DPH outlines hiring changes that speed nurse recruitment; commissioners press for permanence

The San Francisco Department of Public Health presented a multi-pronged strategy to accelerate nurse recruitment and retention, telling the Health Commission that consolidation of job descriptions, batch hiring and new applicant-tracking tools have increased hiring throughput and reduced vacancies.

Erica Thorson, recruiting strategist at DPH, said the department consolidated hiring lists and eliminated burdensome questionnaires to create two comprehensive RN hiring lists, allowing hiring managers to consider a broader candidate pool. She noted nearly 99 nursing candidates were in process as of March 15 and "just yesterday, 35 new RNs started at the Department of Public Health." Scott DeWolf, director of recruitment and assessment, said consolidating eligible lists and using an applicant tracking system broadened the candidate pool presented to managers and reduced bottlenecks.

Kim Walden, DPH director of staffing, described batch hiring and closer integration with the city's HR modernization team, saying the process saved time for hiring managers and HR analysts. Staff reported growth from roughly 1,250 RN FTEs in FY2021-22 to an anticipated headcount of about 1,400 by the end of the current fiscal year, representing an increase of roughly 250 positions.

Commissioners praised the progress and asked whether the hiring efficiencies were permanent policy changes or pandemic-era exceptions. Kim Walden and HR leaders said the department has reverted to list adoption processes required by civil service rules but has institutionalized many efficiencies (batch hiring, streamlined qualification reviews) and is working with city Human Resources to sustain improvements. Director Kovacs noted the vacancy count dropped from about 1,000 at the start of the fiscal year to roughly 600.

Commissioners requested ongoing updates and suggested DPH share lessons learned as the hiring model is applied to other classifications.