Staffing Up for Flu Season

Along with the excitement of changing seasons comes the inevitable influenza virus. Flu season typically starts in October, with flu activity sometimes stretching into May. Although the peak of flu season varies from year to year, it frequently happens in or around the month of February.

Nearly 170 million vaccines were administered in the U.S. during last year’s flu season, a number that has been steadily trending up since 2012. The CDC recommends that people get their annual flu vaccine by the end of October, and we have already seen an increased need from our clients to manage this demand.

Not only can your healthcare facility expect an influx of patients seeking vaccines or falling ill with flu-like symptoms, but your full-time staff may also need to take more sick days due to increased exposure to infection. You’ll also need to anticipate a higher volume of requests for personal time off during the holidays.

While it’s important to employ enough staff to keep your operation running effectively, you don’t want to keep them on board any longer than your patient load requires. Engaging with a healthcare staffing agency like Covelo Group is the right solution. Our partnership will allow your business to strike a healthy balance of full-time and temporary staff as your needs change throughout the season.

Medical Assistants

We typically see a spike in client requests for medical assistants (MAs) this time of year. MAs are the glue that holds the healthcare industry together during flu season. By managing patient intake and running routine labs, they free up the valuable time of nurses and physicians. MAs are also experts at skillfully administering flu vaccines with lightning speed and minimal discomfort. For nervous children, they are the keepers of the superhero Band-aids, princess stickers, and lollipops.

We are continuously vetting experienced, certified MAs for our healthcare partners. We are standing by with a pool of qualified MA candidates, ready to work when you need them most.

Registered Nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants

Our partner hospitals, rehab centers, and out-patient clinics also report the need for additional registered nurses (RNs) and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) to manage patient care during flu season. From providing round-the-clock care in in-patient settings, to diagnosing walk-in patients, ample nursing staff is indispensable to keeping any medical facility running smoothly.

Covelo has access to qualified, experienced RNs and CNAs in your area, ready to jump into seasonal positions. We also have a well-established travel nurse staffing division, where we can bring RNs to you from around the country for temporary placements ranging in assignment length.

Respiratory Therapists

In addition to the flu, some patients will develop other lower respiratory infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis, or whooping cough. Medical facilities must be prepared with enough respiratory therapists (RTs) to handle their treatments.

We see an especially high demand for RTs among facilities that serve pediatrics and geriatrics, as these populations are among the most susceptible to pulmonary complications. RTs can monitor the lung function of vulnerable patients, and perform a variety of therapies as needed, including bronchodilator therapy, oxygen therapy, intubation, and mechanical ventilation.

Let Covelo Group bring knowledgeable, certified RT professionals to your medical facility this flu season.

Healthy Balance

Staffing requirements can be as diverse as healthcare organizations themselves. For instance, hospitals may need additional staff to trickle in a few at a time as the flu season starts to pick up, with the highest number treating patients during the peak. On the other hand, a company that runs pop-up flu vaccine clinics could require a large number of temporary staff based solely on a scheduled calendar of events.

Whatever your business model, it’s critical that you have enough qualified staff to treat your patients, and only as many as you need. With Covelo as your staffing partner, you can have the flexibility to grow and contract with your patient load this flu season. Visit www.CoveloGroup.com to learn more about how we can ease your staffing worries, and protect your bottom line in the process.