Locum work at the practice: the round, tools, contract, terms
Written by Léa Marchand, State-registered nurse · · 1 min read
Reviewed on · Reviewed by Thomas Berthier
What a locum nurse should know before committing: the real volume of the round, available protocols, supplies, fee split, professional formalities and how handover works.
Key points
- The round is described honestly: number of visits, hours, travel times, heavy patients identified.
- Every patient's protocol is written and available from the first round.
- The locum contract follows the professional body's model and is signed before, never after.
- The fee split is stated in the first conversation, with no hidden negotiation.
Why we publish this
Most locum arrangements are settled by phone in a few minutes, on incomplete information. The locum discovers the real round on the first morning — sometimes with ten more visits than announced.
We prefer to publish the terms. It may cost us applications; above all it avoids mid-assignment breakdowns, which penalise patients first.
The round, without embellishment
Orders of magnitude for a typical week. Exact figures are shared before signing, file by file.
| Item | Reality | Practical consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | Early morning, plus evening visits where prescribed | A split day, not a continuous one |
| Area | Échirolles and the south of the Grenoble conurbation | Short journeys, but heavy traffic at peak hours |
| Common care | Dressings, insulin, infusions, monitoring older adults | Varied technique, little routine |
| Weekends | Visits maintained for care prescribed seven days a week | Rotation agreed in the contract |
| Supplies | Provided by the practice for the shared bag | Nothing to buy to start |
What we provide
A successful locum period is prepared before day one, not during it.
- Each patient's written protocol, with alert criteria confirmed by the doctor
- The mapped round, in geographic order, with observed travel times
- Access details: codes, floors, home particulars, pets, trusted person
- Direct contacts for prescribers and the pharmacies involved
- An accompanied round before long assignments, when the calendar allows
The formalities, in order
None of these steps is optional, and none can be settled after the first round.
01
Council registration
Registration with the departmental council and an active RPPS number.
02
Locum authorisation
Issued by the departmental council, valid for the period concerned.
03
Locum contract
Drawn up on the council's model, signed by both parties and filed with the council.
04
Professional liability insurance
A valid certificate, provided before starting.
05
Billing means
A personal CPS card and software configured for the locum period.
Fee split and financial terms
The retrocession rate is stated in the first conversation and written into the contract. We do not operate volume-based rates: that turns a collaboration into a permanent negotiation.
Travel costs tied to the practice round are covered as written in the contract. The locum's own charges remain theirs, as self-employment implies.
What we expect
Adherence to written protocols, systematic handover notes after every visit, and an immediate call whenever a situation falls outside the agreed frame.
Relative punctuality: we do not demand the exact minute, we demand that the patient knows what to expect and is told when there is a delay.
A locum period is not a parenthesis in the practice's life: for the patient it is the same care, with a different face.
Frequently asked questions on this page
- Do I need previous locum experience to apply?
- No, but the regulatory conditions — council registration, locum authorisation, the minimum experience required by regulation — must be met before day one.
- Is a contract required even for two days?
- Yes. A locum assignment without a written contract exposes both parties and does not comply with professional obligations.
- How does the first round work?
- Accompanied where the calendar allows, otherwise documented: written protocols, visit order, access details and contacts are handed to you beforehand.
- Could this lead to a regular collaboration?
- Yes. Several successful assignments can lead to an established collaboration, discussed openly rather than implied.
Terms explained
- Fee retrocession
- The share of fees a locum pays back to the practice being covered, set by the locum contract.
- Nursing council (CDOI)
- The departmental nursing council: registers professionals, reviews contracts and enforces the code of ethics.
- RPPS number
- The shared directory of health professionals: a unique, permanent and verifiable identifier for each professional.
- Care protocol
- A written, dated description of how a specific patient's care must be delivered: products, supplies, frequency, alert criteria.
- Handover notes
- The written record of a visit: what was done, what was observed, what must be watched. The shared memory of the care episode.
- SESAM-Vitale
- The electronic claims system: the patient's Vitale card and the professional's CPS card jointly sign an invoice sent to the health fund with no paperwork.
- CPS card
- The health professional's personal electronic identity card, required to submit electronic claims and to access national digital health services.
Official sources
What we write is based on public references you can check for yourself.
- Locum contract: model and obligationsOrdre national des infirmiers
- Becoming a locum nurse: framework and conditionsOrdre national des infirmiers
- Setting up in practice: agreement and formalitiesAssurance Maladie (ameli.fr)
This page is informational and replaces neither a medical consultation nor a prescription.