Make Workforce Issues Known by Participating in the WA Health Workforce Sentinel Network!

Washington’s Health Workforce Sentinel Network is once again ready to hear from employers around the state about their greatest health workforce needs. The Sentinel Network is a tool that can help capture the key recruitment and retention issues employers are confronting, and make that information available to educators, policy makers, planners and others who can help address these needs. 

Since 2016, a state-led consortium has collected ground-level information about healthcare needs in Washington through the Health Workforce Sentinel Network. Now is your chance to add your voice. Become a Sentinel today and tell educators and policymakers about your organization’s health workforce needs.

Since launching the Sentinel Network, health care providers have identified common occupational skills they need—but can’t always get. Sentinels have also provided feedback on changing healthcare roles, helping Washington’s education and training programs retool to reflect these changes. Check the findings dashboard to view what Sentinels have said to-date.

Examples include:

• Registered nurses and medical assistants have consistently been among occupations with exceptionally long vacancies in all regions of Washington.
• Rural employers reported difficulty recruiting multiple occupations.
• More training in the use of electronic health records and health information technology, as well as customer service skills, is needed in many settings.
• High turnover rates in behavioral/mental health facilities are increasing workforce demand.

Additional summaries are available for community health clinics, RNs, LPNs, medical assistants, select behavioral health occupations, and long term care facilities.

Get more details and sign up to become a Sentinel at: www.wasentinelnetwork.org. Click on “Register Now” or the banner at the top of the webpage.

Your feedback is confidential
The details you provide, including specific recruitment challenges, are kept confidential so you’re able to share freely and securely.

Questions: healthworkforce@wasentinelnetwork.org,(206) 543-9797.

Washington’s Sentinel Network is a collaboration of the state’s Workforce Board and the University of Washington’s Center for Health Workforce Studies. Funding to initiate the Sentinel Network came from the Healthier Washington initiative, with ongoing support from Governor Inslee’s office.