDash provides a platform to work when and where and as much as they want. There are no minimum hours required. When a shift matches with what a nurse is looking for, a notification is sent instantly.

“For many nurses today, they value flexibility more than anything, and NurseDash helps to provide just that,” Kohl says. “Our users range from nurse’s aides all the way through RNs. We have users picking up multiple shifts per week, as well as those who just want to work a few shifts a month.”

Staying in the game while going back to school

An example of nurses who need maximum flexibility and control over their schedules are those who are going back to school to advance their careers. Jennifer Dixson Hoff, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Strategy for Strategic Education, Inc., says NurseDash can be an ideal solution for nurses who are juggling school and family but still want to stay active and engaged in practice. In the past, many nurses have had to choose between career and school.

“Nurses should not have to sacrifice their dedication to the profession when moving their careers forward by earning a degree,” Hoff says. “NurseDash gives them the option to stay active as a nurse when and how they can. That is good for the nurse, for the profession, and ultimately for patient care.”

As an added benefit, the NurseDash compliance process includes background screens and credential and license monitoring, as well as compensation and liability insurance for clinicians. Kohl says that NurseDash clients typically see a 30% cost savings compared to a traditional agency.

“Nurses and the facilities they work for really do deserve better, and NurseDash is bringing them together in a new and exciting way to help make that happen,” Kohl says. “In the end, this benefits all of us as patients, knowing we have the qualified nurses we expect to help us be as healthy as possible.” 

Learn more about NurseDash.