Burnout propelling radiologic technologists to seek temporary ‘travel’ assignments
Burnout appears to be pushing radiologic technologists, lab techs and other allied healthcare professionals to work as travelers, according to new data from AMN Healthcare.
About 70% of nearly 1,200 of those surveyed said such workplace fatigue influenced their decision “a great deal” or “a lot.” Another 45% said COVID-19 also played a part.
In the past, rad techs and others may have considered travel work as a late-career switch-up. But in 2023, many are viewing it as viable choice earlier in their careers.
“Burnout and the pandemic are reshaping the healthcare workforce,” Robin Johnson, division president of allied staffing solutions at AMN, said in a May 23 announcement. “A growing number of physicians, allied healthcare professionals and nurses are seeking alternatives to traditional practice settings, and many are choosing to work as travelers.”
The publicly traded, Dallas-based healthcare staffing company conducted its survey via email, reaching 1,161 allied health professionals nationwide. About 52% of travelers fall into 1 of 3 categories—rad tech (17%), physical or occupational therapist (22%) or lab tech (13%).
Age appeared to skew younger, as about 53% of travelers were at or under 40. AMN also highlighted this work’s influence on outlook: 81% said traveling has produced “very” or “somewhat” high morale. That’s compared to just 7% who rated it “low.” Another 70% believe travel work is more satisfying than permanent options.
Johnson warned physicians and rad techs that these jobs are only meant to supplement permanent staff, not substitute. She encouraged healthcare leaders to address burnout.
“Many hospitals and other healthcare organizations are actively promoting wellness programs, job restructuring, and other techniques to reduce burnout, turnover and overreliance on travelers,” Johnson said. “The goal is to create optimum staffing plans that feature an appropriate mix of permanent and travel professionals.”
You can find the full report for free from AMN Healthcare here.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.