Seasonal staffing crunches are just one of the scenarios where travelling nurses might be a better option than maxing out OT or bringing in per diem nurses.
Flu season hits. Your hospital has agreed to send some nurses to local health fairs, churches and community centers to tout the benefits of vaccination. It's a strain on schedules, but worth it.
Then, amidst all the flu activity, three nurses announce that they're pregnant—and they're due within weeks of each other.
Should you hire one or more new nurses, knowing you might not need them after the pregnant nurses return from maternity leave and flu season is long over? Should you max out OT and try to get through the crunch? Or should you bring in some per diem nurses?
Here's another popular option: Bring in some travelling nurses. Similar in principal to a locum tenens physician, a travel nurse is a short-term contractor usually employed through an agency that specializes in travel nurse placements.
Bill Heller, president of RN Network, a travel nurse staffing company headquartered in Boca Raton, FL, says he's seen a lot of younger nurses who want to experience working in different parts of the country before being tied down to one place.
On the other end of the age (and experience) spectrum he sees nurses who wish to enjoy the latter part of their careers by working in desirable locales.
Heller offers reasons travel nurses ought to be considered as a staffing solution:
1. Seasonal or Situational Staffing Shortages
Ahhhhh, winter: It's that time of year when sun worshippers and those sensitive to cold weather head to warmer states, such as Florida (where the state population increases by 4% in winter), Texas, Arizona and California.
"Travel nursing used to be seasonal, and seasonal work is still a large part of the business," says Heller. Winter resorts and summer colonies both see massive seasonal variations as travelers come and go, but seasonal fluctuations don't end there. College towns with large student populations and farming communities with an influx migrant workers also see their healthcare needs spike.
In colder climates, hospitals may want more hands on deck to handle flu outbreaks. For these short-term challenges, it simply does not make sense to bring another nurse onboard fulltime when the demand will subside after a few weeks or months.
2. Need for Scheduling Flexibility
Bringing on travel nurses allows permanent nursing staff the chance to take long-term breaks. Vacations, leaves of absence, and maternity leaves create temporary vacancies that can be filled by travel nurses.
And having extra nurses on hand enables nurses to take on special projects, such as community outreach, or to transition to different roles within the hospital.
How many nurses should be travel nurses at any given time? "There's a sweet spot," says Heller, Most hospitals he works with find that maintaining no more than 10% to 15% of nurses on duty as travel nurses is a comfortable ratio. "That number allows for flexibility, and allows the hospital to be much more nimble."
3.Skills Gaps
Travelers have seen it all. Or most of it. Be selective. Look at where candidates have worked before. Heller suggests bringing on a traveler who has worked with equipment your hospital plans to purchase soon, and have him or her help with training.
And travelling nurses should be asked to share best practices they've picked up along the way. The knowledge transfer is a bonus.
Cost Considerations
A common argument against bringing on travel nurses is that it would be less expensive to hire on either per diem staff or even another fulltime nurse. Not so, says Heller. "It's really not that much more expensive than a permanent, full time nurse. It works out to a three-to-seven dollar per hour differential."
Because the staffing agency picks up costs such as malpractice insurance, hospitals save money in those areas. Assignments usually last about 13 weeks, although stays up to 26 weeks are not unheard of.
Travel nurses are one more weapon in your arsenal to ensure patients are getting the best care possible, even when your population fluctuates, you get hit by the worst flu season in a decade, or multiple nurses go on maternity leave at the same time.
And, if the nurses get to enjoy some time in a nice locale in the process (namely, yours!), you'll all be better for the experience.
Lena J. Weiner is an associate editor at HealthLeaders Media.