Sharpen your non-clinical soft skills to elevate your locum tenens career and stand out to employers and recruiters. Here’s how.

<p>
  They’ve been called soft skills, people skills, personal skills, human skills, 
  communication skills, interpersonal skills, behavioral skills, social-emotional 
  skills…the list goes on. In the case of healthcare professionals, these critical 
  competencies are often referred to as non-clinical skills in contrast to clinical 
  skills, and both are essential for success. If you’re a 
  <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/how-to-be-in-demand-as-a-top-locum-tenens-provider" target="_blank">provider</a> 
  looking to elevate your employability as a locum, honing 
  your non-clinical skills is an effective way to do just that. Here’s how. 
</p>

<h2>Why Are Non-Clinical Skills Critical for Success as a Healthcare Provider?</h2>

<p>A review of the literature on soft skills for healthcare providers 
  (<a href="https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/501945" target="_blank">Patel, S.</a>) 
  revealed that non-clinical skills:
</p>
<ul>
    <li> Are a critical component of day-to-day activities </li>
    <li> Positively impact others, including coworkers, patients, and their families </li>
    <li> Improve quality of care </li>
    <li> Help prevent mistakes, often caused by communication issues </li>
    <li> Are correlated with patient satisfaction </li>
    <li> Improve providers’ personal lives </li>
    <li> Contribute to professional growth </li>
</ul>

<h2>Non-Clinical Skills Are Particularly Vital Amidst a Digital Era</h2>
<p> As healthcare becomes increasingly data-driven, soft skills are more critical than 
  ever. The rise of digital technology can gradually depersonalize the healthcare 
  experience, detracting from the human-centric approach of traditional caregiving. 
  For instance, a study of the VA system showed that while there has been significant 
  investment in training for patient-centered medical home models, soft skills like 
  leadership are essential for the program’s success 
  (<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-021-02567-1" target="_blank">Abraham et al.</a>). 
</p>

<h2>15 Non-Clinical Skills to Strengthen to Stand Out as a Locum Tenens Provider</h2>
<p> If you want to be <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/locum-life-made-easy-going-to-work" target="_blank">in demand</a> 
as a locum tenens physician or advanced practitioner 
  and stand out from the crowd, you’ll need excellent non-clinical skills in addition 
  to your clinical skills. Here are 15 skills healthcare leaders and 
  <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/navigating-your-locums-journey-how-to-connect-with-a-locum-tenens-recruiter?" target="_blank">recruiters</a> 
  look for in locum tenens providers – and how to cultivate them!
</p>


<h3>1. Attention to Detail</h3>
<p>Attention to detail is an essential soft skill since locum tenens providers frequently 
  move among different settings and even from state to state. You’ll need to be able to 
  quickly pick up different methods of various teams and pay attention to critical 
  details that can affect patient outcomes. Paying attention to detail regarding medical 
  histories, prescription interactions, procedures, and more will lead to a higher 
  quality of care and trust among patients, colleagues and leaders. 
</p>

<p><strong>To cultivate attention to detail:</strong> Take meticulous notes, double-check your work, 
  stay organized, follow protocols, ask clarifying questions and reflect on your 
  past performance.
</p>

<h3>2. Communication</h3>
<p> Being a clear and effective communicator as a locum will allow you to integrate 
  into existing care teams seamlessly. You must effectively communicate regarding 
  treatment plans, care handoffs and patient needs. Having strong communication 
  skills builds rapport, ensures teamwork, and minimizes misunderstandings.
</p>
<p><strong>To cultivate communication skills:</strong> Listen actively, use plain language, 
  avoid medical jargon, seek feedback, and strive to communicate complex concepts 
  in a straightforward way.
</p>

<h3>3. Confidence</h3>
<p>To improve employability as a locum, strive to project confidence amidst unfamiliar 
  circumstances. This comes with practice. It’s a skill you can strengthen even if 
  you initially feel quite nervous. Being confident reassures both the care team and 
  the patient. It shows others your skills and abilities. Having confidence allows 
  you to make decisions with assurance, helping you navigate new teams smoothly. 
  This can enhance your job performance and make you a preferred candidate for 
  future assignments.
</p>

<p><strong>To cultivate confidence:</strong> Continually update your skills, prepare for your 
  assignments, practice positive self-talk, visualize success and accept imperfection.
</p>

<h3>4. Continual Learning</h3>
<p>Healthcare facilities and recruiters look for locum tenens providers who are clearly 
  life-long learners. Continual learning keeps you at the forefront of technology and 
  medical procedures and enables you to provide the best possible care. One of the 
  best parts of the locums arrangement is that each new assignment presents an 
  opportunity to learn, so you’ll develop this skill along the way!
</p>
<p>
<strong>To cultivate continual learning skills:</strong> Take online courses, 
attend conferences and workshops, set learning goals, learn from your peers, 
and stay curious.
</p>

<h3>5. Cultural Competence</h3>
<p> As a locum tenens provider, you have the opportunity to care for a diversity of 
  patients and work with various teams in a variety of healthcare settings. Cultural 
  competence allows you to understand and respect people from different cultural 
  backgrounds, providing empathetic and effective care. Cultural competence also 
  improves patient satisfaction and reduces misunderstandings. It is a trait that is 
  highly valued by employers.
</p>

<p><strong>To cultivate cultural competence:</strong> Attend training on cultural awareness, 
  listen to others and learn from them, embrace diversity and ask open-ended questions. 
</p>

