The following are fictional characters created as composites of healthcare leaders Polaris has spoken with in recent executive searches. Their stories reflect real challenges and solutions we’ve encountered across the industry.
Linda Rodriguez, CNO at Riverside Health, speaks from the nurses’ station during a rare quiet moment
Reporter: “How are you managing staffing with reduced funding?”
“You know that joke about nurses being able to fix anything with tape and determination? Well, it’s not really a joke anymore.” adjusts stethoscope “When the budget got tight, I channeled my inner MacGyver. Except instead of defusing bombs, I’m defusing staffing crises.”
“I expanded our nursing student partnership program. Now we have students on every unit, paired with seasoned nurses who actually enjoy teaching—shocking, I know. These students bring energy, fresh perspectives, and occasionally remind us about evidence-based practices we forgot existed. Plus, half of them will work here after graduation, which beats paying recruitment fees.”
“Then there’s our ‘technology ninja’ program. We trained our charge nurses to be telehealth coordinators. Now they can monitor patients remotely, conduct virtual rounds, and somehow still find time to remind doctors to wash their hands. It’s like having superpowers, but with better documentation.”
Dear Reader: How are you reimagining care delivery in your world? What staffing magic tricks have surprised you?