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Branding the Children's Hospital Nurse

Retention, recruitment made gains with brand campaign.

Situation


Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center faced a common challenge: recruiting and retaining experienced nurses. While nearly 80% of new RN graduates joined the hospital, many left within three years, often seeking less demanding environments. 

 

The hospital needed to attract nurses who thrived in its academic, high-performance setting to improve retention.
 
Campaign:  Promoting the unique brand of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital nurse

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  • Short-term goal: Clearly define and communicate what makes a CCHMC nurse unique.

  • Long-term goal: Improve retention by attracting nurses who align with the hospital’s culture while celebrating current staff.

    Targeting mid-level nurses (BSN, 3–7 years experience) and existing staff, the campaign focused on authentic storytelling.


Research-Driven Strategy

A survey of 200 nurses helped define the Cincinnati Children’s nursing identity:
 

  • Expertise & Compassion: A unique blend of medical excellence, deep patient care, and family support.

 

  • Intellectual Curiosity: Nurses stay at the forefront of medical advancements and contribute to advances in treatments and practice.

 

  • Respect & Growth: RN input is valued, and professional development is prioritized.


I committed to using real nurses in the ads, each vetted by nursing leadership to ensure those selected exuded the key characteristics.

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nurse campaign 1.png

Tactics

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A survey of media behaviors of CCHMC nurses was used to develop the media plan:

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  • Print advertisements in regional nursing news magazines and local newspapers.

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  • Radio ads were used for the commuting nurses, and billboards were placed on the commuting routes.

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  • Posters were made to hang in the clinical areas. 

​​​Results

 

  • 61% recall of ads. Those who recalled also identified the key messages at nearly 20 percentage points over those who did not recall the ads.

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  • 70% of those who recalled the ads felt more positive about the hospital,l and 63% were more interested in working there.

 

  • RN retention improved, according to Human Resources, despite their change in data collection methods.

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  • An employee survey indicated that Nurses had increased satisfaction by being recognized for the toughness and uniqueness of the job.

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