When do they get a return on investment?

Nurses General Nursing

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I recently started a new job working part time. I'll skip the details, but basically, it's not going to work out for me to stay here. I feel bad to be planning on leaving so soon, and would feel a bit better if we can guesstimate that I've "worked off" the cost of my orientation.

So that brings me to my question: is there any sort of algorithm for breaking even on orientation costs versus the value of my labor? Like, x days orientation breaks even in y weeks?

obizyanka

48 Posts

I'm as interested to know as you are! But you need to do what you need to do to make yourself happy.

nurseintx0511

30 Posts

For an 8 week orientation, my facility requires a 2-year contract or $6000 to break it. So I'm guessing for 8 weeks, it cost them about $6000 to train me. They break it down if I were to leave after a year, I'd owe them $3000. That's my hospital's policy.

For an 8 week orientation, my facility requires a 2-year contract or $6000 to break it. So I'm guessing for 8 weeks, it cost them about $6000 to train me. They break it down if I were to leave after a year, I'd owe them $3000. That's my hospital's policy.
I read that as $60,000 and thought holy crabapple! Lol!

dudette10, MSN, RN

3,530 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
For an 8 week orientation, my facility requires a 2-year contract or $6000 to break it. So I'm guessing for 8 weeks, it cost them about $6000 to train me. They break it down if I were to leave after a year, I'd owe them $3000. That's my hospital's policy.

A friend of mine has a two-year contract because the health system paid for her education. Her education cost about $50,000. Eight weeks orientation vs. a free, private, BSN education + 12 weeks orientation? Her deal is infinitely better than yours, it seems.

Seeing these vast differences, I don't think there is a set algorithm for ROI.

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD

2,315 Posts

Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

There are those clauses that charge new nurses several thousand dollars but I feel sure they do not reimburse hospitals fully for their costs. I heard (probably something like 8-10 years ago) that the average hospital lays out something like $40,000 to fully orient (probably going for the 6 months orientation) a new graduate nurse. I do not find that crazy. My place of employment offers side classes for the new graduates that occupy them 8-16 hrs a week. This does not last the full 6 months but it's quite a bit of additional orientation.

I echo the other people here, do what's right for you. The hospital will always do what is right for the hospital and it's up to you to take care of yourself. Learn it early rather than several years in like some of us.

sbostonRN

517 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Rehab.

I have a nurse educator who has been training me and 2 other nurses for the past 4 weeks (we have a 6 week orientation). The math isn't complicated. If we guesstimate a salary of $75,000 per year, for a six week orientation she has made $8653. Divide that by the number of new nurses she's training and it comes out to about $3000 for a 6-week orientation. That assumes that the only costs going to the orientation of a new grad are the labor hours of the person involved in orienting.

Unless I was really impossibly miserable at a job, I would not leave after less than a year. Mostly because I think it looks really bad on a resume and I would have a hard time explaining that to a new employer. If there is a systems problem, perhaps you can talk to your nurse manager or work on a process improvement project to fix what is bothering you, if it's something that can be fixed.

HollywoodDiva

104 Posts

No need to stay and be miserable as long as you have a back up plan. Do what makes you happy because I'm pretty sure they are not thinking of your happiness in the long run.

Specializes in IMCU.

I am really sorry it sounds like it is not working out. On the plus side you sound like a really responsible, ethical individual if you don't want to stuff your new employer with orientation/new hire costs.

I will say that once, in a non-nursing job, I found I had made a mistake. It was the wrong job, I was the wrong person, the team was...insular. I just knew it was a mistake. So I set about looking for other jobs immediately because I felt as you did. Also, I was concerned that the poor fit might erode aspects of my performance (how I interacted etc.). Good potential employers are accepting of candidates who can own a job mistake as long as that candidate is clear how they could do something differently.

I got a new job and resigned. Everyone behaved like professionals and I was very relieved.

Like I said, you sound very responsible. I bet people will get that about you. If you choose to stick it out we'll support you!

DV

Sent from my iPad using allnurses.com

Yeah, I've seen those new grad estimates before, that's why I was wondering if there were similar estimates for non-new grads. I figure at the very least there's the cost of my salary plus the salary of my trainer. Cost of going through HR, maybe too. For a 5 week orientation, 2 weeks of which was presentations and computer training, I'm guessing that comes in well under the costs of a new grad orientation but still ain't free.Anyway, I appreciate all the input.

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

Hey there, folks. Let's not presume that when the new nurse resigns, that she / he should be held accountable for the training provided.

If the facility tolerates an "insular" or other negative work environment, or furnishes ineffective training, or other such condition that isn't previously disclosed to the new employee, then I say there's no responsibility for the orientee.

Also, employers are aware from experience that not every hiree remains at the job fro an extended period... either because of a resignation or a re-assignment, lay-off, etc. So, these things are simply a cost of business.

llg, PhD, RN

13,469 Posts

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
That assumes that the only costs going to the orientation of a new grad are the labor hours of the person involved in orienting.

Yes, but that barely begins to cover the hospital's costs. You also have to consider the entire cost of the orientee's salary + benefits. While being preceptored, 2 nurses are caring for 1 assignment (2 nurses doing the work of 1). So, one of their salaries is totally "extra expense." You also have to consider the costs of "filling the hole in staffing" that occurs while the vacancy that the orientee is filling is being covered by paying premium prices for travelers, per diems, overtime, etc. There is also the cost of recruitment, class time, pre-employment physicals, background checks, etc., etc. etc. It all adds up.

The big figures you hear for the costs of orientation are including a lot of expenses for the hospital that you haven't taken into consideration.

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