The nurse practitioner's locum tenens guide: Can locum tenens be a long-term career for NPs?
March 24, 2026
This is the final part in a six-part series on everything nurse practitioners need to know about working locum tenens. If you missed the previous installments, you can read them here:
For many nurse practitioners, locum tenens starts as a temporary solution—a way to explore new settings, gain flexibility, or take a break between permanent roles. But increasingly, NPs are discovering that locums can be more than a short-term option: it can be a sustainable, fulfilling career strategy that supports professional growth, financial stability, and work-life balance over the long term.
Preventing burnout and sustaining a career
One of the most compelling reasons NPs choose locum work for the long haul is its potential to prevent or recover from burnout. Unlike permanent roles that often demand fixed schedules, rigid responsibilities, or long commutes, locum assignments give NPs control over where, when, and how they work. This flexibility can be critical for maintaining passion and energy for patient care.
I can’t imagine going back to a regular job again.
“I wish I’d done it ten years earlier.” — Patricia Gambrell, NP
By allowing clinicians to take breaks between assignments, choose roles that align with their interests, and avoid overstretched schedules, locums can extend both career longevity and professional satisfaction.
Financial planning and income stability
Another major advantage of long-term locum work is the financial flexibility and security it offers. Many NPs find that with locums pay, they can plan for income stability, retirement, or other financial goals while maintaining control over how much they work.
Unlike the perception that temporary work is precarious, locums often provide consistent pay, benefits, and reimbursed expenses, giving NPs confidence that they can support their lifestyle while remaining independent.
I’ve never been without a paycheck, and I’ve always been able to work as much or as little as I wanted.
This combination of autonomy and financial stability allows NPs to balance professional and personal priorities, whether that means traveling, pursuing hobbies, or spending time with family—all without sacrificing career momentum.
More than just a paycheck when you work with us: CompHealth benefits for nurse practitioners
Locums as a bridge or transition
Locum tenens can also serve as a bridge to new opportunities. Some NPs use locums to explore specialties, work settings, or geographic locations before committing to a permanent role. Others use locums to transition into full-time employment with a facility, testing the fit for both parties before making a long-term decision.
They kept renewing my contract over and over, and eventually they offered me a full-time role. Locums gave me stability without forcing me into a permanent decision too quickly.
For clinicians considering semi-retirement, a sabbatical, or a temporary break from traditional employment, locums provides a way to continue practicing medicine on their own terms without the constraints of a permanent position. This flexible pathway provides professional exploration while minimizing risk – allowing NPs to shape a career that aligns with their values and goals.
Flexibility without relocation
Long-term locum work doesn’t always mean constant travel. Many NPs structure assignments close to home or in regions they enjoy, combining career variety with personal stability. This approach can provide the best of both worlds: the flexibility and autonomy of locums, with the comfort of a permanent life.
You can have a permanent life with temporary assignments.
By tailoring assignments to lifestyle preferences, NPs can design a career path that supports both work satisfaction and life outside of work.
Networking and long-term professional growth
In addition to flexibility and financial security, long-term locum work offers unique professional growth opportunities. Exposure to different facilities and patient populations allows NPs to develop a broad skill set, learn new workflows, and build a national professional network. This diversity of experience can strengthen clinical confidence, open doors to leadership roles, and provide insights into what settings or specialties are the best fit for each individual.
Locums lets you see different work settings and helps you identify what really fits.
These connections and experiences aren’t just valuable for immediate assignments—they create a foundation for future opportunities, whether continuing in locums, transitioning into a permanent role, or blending the two.
Combining locums with permanent or part-time work
Some NPs find a hybrid approach works best: maintaining part-time permanent employment while supplementing with locum assignments. This provides a balance of stability and flexibility, allowing clinicians to enjoy the benefits of a permanent role while exploring different settings, patient populations, or geographic areas through locums.
This combination can evolve in several directions over time. NPs may choose to use locums in a variety of approaches:
Shifting into full-time locum work as they gain experience and expand their networks
Supplementing income alongside a permanent role
Taking sabbaticals or planned breaks from full-time work
Prioritizing lifestyle flexibility while maintaining career stability
Locum tenens as a long-term career
Far from being a stopgap, locum tenens can be a strategic, sustainable, and fulfilling career choice for nurse practitioners. Whether your goals are to prevent burnout, explore specialties, maintain flexibility, or build financial security, locums offers tools and pathways to craft a career that fits your life.
With careful planning, the right assignments, and strong relationships with recruiters and facilities, NPs can make locum tenens a core part of their professional journey—not just a temporary detour.
The big picture: Locums as a career
This concludes our six-part series on locum tenens for nurse practitioners. Locum tenens offers nurse practitioners a unique combination of flexibility, variety, and growth. With thoughtful preparation and a collaborative mindset, NPs can build a sustainable career that fits their lifestyle, expands their skills, and keeps their passion for patient care alive – all without the constraints of a traditional permanent role.
Go back to part 5: How to succeed in a locums assignment