Locum Tenens Tips

3 Lasting Benefits of Occasional Locum Tenens Contracts

occasional_lt_300Whether by conscious choice or out of habit, there are certain parameters we tend to function within on a regular basis. And while there’s nothing wrong with staying inside your comfort zone, there are personal and professional benefits that come from stepping outside of it every once in a while.

If you aren’t ready or able to take locum tenens opportunities full-time or recurrently, you can still reap many of the rewards realized by providers who regularly work the practice alternative. Here, we share three advantages you can expect from accepting locum tenens assignments now and again.

  • Increase in productivity. Being immersed in a new environment, working alongside new coworkers, and caring for patients you haven’t seen before innately prompts you to step up the pace. It may not necessarily be your intent to accomplish “more” during a locum tenens shift, but being in a different setting just naturally provides an energy boost.
  • Becoming more flexible. When you arrive at a facility as a locum tenens provider, the permanent staff expects you to adopt their protocols and fit into their system. Making this adjustment helps develop a sense of flexibility.

Even if you only accept the occasional contract, you further hone your flexibility with each experience. And having demonstrated that ability to acclimate can be an advantage when being considered for additional opportunities. Also, it should be noted, the more locum tenens opportunities you agree to, the easier you’ll adjust to unfamiliar settings.

  • Gaining knowledge. Of course, there are treatments and procedures performed basically the same way across the country. Then again, there may be certain procedures unique to a region or facility. A locum tenens contract offers you the privilege of observing how other providers treat various conditions or perform procedures. Experiencing diverse practice styles not only allows you to witness differences firsthand, but also to incorporate the best of them into your own repertoire to be used back at your permanent facility or on future locum tenens opportunities.

On your terms

So if you are craving a change, want to experience new surroundings, or desire a shakeup in your routine, locum tenens practice allows for all of these variables and so much more. And remember, one of the benefits to accepting the occasional temporary position is just that—it’s temporary. You can opt to experience the practice alternative on your terms, for a set period of time with a frequency that bests suits you.

About the author

Anne Baye Ericksen

Anne Baye Ericksen is a journalist and locum tenens subject-matter expert with more than two decades of experience. She was a regular contributor to LocumLife, Healthcare Traveler and Healthcare Staffing and Management Solutions magazines.

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