Why Did my Contract Get Canceled?

Q 

Greg –  With the massive shortage of nurses and the high demand for care givers due to COVID-19, why did my contract get canceled? I was in-route to the facility. It’s so frustrating!

A

I certainly understand your frustration; we share it too!

COVID has brought many changes to healthcare staffing – most of which Recruiters are unable to control.  Here are a couple of scenarios that we are finding:

1. Because COVID numbers can spike in a community literally overnight, Healthcare Facilities feel the URGENT need to augment their staff immediately. Even with a quick response from Recruiters and applicants together with the relaxing of the interview and licensing procedures, it can take up to a week to get travel nurses on board. Often, other means have been found to fill the vacancies – full-time staff, retirees, etc.; or the census has changed, and travelers are no longer needed.
2. We are also finding that Healthcare Facilities are becoming less tolerant of aberrant behavior, frequent call outs, and/or other demands that some traveling healthcare professionals make during their contracts. While this was not your case, often the most expensive and the least cooperative travelers tend to be cancelled during their contracts, despite the need. Although this is not new to travelers, it is occurring more frequently. When the demand for work is high, so is the frustration – on both sides of the desk.

Bottom line? Never have Nurses been so critical to the health and sustainability of the general population. Conversely, never have Healthcare Administrators, Recruiters and Healthcare Workers been less in control of their environment. Rapid response, complete and transparent communication, and remembering our PURPOSE will get us through this crisis.

Have a burning question? Email me (Greg).