Locum Tenens FNP?

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I am an experienced FNP and I am considering locum tenens but can't find much information online from other providers about their experiences. Would love to hear the pros, cons, important questions to consider when looking at staffing agencies and contracts, and any other helpful information. Also curious if doing locum tenens will negatively impact my ability to find permanent positions in the future. Thank you very much!

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Specializes in Surgery.

I've worked with Weatherby Healthcare in the past. I've also spoken with Aya. The one piece of advice is that the agency did not have the correct information about site needs, so I went into the interview looking a bit clueless. I would take the postings with a grain of salt until you speak with the actual employer. Definitely wouldn't see locums as a negative, if anything, its a great opportunity for you to try the job out with no strings attached. 

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Specializes in FNP-BC 2014.

Well... I guess everyone experiences it differently. Things have changed since the pandemic started in 2020.  Many places got rid of departments or cut staffing and didn't see fit to rehire these people when things returned to "normal". So instead of 2-3 weeks to credential, it now takes 3months.

Make sure they pay you top hourly wage and it is not all-inclusive (you pay for lodging/mileage or rental car/gas). Getting a hotel room that has a kitchenette sounds good, but in reality, these are not quality living arrangements. Think extended stay hotels - lots of truckers and section 8 government housing.  Better to ask for Air B&B.  You WANT a W/D..believe me. 

Staffcare, Consilium, ICON, Barton Associates

Currently with Consilium and working IHS in MT. Takes 45 days initially through any IHS if you've never worked at a reservation before because you are being screened through federal and IHS. You better have money put aside or have a job because it will take 90 days before you start.  Many IHS facilities are 200 miles from NOWHERE and you will have to drive in from wherever they put you. That also goes for rural clinics. Many IHS clinics are in areas that have high poverty/drug/ETOH. Rez (reservation) dogs are a problem. Starving, neglected dogs that don't belong to anyone, roam in packs on the reservation and bite/maul people. Just say no - go work somewhere else - certainly not worth the insane amount of time to get approval or the job itself.

Was with Staffcare the longest (9 years) they are the NP branch of AMN and I was a travel RN for them also.  Got consistent work through them. But that stopped 2/2020. I just finished working as WHNP for Keiser in Napa CA (nightmare job -nobody that works for Keiser FT is a happy employee). I was already to get next assignment and they pulled all the contracts because of COVID - no more full waiting rooms  and no work. I did online welcome to medicare assessments for 3 months.  I did a pop-up COVID testing clinic in Seattle for 2 months.   Barton Associates are like dealing with a high-pressured salesman, so ardent are they in getting you to sign a contract but be careful with them.

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Specializes in inpatient and surgical.

I follow "ebbthenp" on Instagram. She has a website and coaching business on locum NP work. She said she makes over $200k/yr on locum

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