Keeping a locum tenens job can sometimes be as challenging as finding a locum tenens job. What are some locum tenens strategies for success? Neurologist, locum tenens physician and author Andrew Wilner discusses the “3 As” of a successful locum tenens career – Availability, Affability, and Ability:

Availability

  • Be flexible – with scheduling and with hospital staff.
  • If you’re not immediately available for assignments, you may lose them to another candidate.
  • You also need to be available to hospital staff once you’ve started an assignment. Be kind. Respond immediately to pages.

Affability

  • It will take a long time for patients and staff to realize your knowledge base, but they will immediately be able to recognize whether or not you’re a nice person.
  • Act like you’re a guest in someone else’s house. You aren’t there to change things. You’re there to take care of patients.
  • Don’t be demanding. Don’t create problems.

Ability

  • You have to know what you’re doing. If your medical skills aren’t up to par, you’ll quickly get a bad reputation. Teaching nurses or other staff will help show them that you are a competent provider. For example, showing a nurse a trick you learned for starting IVs or showing off your skills on ultrasound will impress the staff and stories about your skills just may make their way back to the department director or CEO.

Also … dress for success. Wearing a suit and tie will make a great first impression on patients and staff.

Looking for more locum tenens strategies for success? BAM Medical Staffing can help you succeed.