Navigating the Landmines of Recruiting, Onboarding and Retention of Trauma Registrars-Video: Navigating the Landmines

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this webinar, Nikki Resting, trauma program manager at Gulf Coast Medical Center, Florida, shares her extensive experience addressing challenges in recruiting, onboarding, and retaining trauma registrars. Upon arrival in 2023, Nikki inherited an understaffed, inconsistent trauma registry program with outdated processes, high agency reliance, delayed data submissions, and low staff morale. She implemented several strategic improvements to rebuild the program.<br /><br />Key initiatives included developing a comprehensive Orientation Plan incorporating TCA educational webinars, clear expectations, post-tests, and core competencies to effectively train and evaluate new registrars, most of whom were “home grown” without prior trauma registry experience. She introduced a detailed Inter-Rater Reliability (IRR) audit process using customized Excel forms, fostering accuracy and consistency across the team. This led to improved data accuracy from 92% to 98% over seven months.<br /><br />Nikki revamped job descriptions and collaborated with HR to broaden recruitment by removing restrictive certification requirements and advocating for remote work capabilities, previously disallowed by administration. Despite initial resistance, leadership changes enabled remote/hybrid work options, aiding retention and expanding the candidate pool state-wide. She established partnerships with local HIM programs to recruit and train interns, enhancing workforce sustainability.<br /><br />To retain staff, Nikki focused on fostering a supportive team culture through frequent meetings, involvement in decisions, flexible work schedules, education access, pay scale adjustments—including certification incentives—and creating a lead registrar position. Despite persistent hurdles like competitive pay and workload strains from increasing trauma volumes, Nikki emphasizes perseverance, strong support from trauma medical directors, and valuing the team as critical to sustaining the program’s success.

Keywords

trauma registry

recruitment strategies

onboarding process

staff retention

orientation plan

Inter-Rater Reliability audit

data accuracy improvement

remote work implementation

team culture development