Full-time hospital providers typically take time off for long holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas—which means hospitals are often in need of locums coverage. Holiday locums assignments pay at higher rates than regular locums assignments, so it’s a great opportunity to earn additional income. Now is the time to start planning your holiday assignments, so you can take full advantage of the financial benefits that holiday shifts can provide.
Determine your holiday priorities
We recommend going over your holiday schedule as early in the year as possible to determine which holidays you’re available to work, and which ones you plan on spending with friends and family.
If you don’t celebrate certain holidays or don’t have plans, taking on a locums shift can be a great opportunity to provide coverage for a healthcare facility that needs it—and make some extra money at the same time.
“It’s a good idea to evaluate your calendar early in the year and work with your locums consultant to secure the bigger holiday schedules—it’s most important to start by providing all of your available dates and what you are willing to do,” says Cameron Lyle, Vice President of Sales at Hayes Locums.
If you do have plans, that’s okay: just let your consultant know which holidays you’re open to working, and which dates are off limits.
Plan your holiday locums schedule as early as possible
Hospitals are booking their holiday coverage earlier and earlier every year, so it’s never too early to make your plans.
“We are seeing facilities reach out earlier and earlier—in some cases, we see holiday coverage being requested as early as the first quarter of the year,” says Cameron Lyle, Vice President of Sales at Hayes Locums. “Depending on a facility’s bylaws, their permanent providers must give PTO requests very far in advance. Hospital recruiters are usually working to secure coverage as early as possible to ensure operations continue at their facility through the busy holiday seasons.”
Because holiday coverage offers higher pay, they’re also more competitive among other locums providers—which makes it even more important to start planning early.
“It’s first come, first served when it comes to holiday staffing coverage, and a majority of locums providers are planning their schedule around the same time,” Lyle says. “If the holidays are part of your strategy, there are only so many available opportunities around the country, so the earlier you plan, the better.”
Be prepared for busier practice environments
For the most part, holiday assignments aren’t much different than a normal locums assignment. But in certain facilities and specialties, the patient volume may be higher than usual during the holidays, so it’s a good idea to talk to your consultant about what to expect.
“A lot of Emergency Medicine and Hospitalists, as well as surgical specialties, see higher demand during the holidays because facilities cannot operate without them,” says Lyle. This is especially true of emergency medicine, which sees a higher demand for physicians over the holidays, because of increased ER visits due to accidents and injuries, overindulgence, and limited access to primary care providers during the holidays.
“Depending on where you end up, it could be quite busy, so it’s a good idea to prepare yourself for that,” says Lyle. “You will most likely be filling in for another provider who is in great standing and respected by the facility and its community, so it’s important to remember that you are there to provide the best care possible until that provider returns.”
Remember: hospitals book holidays early, so don’t wait to plan your holiday locums schedule! If you want to boost your income and make a difference in communities that need care, contact your consultant today to start planning your holiday assignments.
