In the healthcare industry, Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are recognized as an important part of the healthcare system because they provide essential support services that aid in the treatments offered by other healthcare professionals. These services include diagnostics, research, rehabilitation, and therapy. AHPs can work independently or within private or public health establishments. Due to the increasing demand for AHP services and the evolving roles within healthcare, AHPs are now needed on both a short-term and long-term basis. This has led to the availability of both locum and permanent job roles for AHPs. This blog will clarify the differences, similarities, benefits, and challenges of permanent and locum job roles, assisting AHPs who find it difficult to decide which path to pursue.
Permanent AHP roles
A permanent AHP role offers a stable and long-term position within a healthcare facility. As a permanent AHP, you become an integral part of the healthcare team, contributing to the overall well-being of patients.
Benefits of Permanent AHP Roles:
- Job Security: A permanent contract offers stability and security, ensuring regular income and benefits.
- Career Progression: Permanent roles often provide opportunities for career advancement, such as promotions, specialized training, and leadership positions.
- Professional Development: Access to ongoing training and development programs can enhance your skills and knowledge.
- Work-Life Balance: A stable schedule allows for a better work-life balance, making it easier to manage personal and professional commitments.
- Team Building: Long-term relationships with colleagues and patients can foster a positive and supportive work environment.
- Employee Benefits: Permanent roles often come with attractive benefits packages, including health insurance, pension plans, and paid time off.
- Job Satisfaction: Contributing to the health and well-being of patients can lead to a fulfilling and rewarding career.
Challenges associated with the permanent AHP role
While permanent AHP roles offer many benefits, they also come with potential challenges:
- Workload: Permanent positions often involve a consistent and sometimes heavy workload, which may lead to stress and burnout.
- Limited Flexibility: A permanent role may limit flexibility regarding working hours and location, making it difficult to balance work and personal commitments.
- Limited Career Progression: In some organizations, opportunities for career advancement within a permanent role may be limited.
- Bureaucracy: Large firms can have bureaucratic structures that can hinder efficiency and innovation.
- Job Stagnation: Long-term roles can lead to a sense of monotony and a lack of motivation.
- Organizational Changes: Changes in leadership or organizational direction can impact job security, responsibilities, and the overall work environment.
Locum AHP Roles
A locum role is a temporary position where a professional substitutes for another worker, typically in healthcare, for a defined period or to cover shifts. Locum Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are permitted to work at different locations, providing essential care as needed.
What are the benefits of Locum AHP roles?
The benefits of locum AHP roles include:
- Flexibility to choose when and where you work, with roles matching personal interests or preferences, often leading to higher job satisfaction.
- Opportunity to gain diverse experience across various settings and organizations.
- Higher pay rates compared to permanent positions due to the temporary nature of the work.
- Chance to work in different geographic areas, offering travel and exploration opportunities.
- Ability to avoid long-term workplace dynamics and politics.
- Exposure to different teams and organizations, expanding professional networks and career connections.
Challenges associated with Locum AHP role
The locum role also comes with various challenges, such as:
- Locums often need to quickly adjust to new work environments, which can feel stressful due to limited onboarding processes.
- The temporary nature of locum roles means a lack of long-term job stability and security, with income varying depending on available positions.
- Constantly moving between different work settings can be challenging, as it requires frequent adaptation to new teams, practices, and systems.
- The short-term nature of locum positions means you may regularly need to search for new roles, disrupting your work-life balance.
- Locums may have limited access to resources, equipment, or technology compared to permanent staff.
- Temporary positions can sometimes make locums feel like outsiders, with less influence on decision-making.
- Locums may miss out on training, mentorship, and career development opportunities that are typically available to permanent employees.
Similarities Between Permanent and Locum AHP Roles
Permanent and temporary AHP duties, though distinct in their work arrangements, share several fundamental aspects. These commonalities underline the shared responsibilities and standards expected in both positions.
