The demand for locum tenens professionals in healthcare is growing rapidly due to widespread staffing shortages.
Nurses, in particular, are constantly under pressure due to the high demand for this role.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing released a fact sheet describing the problem, stating that nursing schools are struggling to expand their capacity to handle the shortage across the nation.
Additionally, time off, burnout, and unexpected absences worsen these shortages, and with 78% of nurses being women, maternity leave creates further staffing challenges.
These factors create gaps in the nursing workforce, making locum tenens nurses essential for keeping healthcare facilities functioning until permanent staff return.
If becoming a locum tenens nurse practitioner is running through your mind, this guide is for you.
Key Takeaways
- Locum tenens nurse practitioners temporarily fill critical staffing shortages across healthcare settings.
- These roles offer higher hourly wages but lack traditional employee benefits.
- Travel flexibility, professional networking, and varied clinical experience are key benefits.
- Challenges include income instability, administrative burdens, and multi-state licensing complexity.
Table of Contents
What Is a Locum Tenens Nurse Practitioner?
A locum tenens nurse practitioner (NP) is a licensed advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who works temporarily in a healthcare setting to fill staffing gaps. Their responsibilities include, but aren’t limited to:
- Regular patient care (diagnosing, treating, and managing illnesses)
- Prescribing medications (where authorized)
- Collaborating with physicians and healthcare teams
- Maintaining patient records and documentation
- Performing procedures within their scope of practice
The Necessity of Locums in the U.S.
The term “locum tenens” comes from Latin, meaning “place holder,” referring to professionals who temporarily fill positions until permanent staff return.
Besides regular vacations, many reasons necessitate locums in the U.S. healthcare system, but burnout is among the most common.
Approximately one-third of healthcare workers in the U.S. experience burnout at any given time, and with 4.7 million registered nurses across the nation, you’re looking at over 1.5 million nurses subjected to burnout at any moment.
Besides that, we also have medical leaves, resignations, maternity leaves, and high patient demand (where the existing regular NPs are no longer able to cope with the large influx of patients).
Much like regular NPs, locum NPs work in:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Urgent care centers
- Rural or underserved areas
- Private practices
- Correctional facilities
- Telehealth (in some cases)
Should You Become a Locum Tenens NP?
We’ll ask this question a second time later in this post, as answering requires knowing the pros and cons. However, you should understand that a good chunk of both the pros and cons of such an occupation are highly subjective.
In other words, the locum NP job title may be a perfect fit for someone, but it may be a last resort for another, so let’s start with the subjectively better aspects of locum jobs.
Advantages of Being a Locum Tenens NP
1. Travelling
Many people enjoy frequent traveling and changing their work and living environment. If you’re amongst these people, you’ll enjoy working as a locum NP. Most locum contracts average a few months, so if you continue to get new assignments, you’re guaranteed to travel around.
2. Suitability
Locum assignments are provided by special agencies upon registration, and you also provide preferences. This means you are more likely to get assignments that suit your time and location preferences.
3. Experience
In any industry, different areas have different requirements, and the healthcare industry is no different. Different areas with different environments cause different diseases to prevail, which means working in several health settings will expose you to many cases that you may not find back home.
4. Social Networking
Locum tenens positions offer excellent networking opportunities. While it requires effort to build connections during short assignments, doing so can significantly expand your professional network.
5. Contract Flexibility
One advantage is the temporary nature of these contracts. If an assignment doesn’t meet your expectations, you’re not committed long-term and can move on after the contract ends.
On the other hand, if you like the work setting and prefer to renew your contract, you can try to negotiate a permanent contract. You can increase your chances by proving your worth and establishing good technical and patient management skills.
6. Better Hourly Income
More often than not, all locum positions in the healthcare industry enjoy higher rates per hour, plus travelling and housing accommodations if their assignments require staying away from home.
Regular NPs with full contracts earn about $45 per hour, whereas locum NPs can earn between $70 and $120 per hour, depending on their skills, experience, and where they work.
By managing your expenses effectively, you can significantly increase your net income in this role.
Disadvantages of Being a Locum Tenens NP
1. Travelling
We did mention it’s subjective, which is why this one is self-explanatory. If you prefer a stable work environment where you can get used to everything at your own pace, or if you have a family that you can’t distance yourself from for too long, working locums may not suit you.
2. No Contract Benefits
Most Locum NPs (and other healthcare locums) don’t have contract benefits, like health insurance, sign-up bonuses, and such.
In fact, their high hourly rate is to compensate for the lack of such benefits, so if you value these bonuses, that’s another cue for you not to consider working locums.
3. Job Insecurity and Variable Income
While this is a bit rare, a locum tenens assignment can end abruptly if facilities hire permanent staff or budget cuts occur. Income fluctuates based on demand, and gaps between contracts may arise.
Because of that, and unlike salaried roles, locum work lacks stability, which necessitates financial planning for dry spells.
4. Administrative and Tax Complexity
To the IRS, locum NPs are independent contractors, which means they have to handle their own taxes, including quarterly estimated payments and tracking deductible expenses (e.g., travel, licenses).
While healthcare professionals are accustomed to documentation, tax-related paperwork presents unique challenges where mistakes can result in financial penalties.
5. Licensing and Credentialing Challenges
Locum tenens NPs often need to obtain licenses and credentials in multiple states, which can be time-consuming and costly. Each state has unique requirements, and the process may involve extensive paperwork, fees, and sometimes delays.
Staffing agencies do assist with these matters, but NPs must still provide documentation (e.g., certifications, malpractice history) for each assignment.
So, should you become a locum tenens NP? If you’re comfortable with travel, managing paperwork, and working without traditional benefits, this path can be financially rewarding.
How to Become a Locum Tenens Nurse Practitioner?
If you’re a registered nurse with a valid license, you’re already 80% to becoming a locum nurse practitioner. You should start by gaining some clinical experience, as most agencies require 1–2 years of experience in your specialty.
The next step is to partner with a reputable locum tenens agency, like CompHealth or Barton Associates. They handle credentialing, contracts, and travel logistics.
Agencies connect you with facilities needing temporary coverage and often negotiate better pay rates on your behalf.
At this point, it’s a matter of submitting documents, which include your CV, licenses, certifications, and references. Some facilities may require additional training, like ACLS or PALS, as well, so keep an eye out for that too.
As you register, you may choose jobs based on location, duration, and specialty.
FAQs
Do Locum Tenens Nurse Practitioners Need Malpractice Insurance?
Most staffing agencies provide malpractice coverage, but independent contractors may need their own policy. Verify coverage details before accepting assignments.
Can New Graduate NPs Work Locum Tenens Jobs?
Most agencies require 1–2 years of experience. New grads should gain clinical skills first to adapt quickly to temporary roles.
How Long Do Locum Tenens NP Assignments Typically Last?
Assignments range from a few days to 12+ months. Shorter contracts offer flexibility, while longer ones provide stability.
Closing Words
Nurses may not handle surgical procedures and complex operations like MDs, but they handle pretty much everything else in between. In some cases, the pressure on them is even more than that of MDs, especially when there’s a high influx of patients.
Locum tenens nurse practitioners can help mediate the situation, but you should consider the subjective pros and cons we mentioned earlier before you make your decision.
Still, the subjectivity of it makes the decision a bit difficult, especially if you are new to the industry and can’t exactly gauge your own situation.
That’s our job at Physicians Thrive: a team of doctors and other healthcare professionals designed to minimize the financial mistakes of any rising healthcare talent.
Contact us, let us know of your decision, inform us of your own situation, and we’ll formalize the best course of action, along with countless other recommendations.
