Travel nursing assignments allow you to choose how long you want to stay in one position. Jobs are offered in contract form, and the length of contracts will vary. You can choose to work for just a few months a year, or perhaps select a contract that will keep you working all year.

Typical travel nurse jobs are 13 weeks, which has become the standard for the industry. This time frame, representing a quarter of a year, works best as it gives the nurse the time to acclimate to the hospital / unit and bridge the gap between the hire of a permanent RN or a temporary spike in census. Often times, hospital's will look to renew a nurse's contract for another 13 weeks as early as a month into his or her assignment if they anticipate a longer need for their services. Some hospitals may hire temporary nurse staff on a shorter than 13-week basis, however travel nursing agencies may not always be able to provide all the standard perks such as free private housing and benefits in such cases.