The holiday season inevitably equals the Locum Tenens take over. It’s the wonderful time of the year when coverage gaps open as permanent providers take their vacation time to indulge with their families and friends. Though most of society tries their best to take time off, Locum Tenens step in to make sure hospitals and facilities have their patient well accounted for. Depending on what role you are stepping into, you could be looking at smooth sailings or some busier moments. In this time of holiday madness – and potentially away from our family and friends – it’s our mental health that we need to stay on top of. So, how can Locum Tenens implement stress management techniques into their holiday assignments? We have all of your essential tips and tricks to get you through the holiday season!
Firstly, we should be aware of what we are getting ourselves into. You could be a new-time Locum Tenens who is away from home for the first time or a veteran who knows all of the ins and outs of the holiday season. That also means recognizing why it is such a pivotal time to take advantage of these openings showing up.
Pros Of Working Locum Tenens During The Holiday Season
Holiday Incentives & Higher Pay Rates
Holiday rates are a typical occurrence throughout this time of year. Hospitals and facilities are in dire need of help with so many requesting vacation time. Therefore, they are really trying to get you through the doors. So, while you can generate some extra income with this avenue, you could also be looking at great holiday incentives. For instance, working a specific holiday, like Christmas Day. Working an hour 8-hour shift on a holiday will have you making double the amount. A.K.A. Double pay! Not so bad for a day’s work.
More Job Opportunities
With this being the desired time for many full-time healthcare workers – whether that be in smaller or larger healthcare organizations – to take time off, this results in opportunities for locum tenens being much higher than normal. This can mean you seeking out not only opportunities that align with what you really want (i.e. income) but could have you working in areas that can give you all the holiday feels you have been looking for. For instance, opting for a white Christmas or a summer holiday, getting out of the big city and heading for a rural area or wanting to experience a big city Christmas! The options are far more open and wide for you to decide.
Utilize Clinical Skill Development
Are you a subspecialist? Then working during these times could represent the ideal opportunity for you to dive deeper into an area of your specialty. As a slower time of the year in some healthcare facilities, you have more opportunity to recognize a wider scope of practice, expand your skillset and elevate your experience in that position. On top of that, learn from a new array of patients, and fellow healthcare workers and expand your clinical skills.
Your Recruiter and Your Expectations
Diving into the nitty gritty details with your recruiter is imperative during the holiday season. Although you won’t be able to take, for instance, all of the important days off when you indeed need to be working, you will be able to find yourself getting a day here or there to accomplish what you need. Have family close by where you could spend a day? Or can you get a quick trip home? If you do have accommodations, just let your recruiter know so they can work it straight into the contract. If you have it in writing, it’s set in stone.
Preparing To Work Locum Tenens During The Holiday Season
Despite these positives that come out of working during the holidays, it once again can cause some turmoil in our mental health. Especially during a time when we aren’t able to relish in the celebrations of our families and friends, on top of working a stressful job. Here are some tips we have culminated to help you prepare for working as a locum tenens during the holiday season.
Stay Busy
Although you’re out working for a large majority of the time, it doesn’t mean that once you get home you hermit yourself into an isolating position. While we know it can be difficult being away from home during this time, it is also important that you keep yourself busy outside of your work life. Being in a new area, there will be plenty of exciting things to participate in like concerts or markets. On the contrary, you also will be working with fellow healthcare workers who most definitely do not want you spending your holidays alone. Your connections during this time can be your greatest asset, so get out there!
Work With Your Body
As a doctor or physician, you know all about the body. However, many healthcare workers don’t realize how out of tune they are with theirs. If things start to feel a little overwhelming or uncomfortable, utilize these techniques below to help:
- Meditation: If there is one thing that all healthcare workers should be doing, it’s meditation. Find a quiet spot to sit or lay, listen to a guided meditation and set yourself up right for your day!
- Journaling: As healthcare workers, we don’t often have the time or energy to really dive deep into all of the emotions we can feel daily. Use journaling to your advantage. Write every morning exactly what you are feeling and thinking, or tell your journal in the evening about your day. Science proves it makes a huge difference.
- Breathing Techniques: For when you are in the moment and feeling stressed, affectionate breathing is what you need to do. Deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system – rest or digest – which allows you to feel relaxed and more able to tackle the issue at hand.
- Therapy: Although a taboo topic amongst doctors and physicians, it is something you can do to help your overall mental health. You can seek out online options and pay out of pocket!
Remember Why You Are Doing It!
Why are you working during the holiday season? It could be for the income, the new area you get to enjoy a holiday in, or, it could be the fact that you are allowing another healthcare worker to take time to spend with their family and friends that they don’t often get to do in the rest of the year. A selfless, strong and immeasurable act to help hospitals and patients feel supported and cared for during this time.
For those who would like to have some online mental health resources on hand, click here!
Locum Tenens are majorly utilized throughout the holiday season. While this is a huge perk, it is also imperative for us to stay on top of all the ways we can make this time of the year more comfortable for ourselves. Here at TheraEx Locums Staffing, we can both help you stay prepared for working Locum Tenens during the holiday season and get you exactly what you desire and require during this time! Don’t let the holiday season get you down, the Locum Tenens position can provide you with the experience of a lifetime in a place you’d never thought you’d spend the holidays!
