Five Factors – Increased Holiday Demand for Travelers
We expect to see a rise in the need for healthcare workers, particularly travelers, driven by several factors:
- Increased Patient Volume
Seasonal Illnesses: The winter months often bring higher incidences of illnesses like flu, cold, and respiratory infections. Hospitals and healthcare facilities experience a surge in patients needing care.
Holiday-related Injuries: Activities such as traveling, cooking, or outdoor winter sports can lead to accidents, adding more demand for healthcare services. - Staff Shortages
Many staff healthcare workers take time off during the holidays to be with family, leading to a shortage of on-site workers.
Travel nursing, therapy, and other healthcare roles are in demand to fill these gaps, especially in hospitals, urgent care centers, and long-term care facilities.
Temporary staffing agencies often work to place workers in areas where the need is greatest. - Hospital and Facility Needs
Healthcare systems often hire professionals on temporary contracts to cover staffing gaps during busy periods, such as the holiday season. Travelers engage in short-term contracts at high-demand locations and are willing to relocate temporarily for assignments in regions with staffing shortages. - High Compensation and Benefits
Travel healthcare workers often receive premium pay rates, including bonuses, due to the high demand during this time. Employers may offer higher wages, stipends, housing allowances, and other perks to attract healthcare workers willing to take on short-term assignments during the holidays. - Impact of Holiday Travel
Increased Travel Needs: With people traveling for the holidays, healthcare systems in airports, resorts, and popular travel destinations may require additional support to handle seasonal health concerns such as travel-related illnesses, injuries, and medical needs.
Reduced Local Staffing: In some cases, local healthcare workers may take extended leave during the holiday season, and this temporary absence creates openings for traveling healthcare professionals.
Conclusion
Go Healthcare staffing is dedicated to serving facilities whenever they need to staff up. Our clients count on us for registered nurses, therapists and allied professionals. The increased holiday demand for healthcare travelers reflects both the seasonal surge in patient needs and the gaps created by local healthcare workers taking time off during the holidays. For hospitals and healthcare systems, bringing in temporary or travel healthcare workers becomes essential to ensure that patient care is not compromised during this busy and critical time of the year. This trend has encouraged the growth of the travel healthcare industry as a flexible, lucrative, and seasonal career option. Looking for a travel contract? Search our openings here
I share professional advice, travel nursing related news and insight on some of our amazing travel contracts and clients.” -Jenny is the Vice President of Go Healthcare Staffing