A Blueprint for Stability: Inside the University of Toledo Medical Center’s Culture-Driven Strategy for Nursing Recruitment and Retention
The Department of Education’s proposed reclassification of health care roles has many nurses wondering what it means for their profession. At the University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC), leaders are focused on strengthening what matters most: supporting nurses, building trust, and creating a place where people want to stay and grow.
// By Susan Dubuque //
Building a Stronger Nursing Workforce
In many ways, the University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC) is a study in contrasts. With just 319 beds, it operates on a smaller scale than many academic peers. Yet it delivers the full breadth of a major medical center — from trauma care to complex cardiac procedures.
Kurt Kless, chief nursing officer, University of Toledo Medical Center
Chief nursing officer Kurt Kless describes UTMC as “the perfect combination of an advanced AMC that feels like a place where people know your name.” That balance of intimacy and capability shapes every decision around the nursing workforce:
- Frontline nurses help shape practice.
- New graduates receive structured support.
- Recruiters are nurses themselves, guiding candidates with credibility born from experience.
Recruitment and retention at UTMC are not HR transactions. They’re the outcomes of shared governance, thoughtful leadership, and a coordinated effort with marketing and communications to ensure the internal experience matches the message.
Read on to learn more about UTMC’s approach, results achieved, and tactics you can adopt to strengthen your recruitment and retention efforts.