Month: December 2022

Administrative tasks, checking equipment, and reviewing charts is just the typical beginning of a shift for a nurse practitioner, says Indeed. The rest of the day consists of visiting patients, assessing conditions, making diagnosis, and possibly training other nurses. It’s no surprise that one of the most important professions in America takes a lot of work and dedication. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, there are over 355,000 nurse practitioners licensed in the US. On average, they see about three or more patients an hour. Accessing medical training, workplace protocol, communication, and compassion are all in a day’s work for a nurse practitioner and it can take a toll on their personal reserves. Finding a work/life balance is crucial for these incredible professionals so they can keep following their calling and have a life outside of work.

Caring about patients, loving the job, and working long hours comes with the territory of being a nurse practitioner, but it often puts self-care on the backburner, says Nursing Process. Over 60% of nurse practitioners said they were burned out, and about 30% said they were burned out and depressed, said Advisory. One of the ways to keep a work/life balance, says the article, is to actually keep it! That means taking the vacation time that comes with the job. Many employees don’t feel entitled to take their vacation, and the US isn’t exactly known for being generous with it, but it’s important to get just a little removed once in a while from this demanding work. Not taking the break is what leads to stress, burnout, and even resentment.

Nurse practitioners are often tasked with administrative work for the patients they care for. If there is a lot of clutter or messiness, it can turn into a time waster and a stress maker at the same time. Making a comfortable work space can really help reduce stress, says Nursing Process. Tidying clutter, organizing paperwork, and making a comfortable and calm space will help with efficiency, says the article. It may even be an incentive to finish up work faster to get home.

There are a few things already that nurse practitioners are doing at work to help reduce their stress, said Advisory. According to a report, meditation, reducing work hours, and requesting staffing changes helped with burnout. Only 25% of nurse practitioners said they changed jobs as an alternative.

Although it’s the nurse practitioner that’s the medical professional and caregiver, sometimes they need to be taken care of as well. A colleague, a counselor, or a therapist can offer great support in a profession that easily leads to burnout, says Nurse Practitioner Online. Someone who is going through the same thing at work can help relieve stress, or talking to a mental health professional can reduce frustration, says the article.

We can all get onboard with the notion of more self-care for our country’s nurse practitioners. When they take care of themselves, they are able to care for us when we need them most. Whether it’s a cleaner, more comfortable office, a few days away, or talking to a therapist, nurse practitioners deserve the relief and decompression from the miraculous work they do.

Momentum Healthcare Staffing: We Help Nurse Practitioners find the Best Opportunities

Do you have specific needs for your career as an NP? At Momentum, we help you find only the best hospitals to work for that match your professional goals. We are constantly adding new positions to our job board, from Locum Tenens to permanent positions. Please contact us if you would like us to help match you!

Covid-19 has brought a lot of changes to the workforce. People are permanently moving from office settings to work-from-home. Essential medical staff are moving from permanent positions to travel and locum tenens positions.

Are you a physician who is looking to make the same move? Locum tenens positions are for physicians who want to travel, earn more money, and have more freedom.

What Is Locum Tenens?

A locum tenens is a physician who works a temporary position in a practice that is not their own.

The position may be in the physician’s hometown or a state across the country. They may be working in a small clinical setting, or they may be working in a larger hospital. Locum tenens positions are more common in remote areas where there are not enough employees to fill the roles needed.

The positions are temporary and may last for as little as a few weeks to several months.

Physicians usually must go through a third party to secure a locum tenens position. Some hospitals and clinics will work directly with physicians, but this doesn’t happen often.

Usually, a practice will go through a locums company which pairs them with a physician and provides the physician with malpractice insurance. Locums companies keep files of physicians and their state licenses. Physicians must sign an agreement with the locum’s company before accepting any assignment.

Why Do Physicians Want These Jobs?

In an era where many people are seeking more freedom, it makes sense that physicians are seeking locum tenens positions. Several perks come along with the job:

Freedom

According to Medpage Today, locum tenens offer more freedom and flexibility when you’ll work. You can choose between full-time and part-time positions. You can choose whether you work weekends or if you want to work a few weeks a year. You can even keep your regular full-time job while working a locum tenens gig on the side.

