Atlanta hiring new grads

U.S.A. Georgia

Published

So I am in Nursing school in Maryland right now and I would LOVE to move to Atlanta for a job. I'm at University of Maryland, Baltimore's BSN program and I graduate next Dec. 2011.

Why is it in Atlanta does it seem that al the hospitals are requiring a TWO year signing contract? What happens if you have to break the contract?

Do you have to do a residency program to get hired as a new nurse in Atlanta?????

Hospitals I looked at were:

Emory Midtown

Grady Hospital

Piedmont Hospital

Northside Hospital

Am I reading something wrong?

In Baltimore, they only make you sign a 2 year contract if you are getting MONEY for paying off your loans. I don't owe any money for school since I got everything in scholarships... Is Atlanta just different in how they recruit/ sign new grads?????

Yes, I would like to know also. How did you apply ? Was it as a New Grad or Staff Nurse?

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It's a business decision. Why spend the time and resources to train a new grad just so they can go back to school or to another hospital, especially the ICU. You won't get any sign on bonus as a new grad in GA, those days are gone. Hospitals are tired of getting burned by new grads especially those that would scoff at the idea of putting in 24 months in exchange for necessary training. It's that type of entitlement coupled with unprepared/unskilled new graduate nurses that today's nursing schools churn out that make hospitals not even want to bother. Good luck in your job search.

The 2 year contracts don't exist anymore, unless you want school loan repayment... so my problem is solved. Staying somewhere for 24 months is not bad... but if you don't like it... I like the idea of changing floors/hospitals/situations... why would you 'owe' a hospital something? They are a business, in the end.

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Specializes in Surgical Trauma ICU.
The 2 year contracts don't exist anymore

This is inaccurate.

I like the idea of changing floors/hospitals/situations

You can still change floors/situation, you just can't quit without penalty.

Right now as a new grad you are useless. You cannot manage any patients on your own. You will need to be oriented which means that whoever decides to hire you will have to pair you with a seasoned nurse and thus pay 2 nurses to do one job for a specified length of time. So once you realize that you are useless as a new grad until you are properly oriented then you will be better off and in the long run you will realize that you do indeed "owe" at least some form of gratitude to whoever takes a chance on you.

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Congrats!! Do or Do not...did you apply for the residency program or for a staff nurse position?

I didn't really apply for the residency program, but they asked me if i wanted in it after i started work. for med-surg nurses it's optional b/c there's not the mandatory 2-year committment. So, to answer your question, i'm doing both ;)

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Congrats!!!

Were you hired thru their new grad program?

I'm only in my first semester of nursing school but would love to work at Grady when I'm finished next year. I'm hoping to get into their new grad program. Any advice? Also want to see if I can get a job there as a PCT after I'm done with second semester.

I wish I could say there's some magical way I managed to get on the floor at Grady. I had a small leg up b/c one of the nurses on the floor (who just started a month ago and is also a trainee) knows me and made a good reference, but other than that I just applied online and they gave me a call like a week or two later. I work in med/surg at night, though, and it's something that a lot of new grads would pass up....I think of the 20 or so students in my class that I keep in contact with, I'm the only one who actually works in med-surg now. So the competition for med-surg is a little easier than, say, the ER or ICU, especially if you're applying towards nights. If you have the spare time to work as a PCT while in school, I HIGHLY recommend it. It really gives you an advantage at the hospital you work at.

Yes, I would like to know also. How did you apply ? Was it as a New Grad or Staff Nurse?

Applied on their website as a staff nurse. Grady doesn't really make the distinction between "new grad" and staff nurse. They treat them as one and the same....so if you have like a gazillion years exp on a different area (like you're ER going into ICU), they'll treat you the same as a person fresh out of nursing school.

The 2 year contracts don't exist anymore, unless you want school loan repayment... so my problem is solved. Staying somewhere for 24 months is not bad... but if you don't like it... I like the idea of changing floors/hospitals/situations... why would you 'owe' a hospital something? They are a business, in the end.

This is inaccurate.

You can still change floors/situation, you just can't quit without penalty.

Right now as a new grad you are useless. You cannot manage any patients on your own. You will need to be oriented which means that whoever decides to hire you will have to pair you with a seasoned nurse and thus pay 2 nurses to do one job for a specified length of time. So once you realize that you are useless as a new grad until you are properly oriented then you will be better off and in the long run you will realize that you do indeed "owe" at least some form of gratitude to whoever takes a chance on you.

Most Atlanta hospitals require new grads to sign 2 year contracts. Grady requires this too of all nursing specialties EXCEPT med-surg. But yeah, you're totally right. for the next 2 months they're pairing me up with a preceptor and we're doing the same patient load, so that's essentially at least some $10,000 of effort they're spending on training you.

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Thanks Do or Do Not. I do plan to work nights when I'm done with school. I'm single, no small kids and no life, LOL, so its not a problem. Plus I need the shift differential to help pay off my student loans! I didn't plan to work during school but I think it might give me a leg up so as soon as I'm done with 2nd semester I'm gonna start looking for a PCT job.

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Thanks for the input.. I will save your email to know where to look. I am hoping to be there this time next year.. do you mind sharing what the start salary in GA is? Here, in Arkansas, our start pay is between $19-$23/hr base for a new grad... similar there or not? I know Texas (next door) pays a lot more than Arkansas. Thanks for the input..

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Four figures isn't crazy... if you are desperate to move... I have heard that about Northside Hospital; I actually don't know much else about it; except that's where I was born...haha. I guess that's good to know in advance about the Atlanta hospitals.

Two years just seems like a long time, especially when they promise you nothing back (well the job is nice...but, I'm taking that for granted if you get hired)

Well, "They promise you nothing back" isn't exactly true. They are giving you the opportunityh to learn and get experience. It takes a while for a new nurse to get up to speed. It just does.

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Hi guys! I don't know if this is off topic or not but do you guys think where you go to school pays a big role when you look for a job as a new grad nurse??

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no. i went to one of the best in the USA and no one in Atlanta wants to hire me 'cos I'm a yankee and I'm used to better pay. i'm having to travel nurse to make ends meet. I've been a nurse for 4 years. My advice? Cleveland Clinic takes new grads and is a great place to train. low cost of living. lots to do.

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Thanks for your reply. I got accepted into a school for Spring. But I am debating whether I should apply other places. In Georgia, around atlanta area, Georgia State, Kennesaw, and Mercer seems to be known to have a very good nursing program. I am wondering if I should try my best to attend those programs. Scared that I won't be able to land a job after I graduate..

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

St Joseph's (which didn't appear to make your list of choices) has a two year contract for new grads. First year is spent in rotations orienting on several different floors, second year is working on your floor of choice.

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