Can an LPN be a travel nurse?

How long can a travel nurse stay in one place?

• my husband will be going back to school to get a nursing degree, and i recently discovered that there is such a thing as travel nursing. it looks really cool since it apparently pays more and provides free housing. my question is--has anyone reading this been a travel nurse, and can you tell me if it would be possible for him to get a travel nursing job in our home city (st. louis) for say 8~12 months at a time, and then travel to different cities for around 3~6 weeks, then come back home to get another longer travel nursing position. i mean, it should be possible, i would imagine, but what is the likelihood of that? also, what is the salary, and how easy is it to travel with a family?

• Answer:

  Depends on the contract with the agency. Usually the contract is for up tp 12 weeks and can be renewed one time. He will need to get a couple of years experience when he finishes school, before a traveling nurse agency will hire him. I have worked with many traveling nurses from many agencies over many years...never saw a contract for 8 to 12 months...no hospital wants to give an agency a contract for more than 12 weeks. Salary depends on his experience, special training, the agency, and how badly nurses are needed at the time. All the travelers I have known have been single.