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Let’s ask Jo! She’ll know!
Q: A family member was recently hospitalized and one of his nurses said she is a "traveler." But she lives in a nearby suburb. Huh?
A: I understand the confusion. "Traveling nurses" ("locum tenens" for doctors) are part of the newish "gig economy." These temp workers were first used to address seasonal demands in the 1970s, and the movement has gone on steroids over the past few years. A "traveler" works for a staffing company, and not as an employee of the hospital. As such, they can take job assignments across the street and/or across the country.
As the patient, why should I care?
There is no reason to believe quality of care is impacted by a nurse's employment status. However, overall health care expenses are definitely affected because contract nurses cost the provider considerably more than their hospital staff counterparts. (Not for nothing, but Iowa ranks 48th in nurses' salaries, and for some travelers, the rationale may be: "At least I'm earning hazard pay." That's tough to argue with.) Bottom line: This is not a sustainable business model for providers, which ultimately diminishes care for everyone. Until policy makers and stakeholders get serious about remedying the crises of job disatisfaction, burnout and worker shortages, the gig economy will continue to be the temporary solution to a permanent problem. Good luck to us all.
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