Locum Tenens for Nurse Anesthetists

Locum Tenens refers to a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another. This method of employment is often used in hospitals to fulfill staffing needs that cannot be covered by permanent employees.

When thinking about doing locum tenens work, one should first start by choosing where you want to work, because you’ll need a nursing license and specialty license in the state where choose to work.

This type of work is great for workers and employers alike. It allows CRNAs the opportunity to learn about working at various hospitals, with different practice styles and geographic locations, without committing to a long-term contract. Another way CRNAs use locum is to pick up extra hours in the area where they live, but outside of their usual place of employment. From another point of view, locum allows employers to fulfill staffing needs without adding another FTE to their payroll.

Locum tenens can be very lucrative. Most companies pay on a per diem basis, although some contracts are based on an hourly scale, overtime and on-call time. One reference reported that CRNAs can expect to make $720 – $880 per 8-hour day.