Call the nurse

Lee Memorial Health System issued this challenge to its 11,000 employees in October: Help us hire 100 nurses in 100 days.

The mission was critical because Lee Memorial forecasted a busy winter season when retirees would flock to Florida, crowding the four acute-care hospitals it operates in Lee County.

Over the years, the nation's fourth-largest public-health system concluded that the best way to find nurses and other highly skilled employees is by referrals from current employees. In fact, about one-third of new hires are referrals from colleagues who already work there, says Jon Cecil, chief human resources officer at Lee Memorial.