3 year contract?

Um most important read the contract.

What, apart from the job itself, are the benefits to YOU for signing a three year contract? Sign on bonus or something?

If you are sending out lots of resumes, are they for advertised positions? Do you qualify for the positions (in terms of experience)? If the answers are yes, and you are not getting asked for an interview you need to look at your resume and cover letters (or whatever communications you are sending). I cannot stress this enough. As someone who goes through piles of applications there are things that disqualify applicants almost immediately -- spelling, grammar, inappropriate information about health, family situation (just a few examples).

As you are a newer nurse make an appointment at your nursing school to get help from their career advisors. I have never heard of a college/school that did not have them.

If you sign the contract, and the working environment turns out to be too hostile for you (poor staffing, bullying, lack of managerial support, high turnover rate, etc.), please realize that you will be stuck in a little hellhole for 3 years unless you break the contract. In addition, there might be serious ramifications that arise after the contract is broken.

I enjoy my flexibility, and would not sign a 3-year contract. If you do decide to sign the dotted line, read the contract meticulously and research the facility carefully. A good way to research is to directly ask the floor nurses if they like it there. Good luck to you, and exercise the utmost caution in this deal.

I understand their reason for wanting you to sign a contract, but I have never heard of such and I have been around a long time. The only time we have nurses commit to any years is when we pay their tuition and require them to give so many years, 2 I think for doing so. I would be reluctant to sign also, and to have to pay back the orientation fees? Is this legal? I guess only if you sign on the dotted line. I have read on this site about nurses having difficulty finding jobs which I find unbelieveable, but if relocation is an option the rural areas need nurses. I would vote to keep lookiing.

Hello,
I am a relatively new nurse as well. I am just now approaching the one year mark. I can sympathize with you on this position, as I am now looking to get into a more acute care role where I can be a bit more hands on. I too, have sent out lots of resumes, but right now it is going to be hard with the influx of new grads taking most of these positions, so I am being patient. Yet, I know you need the full time job. Personally, I would not lock myself into any 3 year contract without ANY bonuses, loan repayment, etc. It just isnt worth it in my opinion. Who knows what could happen in the 3 years that may necessitate a move or something. It just doesnt seem right because they would "own" you for 3 years and youre not getting any extra perks, except training which you can get anywhere. If you do decide to sign, please read the stipulations carefully! Good luck with your decision!

It sounds to me like you haven't even seen this contract. Have you? If not you certainly can say that "In principal, I have no objection to a three year contract" then ask them if they are making you an offer (in the same breath). Then get a copy of the contract to review. If there is something about clawing back funds for training you must be sure to know how they are assigning a value to training etc. Also, ask some nurses where you do your per diem about this place and about the contract scenario.

You may have had some 20 people look over your resume but resume writing is an art form not just a plug and play scenario. Very few people are qualified to constructively comment on a resume unless they are in fact 1) someone who hires people for a living 2) someone who helps people get employment in that industry. About 1 in 15 resumes I get are remotely well done -- I do not imagine anyone sends in a resume that they think is not perfect.

Also, you should look to a network that you already have in place for job leads: 1) your former fellow students 2) your former CIs and lecturers 3) the nurses where you do your per diem.

No.

Do NOT do it.

I understand the comfort of KNOWING that you will have a spot for the next THREE (long?) years - but....

Now, as I understand it there is NOTHING extra in it for you. OMG. You even note that "unless I really mess up" - my job is secure. Let me be blunt with you - You are reading things into that. Period. They could decide that they do not want you any and/or no reason and BYE-BYE and that will be that. Do NOT believe that unless you mess up your are a sure thing - that is fantasy crap. Sorry.

Now, you note that there is NOTHING extra in it and you will have to pay THEM back their COSTS for up to the THREE years if you "leave" early. Let say they decide that "You do not fit in" or "We do not like you" and they trump up letting you go for "cause" (it doesn't have to be TRUE - but, if you find yourself on the outs - you will be in an impossible situation) will they deem that YOU broke the contract.

Ask them how much it will be. Break it down to the month - etc. Know what you are really in for if you go forward. There may be point where getting rid of you and making you pay will be lucrative for the "employer". Imagine being let go (for any and/or NO reason) or deciding to walk because of "issues" that make working there risky for you/your license (safety, staffing, the list could be long!!!!) and you will be in a battle with a former employer, any references you could offer another employer will not be worth squat, even your work friends could be caught in the middle - anyway I'm sure that I'm just being negative, but, before I take a risk - I try and make sure that any benefit could be worth what it may cost me. I can see this being a loser for you in many more ways than you will ever win.

Now - maybe it will be nursing nirvana. But, those folks would not need to bait a nurse into signing a threatening THREE YEAR (36 month, 156+ week, 1095 day contract) that gives you nothing but the veiled "security" of a job.

I have seen a bunch of stuff - but, this is a first for me.

Imagine feeling stuck, no raises, no shift selection, working every holiday, insane patient assignments and NO RECOURSE - because they will know that they have you. I think it is loser for you.

Now, before I'd go that route - I'd take a real look at a military enlistment as a nurse officer. I'd even bet that there would be great things in an offer like that!!!

Practice SAFE.

Is this Dartmouth-Hitchcock by any chance? If so, I wouldn't sign it if they were offering $3 million a year for that 3 years. I wouldn't sign a three year contract regardless of the hospital. If it's a positive environment people will want to stay. In my opinion there's a reason a facility requires you to make a three year commitment in writing before you even have a chance to work a day, and it's usually unsafe staffing because of poor management and lateral violence. Where's the protection for you in that three year contract? You have to make a serious commitment while they are held to no standard of commitment to you.