Contract work (or freelance or gig employment) are booming across all industries, but especially nursing and medical. Nurses alone saw a 1400% growth in moving to gig-related models, including travel and per diem work.
Why? What caused nurses to swap out traditional shifts for non-traditional employment? Experts suggest several reasons, including:
- Exhaustion,
- overworked in the nursing industry,
- frustrations with how employers handled their hours during the pandemic,
- not seeing family often (information from OliverWyman)
Overall, mental health concerns were listed as the biggest worry. Nurses and other medical professionals are tired of feeling unsupported and undervalued for the essential work they do.
Contract work provides a variety of benefits to medical workers. As gig work experts, we’ve seen these benefits (and more) shape the lives and careers of nurses for the better.
Gig work offers typically higher pay
The Ability to set rates means contract workers have a higher opportunity to negotiate on every project, unlike traditional employees who negotiate once for salary and occasionally throughout their careers.
There are also expectations and understanding from the employer side that they’ll incur higher costs, as healthcare and other benefits don’t fall on the employer’s side. They’re willing to pay more because they’re not having to incorporate those benefits.
Contract workers gain more control of a work/life balance
With burnout and mental health being the biggest issues, nurses are turning to gig work to provide the freedom and mental respite they need. Mental health in nursing matters, such as exhaustion, can lead to lower-quality patient care and gaps in coverage for the public. As former President Barack Obama noted, “America’s nurses are the beating heart of our medical system.” By taking care of our nurses and other medical staff, we can take better care of everyone as a whole.
Contract work develops a more dynamic skill set
At one location, nurses and other medical workers might find that their skill sets remain stagnant over time. They do more or less the same things day in and day out. They can be frustrated by a lack of opportunity and challenge.
Contract medical work can provide additional skills, and those can lead to increased pay opportunities. Better yet, it can unlock new passions for nurses who wouldn’t have gotten that training otherwise
Discover the workplace environment without onboarding
Gig work gives nurses the opportunity to feel out a new work location without the stress of it not being a fit for them. Gig workers don’t have to spend 90 days onboarding. Nurses and medical workers are able to feel out if they vibe with coworkers. This is especially important if they’re looking for a new long-term job or to kickstart their careers.
With HealthGig Jobs, nurses can find meaningful work that doesn’t leave them burned out. Click here to learn more about our process.