Survey: 39% of Nurse Practitioners Say COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced Interest in Locum Tenens

PEABODY, Mass. — Barton Associates, a leading locum tenens staffing agency in the United States with nine offices nationwide, surveyed its network of nurse practitioners (NPs) and found that about four in ten (39%) said the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their interest in taking locum tenens assignments.

Of the 144 NPs surveyed, 13% said the COVID-19 pandemic is directly responsible for why they consider locum tenens, while over one-quarter (26%) said it increased their willingness to consider going locum.

Of these two groups of NPs, the vast majority (62%) cited “flexibility to work in different locations” as the main reason why the pandemic increased their willingness to consider locum tenens assignments. Other reasons included:

● Higher compensation rates during the pandemic — 55%

● Increased demand for healthcare professionals — 51%

● Ability to choose assignments and control schedule — 51%