National Nurse Practitioner Week celebrates the remarkable professionals who are shaping healthcare delivery across the country. Locum tenens is one area where NPs have distinguished themselves as highly skilled professionals, bridging the gap created by the ongoing physician shortages. As demand for nurse practitioners (NPs) increases, locums has become a great option for NPs, offering professional growth, competitive rates, and schedule flexibility.
We sat down with Teresa Thompson, Vice President of Sales at Hayes Locums, to find out what NPs should know about locums and how NPs can make the most of the growth opportunities it offers.
What Professional Growth Can You Gain Through Locums That Permanent Roles Don’t Offer?
Locums allows you to build clinical versatility at an accelerated pace by exposing you to new environments and clinical care models. While in a permanent role, you might see the same patient demographics and clinical approaches year after year, locums allows you to expand your clinical skills by trying out new practice environments and approaches to care, which helps grow adaptability and flexibility in your practice.
“The professional growth opportunities for NPs who work within the locums space include the chance to work in a broad range of settings, which can range from rural clinics to urban hospitals,” Thompson explains. “This provides the opportunity to work with diversity in patient populations and cases.”
Locums also offers benefits beyond growing your clinical skills: it can offer a higher pay rate and more flexible scheduling, making it easier to invest in your own professional goals without the financial strain or burnout.
“The lucrative nature of locums can also provide an NP the ability to have more flexibility with the hours they work, providing the time and finances to pursue further education,” said Thompson.
How do State Scope of Practice Laws Affect Your Locums Opportunities?
While demand for nurse practitioners is growing across the country, different states have different laws regarding an NPs scope of practice. More states are moving NPs toward clinical independence—26 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories now have Full Practice Authority (FPA) laws in place.
But even in states that don’t have FPA laws in place, NPs can still find opportunity.
“Nurse practitioners in many specialties are working in every state,” says Thompson. “While a state that allows for independent practice may be of more interest to a seasoned NP, a state where [the scope of practice] is more restrictive would be a better fit for a less experienced NP.”
While states have varying scope of practice laws, one thing they all have in common is the demand for NPs. “While state laws do vary in terms of what an NP can and cannot do, the demand has not decreased based on the differences between states,” says Thompson. Healthcare facilities need skilled nurse practitioners regardless of state regulations, offering a range of opportunities for NPs at every stage of their careers.
How Do You Establish Credibility in a New Care Team?
As a locums NP, you are jumping into busy practice environments with pre-established protocols and routines often, so it’s important to develop a quick understanding of your care team by asking the right questions.
“Unlike a permanent role, a locums nurse practitioner has hours, not days to learn the lay of the land,” Thompson explains. “Stepping into an established care team model and establishing credibility quickly is one of the trademarks of an experienced locums nurse practitioner. It is paramount for locums NPs to integrate into the team quickly. Understanding the formal and informal dynamics of the team and protocols is one of the first steps.”
Asking the right questions can be what separates NPs who thrive from those who struggle to acclimate. Asking the right questions will establish knowledge as well as demonstrate [your] desire and ability to quickly adapt to a new work environment.”
This Nurse Practitioners Week, we’re celebrating the incredible impact NPs have had on healthcare. Through locum tenens, NPs stand in the gap for so many communities who need access to quality care—and they’ve done so while also balancing their own personal and professional goals as well. If you’re ready to grow your clinical practice and find a more flexible schedule, we’re ready to help!