Have a Better Work-Life Balance

Since you have more freedom to make your schedule, you can have a better work-life balance. Onrec says physicians often work a locum tenens position and then take off a few weeks for vacation or to spend time with family. You can avoid being on call and select what time of day you’d like to work.

You Can Learn About A New Field

As you grow as a physician, you may want to branch out into different fields. It can be scary leaving your consistent job to jump into a new one if you don’t know if you’ll even like it. Physician’s Weekly says locum tenens are great for testing the field without committing to anything long-term. Work the temporary position, and if you don’t like it, you simply get to leave after a few months.

Make Extra Money

According to the American Association for Physician Leadership, locum tenens physicians often receive better pay for their temporary positions than at their regular jobs. You can pick up locum tenens jobs to help pay bills, save for your kid’s college tuition, fund medical missions, or save for a vacation.

Allows Travel

Being a physician is incredibly demanding and doesn’t always allow for travel time. The American Association for Physician Leaders says physicians who desire to travel and explore the country enjoy locum tenens positions.

Focus On Your Patients

Most physicians get into their careers because they want to care for people. Most people don’t realize how much paperwork and meetings play a part in medicine. Medpage Today says locum tenens don’t have to worry about the business side of medicine and can place more focus on their patients.

Avoid Workplace Politics

Workplace politics is an issue in any industry, but it can be hard to focus on your patients when coworkers are trying to drag you into an argument. Onrec says locum tenens physicians rarely build strong relationships with coworkers since they aren’t in positions for very long. So you can avoid workplace politics and focus on your work.

Looking for a Locum Tenens Position?

A locum tenens physician fills a temporary position at a clinic or hospital. They often stay for weeks or months before moving to the next position.

Locum tenens positions are for those who prefer freedom and control over their lives. These positions allow you to choose your schedule. They allow you to travel, have a better work-life balance, and test out a new field without committing. These positions also allow you to earn more money while focusing on your patients.

If you are a doctor or physician seeking a locum tenens job, please contact Momentum Healthcare Staffing. Momentum matches you to your perfect position based on your personal and professional requirements! Keep our medical job board bookmarked, or search now, as we constantly post new Locums Tenens positions.

With the country still recovering from Covid, Covid fatigue still plagues the healthcare system.  Healthcare employers realize they need to provide better benefits for their employees.

This awareness could be good news for those employed in the medical care field. The facilities now have to look hard and find solutions for burnout among their workers due to their being overworked and underpaid.

In addition, the increased demand for treatment and care for diseases and our aging population necessitates adding positions in most hospitals and managed care organizations.

Facilities are looking at facilitating change by streamlining work, eliminating some administrative tasks, and taking better care of their workers. The year 2023 may be much more favorable for healthcare jobs.

Nurse Practitioners

Nurse practitioners will continue to be in demand for 2023, and the market will continue to grow through 2030. Quality patient care is a high priority, and nurse practitioners can offer preventative and primary care in some states. The field has opened up to diagnosing and prescribing medications for their patients.

Registered nurses may consider obtaining a master’s degree to advance for a pay increase.

Registered Nurses

The demand for registered nurses has always been high, but since the pandemic, demand has been even higher. More specialized nursing degrees have more pay in the field, but hospitals now offer better pay and better benefits for general registered nurses positions.

Occupational Therapy Assistants

Hospitals need to move patients back home as quickly as possible to maintain space for patients with acute care needs. Occupational Therapists help patients to continue their recovery and provide education for life skills outside of the hospital.

The occupational therapy assistant’s role in the medical field is increasingly essential in streamlining hospital care.

Home Health Aides

As our population ages, there is a significant demand for home healthcare aides. Chronic diseases and disabilities are treated more in the home environment, and the need for more home health aides has increased.

Physical Therapy Assistants

Physical therapy assistant positions are growing faster than average. Getting people with injuries or illnesses to move and manage their pain is the primary concern of hospitals and physicians.

Home health agencies, nursing homes, and outpatient facilities also know the value of physical therapy assistants during the patient’s recovery.