Core Responsibilities and Skill Sets
Both permanent and locum AHPs are expected to perform the same essential duties within their respective healthcare fields. Both roles are expected to offer direct patient care, diagnosis, treatment, and support and adhere to the same clinical guidelines, standards, and regulations set by organizations like the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
Professional Requirements
Both permanent and locum Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) must meet rigorous professional standards, including obtaining state licensure and relevant certifications, such as those provided by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. These requirements ensure that practitioners are equipped with the qualifications needed to deliver high-quality care while meeting legal and professional obligations.
Professional Development and Continuing Education
Both permanent and locum AHPs must stay up to date with the latest advancements in healthcare practices, technologies, and treatment methods. Continuing education is essential in both roles to maintain licensure, improve skills, and ensure the best possible care for patients.
Collaboration with Healthcare Teams
Both permanent and locum AHPs work alongside multidisciplinary teams, including doctors and nurses, to deliver holistic care, a standard recognized across U.S. healthcare settings.
Legal and Health and Safety Compliance
Compliance with regulations like OSHA and HIPAA is mandatory for both permanent and locum AHPs to maintain safe and legally compliant work environments.
Why Both Permanent and Locum AHP Roles Are Important
Meeting Healthcare Workforce Demands
Both permanent and locum AHP roles are essential to meeting the growing demand for healthcare services across the nation. Permanent AHPs contribute to the stability of healthcare teams, ensuring long-term continuity in patient care, especially in specialized fields, while locum AHPs help fill gaps during staff shortages, seasonal demands, or when specialized professionals are required temporarily.
Providing Comprehensive and Accessible Care
Both roles support the delivery of healthcare services in diverse settings, from urban hospitals to rural clinics. Locum AHPs can temporarily fill gaps, ensuring that even remote or low-access areas receive the care they need. On the other hand, permanent AHPs ensure that there is a steady presence of skilled professionals in hospitals and clinics, enabling patients to receive consistent care.
Enhancing Healthcare Innovation and Expertise
Locum AHPs often work in multiple settings, encountering a variety of cases and learning from different teams. This experience enriches their expertise, which they can bring back to the facilities they serve. Permanent AHPs, while they develop deep knowledge of specific organizational cultures, can implement long-term initiatives for continuous improvement in patient care.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Deciding Which Path to Choose
Before choosing your career path, ask yourself these key questions:
- Do I prefer a stable, predictable routine or the flexibility to choose when and where I work?
- How important are job security and benefits, like health insurance and retirement, to me?
- Am I ready for the challenges of adjusting to new teams and environments regularly?
- How does my personal life (family commitments, travel preferences, etc.) impact my career choice?
The Best of Both Worlds: Combining Permanent and Locum Work
For many Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), combining permanent and locum roles offers the ideal balance. Some start their careers with locum work to gain diverse experience and explore different settings before settling into a permanent position. Others choose to keep both options open, maintaining a stable permanent role while taking locum assignments during holidays, breaks, or weekends.
This flexible approach allows AHPs to enjoy the security and career growth opportunities of a permanent job while also benefiting from the variety and freedom that locum work provides, creating the best of both worlds.
Conclusion
Both permanent and locum AHP roles are crucial to the healthcare system’s success. Together, these roles ensure that healthcare organizations can meet the diverse needs of their patients while offering professionals the opportunity to choose a career path that aligns with their personal and professional goals.
Choosing between a permanent or locum role is a personal decision that depends on your career goals, lifestyle, and preferences. Both paths offer unique advantages and challenges, but with the right guidance, you can find a career that aligns with your aspirations.
We are happy to help.
If you’re ready to explore locum or permanent opportunities, get in touch with us at Verovian Allied Health Professional Agency to begin your journey today. We specialize in helping AHPs navigate the decision between locum and permanent roles. Whether you’re looking for flexibility or job security, we provide tailored guidance to match your skills and career aspirations. Our team works closely with healthcare facilities across the US to offer you a wide range of opportunities, from locum positions to permanent roles, ensuring you find the perfect fit.
