There is an interesting new nursing academy which has been set up as joint venture between the University of Hawaii Nursing School and the Veterans Administration Health System. It has nothing to do with travel nursing (unless you are an LPN who wants to become a registered nurse so you can get a travel nursing job), but it is a unique and interesting project you may want to learn more about. For more details go HERE.

Yes you can. There are some caveats to this, though. #1, you need to bring this up with your recruiter at the travel nursing agency. They need to know up front that your housing issues are a bit different then most other travel nursing jobs situations. It is just like renting an apartment. If you have a pet they may have restrictions or may want you to post a pet deposit. Don’t expect your travel nursing agency to do this.

Remember this, too. While pets are nice company for you, you aren’t much company for a pet when you are out working a shift. If the pet is going to be alone a lot you may want to rethink taking them with you. If you are traveling with others who will be with the pet when you are working, that’s another story.

Hope this answers your question. And if you want further information on a high paying travel nursing job, fill out the short form here and I will personally make sure a few travel nursing recruiters see it and get back to you if they have a fit.

Conrad

I want to leave my current state and move to another one. Could I take a travel position where I want to go and then stay there after my term ends?

Normally you will have the option of extending your assignment. This isn’t guaranteed as it depends greatly on the needs of the hospital an how well you performed in your travel nursing assignment. Very often the agency will actually pay you a bonus to renew as it is much more cost effective for them to have you there longer then the thirteen weeks.

Another thing you want to check in your agency contract is what happens if you want to take a permanent position with the facility.

There is a lot of interest in this subject. I get emails all of the time from LVNs and LPNs who want to travel.

Here is the problem. Everything in our economy is about supply and demand. One of the things that fuels the travel nursing phenomenon’s is the shortage of RNs. It is expensive for a hospital to pay for travel nurses. They do it because they have no other alternative. there just are not enough RNs to go around.

LVNs/LPNs are generally not as hard to find locally and pay the normal pay scales. I get a lot of angry emails from them who tell me they are “just as important” and that they feel slighted because some of the same benefits of travel are not afforded them. This is not the case. It is simple that the local supply is sufficient to fill most (not all) of the demand.

So  what should you do if you are an LPN and you want to travel?

1. There are occasionally travel jobs for LPNs. You must be persistent in looking for them, you will probably have to be at the top end of experience, and you should be less picky about destinations.

2. Consider becoming an RN.  There are online programs that allow LPNs to take the courses at their own pace, in the leisure of their own home. One of them I know of is here. You can click on this link and get free information it. Another path may be a local community college.

That’s it for now. If you have any questions please post a comment and I will try and answer you right away.

Conrad