Can anyone relate to delay in providing employee contract?

[lvan0904]

Hello everyone. To give a little background on my situation, I am a ANP new grad (5/13)involved in the interviewing process currently. I interviewed with a group of specialists and they voiced interest in offering me the position about 2 months ago. After negotiating salary and vacation time, we verbally arrived at an agreement about 2 weeks ago but I have not received the final contract. Also, I understand that obtaining hospital privileges can be a lengthy process, and I have not received forms to sign (I would be going to several different hospitals to see pts). My gut tells me that perhaps they are reconsidering and are not interested in signing me on board, so I have begun sending out my resumes again. I will ask them about their delayed response, but first I wanted to gather some valuable input from all of you experts out in the NP world. Please give this newbie some advice. lol Thanks for your time and I appreciate any help.

[Aussierules1985]

I'm pretty new in this area too, but I must say, if you haven't signed, i'd be gone...

No pay.. no provider. My clinics are exploding in hiring, but the management is a little unorganized; they didn't pay my co-worker PA when he was promised to start, and delayed it two weeks.. then delayed his clinic opening a month and a half. He literally looked at multiple offerings to see if its worth continuing.

I guess i'm saying, unless your getting paid, and are okay waiting, go for it...

If you're not getting paid, and NOT working... oh hell no. I would have had already put them on the ignore list.

If they don't value you now, i don't know, realize it may be better somewhere else.

When I first started, another facility played with me like that for weeks.. If they want you, it normally happens IMO fast (but then again I am in a clinic not a hospital).

Good Luck!

[lvan0904]

Oh this makes me even more concerned, but I appreciate you sharing your input regarding your co-worker. Currently I am at my RN position but I need to make the switch to an NP position soon- as I have student loans to pay and a son in college. You made a valid point that if they are this unorganized at this stage, imagine what problems I could face in the future. I wasn't sure if this waiting period was typical or if it was a red flag. I'm putting out resumes now and continuing with my job search. Thank you so much for your response Aussierules1985!!!

[tryingtohaveitall]

I am employed by a large, highly regarded hospital but it was still several weeks before I saw my contract in writing.

[Calibean]

My contract had to be sent to the lawyers to be written, when I went in to sign it, the pay was wrong, they had switched me from salary to hourly, which was not in my favor. Office manager apologized but I have not seen my new contract although I was told I would have it on Wed (last Wed). Hopefully it will come through on Tuesday as I turned down several other offers! So, I completely understand where you are. They also might have lawyers drawing it up and if they have not done other NP contracts, may not have a standard template. Send an e-mail on Tuesday, if you don't have an appropriate response at the end of the day, renew your search. It probably has more to do with having an appropriate legal contract written, but they should be able to give you a time frame of when the contract should be ready. Do you have a start date?

[zmansc, ASN, RN]

I've not dealt with this as a NP (yet), but in my previous career I've dealt with similar situations from both sides many times...

I would suggest you approach them (email, phone, drop in, whatever is most comfortable to you) with the approach that you are looking forward to getting started and you just wanted an update on the situation.

What things still need to be done? Contract, in progress, you want a status update. DEA #? License? Credentialing, you want to know if there is anything you can do to start the process while you are waiting. Start Date? Other questions you have?

Once you have all that information, it's easier to make a list or write an email that discusses all of these and makes all involved understand you are moving forward as if you have accepted an offer. I always liked to talk to people about these things on the phone or in person, emails are easy to put off and it's hard to judge the real meaning of the message, but whatever is most comfortable for you. Discuss the plan with them, and if it doesn't go well, then you can figure out your next move. If it does, you can settle in and know a bit more about the process and hopefully timeline!

Good luck!

-- bz

[lvan0904]

I was told that I could start in July, then they told me that hospital privileges can take months to process so I should be able to start in Sept. or October (which I can understand). But I still did not receive a finalized contract. They have had other NPs work for them so I am sure they are familiar with the process. Due to unforeseen events, I am considering relocating so I will be able to expand my job search. I spoke directly to the physician to verbally decline the offer and I will follow up with a letter. I hope that I handled this professionally, as I do not want to leave things on a bad note. The long delay and lack of initiative on their part did certainly cause me to have a concern. Thanks for your input and good luck w/ your negotiation Calibean.