The staffing crisis is having a widespread impact on the healthcare industry, with many organizations feeling its effects irrespective of location and type of care. For NNPs and other advanced practitioners, these staffing shortages ultimately mean job security for the foreseeable future. Yet, what does this mean specifically for locum tenens practitioners? Here’s a look into some market predictions.
Strong Locum Tenens Growth Predicted
According to the recent healthcare staffing data, the locum tenens segment is anticipated to grow up to 10% in 2023 and to continue sustained growth through 2024. Two primary drivers for this growth are the aging population and the vast number of healthcare providers reaching retirement age.
In addition, hospitals and other healthcare organizations are recognizing the need to become more flexible in their hiring approaches to address staffing shortages. Many facilities turn to locum tenens providers as a solution to provide flexibility in staffing and alleviate pressure put on full-time staff. In fact, 88% of facilities surveyed in a staffing trends report for 2022 report using locum tenens providers within the last year, 20% of whom sought out nurse practitioners specifically.
Locum tenens growth is also propelled by healthcare workers themselves. This arrangement offers a financially sound yet flexible approach to their careers, enabling NNPs and other professionals to strike a desirable work/life balance. Locum tenens is a win-win for patients, healthcare facilities, and providers alike: it’s an agile solution that allows healthcare facilities to fill their staffing needs and ensure ongoing access to quality patient care while minimizing the risk of burnout for providers. It’s therefore no surprise that more healthcare workers are taking on locum tenens assignments than ever before, with many working this way full-time.
Excellent Outlook for Advanced Practitioners
In addition to the anticipated strong growth of the locum tenens segment, the job outlook for advanced practitioners also remains overwhelmingly positive through the next decade. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs for advanced practice nurses are expected to grow 40% by 2031, compared to 5% which is the national average growth rate for all occupations. In particular, hospitals will always need NNPs. An estimated 15 million babies are born preterm across the world each year, calling for the special care only NNPs working in NICUs can provide.
While there’s limited data to show just how much the locum tenens staffing segment for NNPs specifically will grow, the growth of both locum tenens staffing and the positive outlook for advanced practitioners in general suggests that demand for locum NNPs will continue to stay robust.
Of course, just because there are multiple locum opportunities available doesn’t mean that it’s easy to find the right fit for your needs. That’s where Ensearch comes in. Our professional staffing experts specialize exclusively in NNP placement, and we’re the industry leader in locum tenens placement for the neonatal segment. Whether you’ve never done locum staffing before or you’re experienced with this type of work, we can find the best setting, location, and shift configuration l for your needs. In addition, Ensearch will help you get credentialed for your locum position, provide malpractice insurance and take care of all your travel arrangements. Get started with a no-cost consultation here.
