WellSpan introduces new floating nurse program 

A floating nurse program first used at WellSpan York Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic is now being used across WellSpan Health’s midstate hospitals. 

The York-based system announced on Thursday that its “WellStaffed” program of floating nurses has expanded to 52 dedicated team members. 

The program began last September as a way to “address urgent patient care needs at each WellSpan Hospital, while also providing professional growth opportunities and expanded skill set for the participating nurses,” WellSpan wrote in a press release. 

WellSpan Health’s hospitals each manage their own float pools of nurses, which cover daily staffing needs. 

During the pandemic, WellSpan York began sharing a float pool of staff to cover assignments across hospitals. WellSpan then expanded upon that idea to create WellStaffed. 

The WellStaffed program does not replace current hospital float pools. Instead, it allows WellSpan staff from any hospital to join a team of registered nurses and certified nursing assistants who cover multiweek assignments across the system. 

Twelve of the new WellStaffed team members are new to the organization while the rest were internal hires. The program gives staff the ability to support various specialties including behavioral health and emergency medicine. 

“WellStaffed takes my previous experience of a float pool to a whole other level. I love this program because it allows you the opportunity to find out what your passion is,” said Ruth Brainerd, a registered nurse on the team who also is a nurse instructor. “The flexibility in my schedule allows me to continue as a nurse instructor and also share more ideas from my experiences with my students.” 

The WellSpan employees receive full benefits, and the program helps retain the nurses within the organization as a growth opportunity. 

“I love WellStaffed because it allows you to switch environments through different assignments you take on. Each entity brings a fresh start along with its own unique and different patient population,” said Rachel Mylin, a WellStaffed registered nurse.