Does LPN/LVN Med-Surg Experience count?

Specialties Travel

Published

Hi,

My goal is to become a travel nurse once I complete RN school. When the ads ask for 1+ yr's med-surg experience does it matter that it was received while a LPN/LVN? I would like to complete RN school and use the prior experience to move right into travel nursing as a RN. What are your thoughts? Thanks.

Specializes in Paramedic,ER, House Supervisor, OR, CVOR.

If you read the fourm you will find I posted this on another post. It fit's both.

Rod

You can probably find companies that will talk to you without having a full year of experience, but finding a hospital that will accept you is a completely different story. I wouldn't even try it now.

I was able to secure my first nursing job as a travel nurse only because I had documented skills in Emergency Care for many years before I began my nursing career. Take your time. Get the experience you need and then embark on the amazing experience you can have as a Travel Nurse Professional. It will benefit you and the rest of us who love to travel.

It is much harder today to find a travel assignment. I have been told that unless you have a licence in the state you want to submit your information to the hospitals won't even look at you. That could get very costly. It's not free to obtain additional nursing licenses. My vote is for national licensing. The VA does it why can't all hospitals????

Thank you for your response. To clarify, by time I eventually graduate as a RN I would have 1 yr of med-surg. experience. I'm just not sure if it mattered that it would be obtained while I was a LVN. It shouldn't matter unless the RN's are doing something different on the floor that the LVN's aren't. Just trying to get the answer with out calling around but I really should call the companies that do the hiring.

Anybody got a e-mail address to their travel nurse agency rep.?

If you are doing your clinicals at a hospital ask around Im sure they could give you the information . If not let me know and next week when I go back to my site I will see what I can find out for you.

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