By admin 
Locum tenens can provide an answer to staffing issues plaguing the healthcare industry today, but it is important to make sure everything is managed properly. Though they are temporary workers, it is important to make sure they understand what is expected of them and what their job will entail so they can perform better and provide the necessary care for patients. Some of the strategies to make managing locum workers easier include the following.
Create a Clear Onboarding Process
The onboarding process for locum workers may look a little different from the one used for permanent employees. This does mean that a different onboarding process may be needed for locum workers, so they will know what’s expected of them and can get started working right away on their first day. Use resources for managing locum partners to make the onboarding process as easy and streamlined as possible so the workers have all of the knowledge and information they need on the first day.
Help Encourage Team Integration
Even though locum workers are only there for the short term, it is important that they are able to integrate into the team and work with other staff members to help care for patients effectively. Take the time to make sure they have the help they need to understand and integrate into the team, whether that means doing introductions with staff members, pairing them up with someone who can help them get integrated on the first day, or using other techniques.
Use Technology to Provide Assistance
Technology can be used to provide help for locum workers to ensure they are able to do their job from the first day. Using technology can mean offering digital training opportunities to learn how the facility works, using digital scheduling tools for shift assignments, or providing access to electronic health records that the worker may need. Think about what they’ll need to do their job and what tech can help to streamline the process to get them up and going faster.
Monitor Their Performance
It is important to monitor their performance carefully, especially in the first few days, to make sure they are understanding everything, able to handle the workload, and more. Track patient satisfaction and collect feedback from both patients and staff to ensure they are doing a good job. If any issues arise, they should be addressed quickly through coaching or training.
Build Long-Term Relationships
Locum workers are only there for a short period, but it can be beneficial to build long-term relationships. If a locum worker is needed in the future, it can be beneficial to have a long-term relationship and be able to work with them again, as they’ll already know what to expect. If they are looking for a more permanent position later, this can also help with filling open positions faster.
If your healthcare facility is preparing to use locum tenens workers, make sure everything is ready to make their integration into the team as smooth as possible and to ensure they’ll be able to easily handle their tasks. This can be a great way to help cover gaps in staffing, but it is important to make sure it’s done right to prevent further issues. Start today by looking into resources available to help with managing locum workers.