Travel LPN? questions...

[TashaLPN2006RN2012, ASN, RN]

My husband is in the army and i am currently in LPN school in ohio while he is deployed to iraq. I've heard about travel nursing jobs, and wondered if they would hire a new grad? the only heathcare experiance i've had is about 4 years of STNA. Since we move so much, i wondered if it would be good to take a travel nursing job...just try to pick the same area where hubby will be stationed. Can someone give me some more info on it? Pay, good companies, ect?! thanks so much!

Quarter 2 almost done- only two more quarters to go!

Tasha:trout:

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Not to disappoint you but:

First, there are very few travel LPN jobs, to begin with.

Second, for the vast majority of ANY healthcare related travel positions (OT, PT, RT, Nursing), a bare minimum of 1-2 years experience working in that position in your specialty is required/advisable.

For some specialties, 2-5 years experience in your specialty is required/advisable.

You find rare exceptions in companies that will accept less...those companies are not behaving ethically or safely, in regard to your license or the patients in your care.

You will occasionally find companies that will take your ap with less, but that does not mean you will get a job. And the vast majority of the clients that will take you with less are generally less than desirable to work for.

Your first year or two out of school, no matter how good your program is, you are still learning to be a nurse, even with a license. Everyone thinks that they are the exception, but you need that year or two to learn..in a stable supportive environment. And travelers do not typically work in that environment. We get 1-3 days to absorb all of that stuff that normal staffers get 6 monthes of probationary employment to do, and we are expected to do it with a heavier load and perfectly.

We are expensive, and slightly burdensome and therefore the facilities want "a sure thing" and someone that is a new grad is not a sure thing. We are also required to pass exams at times - that many experienced RNs fail. To send a new grad (paying a certain amount of expenses) to have them fail is not financial good sense. It is also hard on the new grad.

There are exceptions, usually made for people older, that a facility may be familiar with, but those are few and far between.

Good luck.

[TashaLPN2006RN2012, ASN, RN]

Thank you for the information. I kinda wondered about that, and i completely understand. I was just trying to figure out the best bet for me to do concernign working since we move so much and so often. I do plan on getting my RN if we *hopefully* stay in one spot for a little over a year after i graduate in December. I completely understand about not coming out of nursing knowing it all...i don't expect that, and i do expect to learn when i start working, i'm not oblivious to that fact.

I appreciate your honesty and information, hopefully once i get my RN the travel jobs will be a lot better for me, with my husbands career!