<h3>6. Ease Under Pressure</h3>
<p>When calm under pressure, you can make clear, informed decisions in high-stakes 
  situations. This helps to ensure the safety and well-being of patients and ensure you 
  and the existing care team can handle challenges that arise. Providing examples of 
  how you’ve shown ease under pressure can absolutely make you more attractive to hiring 
  facilities. 
</p>

<p><strong>To cultivate ease under pressure:</strong> Practice deep breathing, 
meditation, and stress management, reflect on past stressful situations to help you 
improve, and nurture a calm mindset.
</p>

<h3>7. Empathy</h3>
<p> Empathy allows you to connect with patients on a deeper level, building trust and 
  opening the lines of communication that are vital for patient care, especially in 
  new situations. Empathy is particularly important at this time when so many patients 
  feel lost in the healthcare system. 
</p>

<p><strong>To cultivate empathy:</strong> Practice active listening, pay close attention to words 
  and emotions of others, strive to understand their perspective, and learn from 
  past experiences.

</p>

<h3>8. Ethics</h3>
<p>Encountering different settings and care practices can truly call your ethics 
  into play. Strong ethics help you maintain patient trust and deliver consistent 
  quality care. Healthcare facilities and recruiters look for providers with solid 
  ethics because they know this will strengthen their facility’s reputation. 
</p>

<p>To cultivate ethics: Keep up with the latest guidelines on ethics in your field, 
  attend ethics training, engage in ethics discussions with colleagues, sharpen your 
  judgment, and maintain integrity. 
</p>

<h3>9. Adaptability</h3>
<p>As a locums, you must adjust quickly to new protocols, schedules, workflows, 
  and cultures. You’ll need to provide effective care under varying circumstances. 
  Employers will love this because they’ll realize you’re open to new locations 
  and experiences. And bonus: these diverse experiences will further strengthen your 
  adaptability.
</p>
<p> <strong>To cultivate adaptability:</strong> Embrace change, be open-minded, 
learn quickly, ask for feedback, reflect and adapt, and say yes to unique assignment 
opportunities!
</p>

<h3>10. Initative</h3>
<p>Taking initiative as a locums means you proactively address issues and improve 
  the way you work. This can lead to better outcomes for your patients and shows 
  your commitment to care. It can enhance efficiency and make you more appealing 
  to employers. 
</p>
<p><strong>To cultivate initiative:</strong> Volunteer for tasks, provide patient care without 
  prompting, stay curious about best practices, anticipate challenges and mitigate 
  in advance.
</p>

<h3>11. Positive Attitude</h3>
<p>Having a positive attitude enhances interactions with patients and colleagues. 
  It helps you enjoy your experience and navigate the frequent changes associated with 
  the locums arrangement. Your positive attitude can help  improve workplace morale 
  and patient satisfaction – and there’s no question that employers love that! 
</p>

<p><strong>To cultivate a positive attitude:</strong> Focus on gratitude, engage in hobbies that 
  boost your mood and restore your energy, and approach the day with optimism 
  and enthusiasm.
</p>


<h3>12. Professionalism</h3>
<p>Professionalism as a locums relates to how you are perceived and your reliability. 
  Professionalism includes proper attire and respectful communication. It helps 
  establish your credibility with an employer, with the team, and with patients.
</p>
<p>
<strong>To cultivate professionalism:</strong> Be respectful and conscientious, seek 
feedback on areas for improvement, avoid being overly comfortable and making inappropriate 
jokes, and develop self-awareness.
</p>

<h3>13. Problem-Solving</h3>
<p>As a locum tenens provider, you’ll need to be an outstanding problem-solver 
  amidst unexpected issues and unfamiliar protocols. Developing your strengths 
  in problem-solving can help ensure you are able to provide optimal care and 
  contribute to workplace efficiency, precision, accuracy, and implementing 
  effective treatment plans.
</p>

<p>To cultivate problem-solving: Practice analyzing clinical scenarios and brainstorming 
  solutions to potential problems, use root-cause analysis and take a systematic 
  approach, and collaborate with others.
</p>

<h3>14. Teamwork</h3>
<p>Being a great team member is essential for success in locums. You’ll need to 
  strive to fit in with each new team you work with. Teamwork can help you achieve 
  common goals and build trust, respect and camaraderie. For many employers, teamwork 
  is at the top of the list for locum tenens providers’ skills.
</p>
<p><strong>To cultivate teamwork skills:</strong> Take actions to quickly adapt to your new team, 
  contribute your expertise, engage in friendly conversation, show interest in 
  their work, respect diversity and roles of the team, actively participate, 
  offer support when needed.
</p>

<h3>15. Time Management</h3>
<p>Time management is a critical skill for locum tenens providers because you must 
  optimize productivity and efficiency while on assignment. Time management includes 
  prioritizing tasks, meeting deadlines, and delivering care consistently. This 
  skill can enhance your personal enjoyment of your job as well as your 
  professional success!
</p>

<p><strong>To cultivate time management skills:</strong> Create a schedule, set realistic goals, 
  prioritize tasks, practice efficiency, minimize distractions, and reflect on 
  your performance and adjust as needed.
</p>

<p>Healthcare leaders and recruiters are always on the lookout for standout locum 
  tenens providers. Of course, clinical skills are crucial, but they’re also looking 
  for professionals who have exceptional non-clinical skills. As you interview for 
  locum tenens assignments, be sure to highlight experiences in which you demonstrated 
  these vital soft skills. It may be just what leads you to your ideal locum tenens 
  adventure. Above all, strengthening these skills will help you provide the best 
  possible care for your patients. 
</p>
<p><a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/locums" target="_blank">Find your next locums adventure now!</a>
</p>

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