There was already a shortage of healthcare workers before the pandemic. For decades, hospitals have been using travelers who work temporary assignments to help fill their staffing gaps, while offering higher pay than traditional permanent staff positions. When COVID-19 began spreading throughout the country, the demand for travel nurses and allied health professionals skyrocketed. So did the pay packages and crisis rates.

Staffing agencies have been working around the clock to help place healthcare travelers in these critical positions, but outdated processes and complex credentialing can oftentimes cause roadblocks. That is why StaffDNA launched the most advanced, self-service staffing platform to connect healthcare professionals and the facilities in real-time. With StaffDNA’s mobile app, healthcare professionals enjoy the flexibility, ease-of-use and convenience to find jobs and manage their careers from wherever they are.

“For the first time, healthcare professionals have the power to pick and choose where they submit to and get notifications in real-time such as submittal updates, offer status changes and extension requests,” said StaffDNA’s founder & CEO Sheldon Arora in an exclusive interview. “When a healthcare facility extends an offer, the candidate is the first to know.”

StaffDNA is the only platform in the healthcare staffing industry to provide all job details upfront and updated in real-time directly from the facilities—without ever having to register or create a profile that other platforms require. Nurses and allied healthcare professionals can use StaffDNA to view nursing jobs and pay packages anywhere in the country. Full details include hospital name, location, weekly pay and hourly rate for each job. Then easily tap “Pay Details” to see a full breakdown of each pay package (taxable pay rates, non-taxable stipends, gross weekly pay and estimated take home). Pay packages can be personalized by selecting company provided housing, travel allowance and benefit options, then the pay package will auto-adjust accordingly.

Here’s an Overview of COVID-19 Nursing & Allied Job Trends & Pay Packages

Travel nursing pay packages have doubled and even tripled during COVID and healthcare facilities are offering the highest bill rates the industry has seen. When the pandemic first began, incredibly high pay packages were being offered in hot spots such as New York or New Orleans, but now healthcare facilities nationwide are offering record-high rates. Even hospitals that didn’t typically use contract workers or travelers are calling for help. For example as of Jan. 25, 2021, here’s a glimpse of the highest paying states:

• Michigan paying up to $7,280 per week
• California paying up to $6,056 per week
• North Dakota & Wisconsin paying up to $5,684 per week
• Missouri paying up to $5,662 per week
• Virginia paying up to $5,602 per week

We’re seeing a change in assignment details and expectations required by the facilities. Traditionally travel assignments averaged 13 weeks in duration for at least three 12-hour shifts per week (36hrs/week). But amid the pandemic, more assignments are requiring at least four 12-hour shifts (48hrs/week), including some up to 60 hours per week in major crisis locations.

Detroit, Michigan

RN, ICU paying up to $7,280/week

60hrs/week | 13 weeks

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Respiratory Therapist, ICU paying up to $5,453/week

60hrs/week | 8 weeks

Watertown, WI

Radiology, Cath Lab Tech paying up to $4,031/week

60hrs/week | 13 Weeks

We’re also seeing more variety of contract lengths, anywhere from shorter 4-week assignments extending up to 16 weeks or more. As the job market remains fluid, facilities are making quick changes as their needs and demands change.

Nursing specialties highest in demand during COVID-19 inherently are ICU, Medical-Surgical, Telemetry and PCU/IMC, as well as Respiratory Therapy. Jobs for surgical specialties such as OR RNs and surgical technicians vary depending on local or facility regulations for elective surgeries. One the vaccine becomes more available and more people feel comfortable returning to seek medical care, there will most likely be a surge in surgeries and demand for operating room nurses and technicians.