Health Services Managers

Directing and coordinating health services for facilities or departments within the facilities is essential for any hospital or nursing facility. Health services managers manage the patient’s services according to regulations and technology.

Physician Assistants

Physician assistants provide medical examinations and diagnoses and offer treatments in collaboration with doctors and surgeons. Physician assistants allow physicians and surgeons to keep track of more patients more economically.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Counselors

More awareness of the need for these counselors is surfacing daily. The evaluation and assessment for problems like addictions, alcoholism, and recovery and the work in mental health services will continue to grow.

Medical Imaging

Radiation Therapists, Nuclear medicine Technologists, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, MRI/Radiologic Technologists, and Cardiovascular Technologists are all in demand. New technologies and streamlining imaging processes have opened the medical imaging field to more job opportunities.

Jobs in the healthcare field continue to grow. The aging population in the United States has continued to expand, and patients continue to require care in the facilities and at home. The pandemic showed weaknesses in our healthcare systems, and a new generation of workers will strengthen those weaknesses.

Momentum Healthcare Staffing—Connecting You to Great Healthcare Jobs

Momentum is proud to connect healthcare workers with a variety of job openings, from temporary to permanent and we help match you with the position that closes match your personal and professional goals. Please click here to view our available openings.

It’s safe to say modern America has never been more appreciative of healthcare workers than since the pandemic began. Our healthcare, our lives, really, were (and are) in the hands of these medical professionals and they have been the backbone of this crisis. Now, hospitals, urgent care centers, doctor’s offices, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities across the country are experiencing extreme staffing shortages since the 2020 outbreak of Covid, says US News. Long waiting times for patients, weekend closures, and burnout for current staff has been skyrocketing. The need for healthcare workers has never been greater.

The staffing shortage affects every aspect of healthcare, from pediatric hospitals to nursing homes, and making sure patients get the best care is the most important priority, says the CDC. In their “Strategies to Mitigate Staffing Shortages,” the CDC focuses on adjusting staff schedules, hiring additional HCP (health care professionals), and rotating positions. This includes canceling all non-essential visits and procedures and moving healthcare workers to the areas most needed. They also give guidance on postponing elective time off for healthcare workers but to respond to mental health issues and consider the different responsibilities of each worker.

Burnout

Burnout within the healthcare community runs high these days, and has been the past few years, because of the influx in patients from Covid and the shortage in staffing. Nurses, especially, are leaving because of the stress alone, says Healthcaredive. In a recent survey, more than a third of nurses polled said they were leaving their jobs by the end of the year, said the article. Healthcare systems have tried to entice new hires and current employees by raising compensative rates and have partnered with nursing schools to ensure future staff.

Technology

In a creative effort to off-put the staffing shortage, some healthcare systems have leaned on technology, says US News. They are planning ahead with analytics and data before procedures and having the patients monitor themselves at home. Using this sort of technological tactic helps nurses manage patient care and also manage more patients at the same time, says the article. Other facilities have used cloud-based technologies to better track workflows, stock levels, and product tracking. Streamlining these systems will help create a more efficient and precise healthcare network that serves both professionals and patients.

Healthcare facilities are better equipped now than at the beginning of the pandemic, however, the influx of patients is still daunting, says Politico. Staff members are being pulled from their regular stations to assist with Covid antibody infusions, a labor-intensive process that requires treating immunocompromised patients at separate locations with careful infection control. The patients get the help they need, but where were the staff pulled from, questions the article. It isn’t really a long term solution, but serves as a band-aid for the current crisis.

Healthcare Staffing Agency: Momentum Healthcare Staffing

Momentum is not your average medical staffing firm—we’re a progressive company with new ideas specializing in healthcare staffing. We understand the difficulties regarding the growing cost of healthcare and the increasing demands of clinicians. It’s our goal to be focused and detailed while understanding that every healthcare facility has its own unique needs. Please call our healthcare recruiting specialist to get connected to the perfect person for your open position!

Our country is going through quite a bit of change, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Healthcare facilities, and healthcare workers are doing their best to keep our citizens healthy and out of harm’s way. There is a worry within the healthcare community that this will continue for years to come, however, our country has seen it before and we will see it again: Where there is a will, there is a way.