Advice for breaking nurse residency contract

Nurses Career Support

Updated:   Published

I'm a first year nurse. I'm also in my early twenties. Right out of school, I accepted a job in a nurse residency that offered training for a 2 yr contract and monetary agreement. I could not find another job, and was naive about accepting this job. I was never advised that with contracted jobs -- the hospital might have a retention problem. The program was extremely hyped up, and I felt like I needed the education. Fast forward to now, I work on my own on a surgical floor. I feel like things are not safe and I'm risking my license a lot of times. I've also realized that this floor is in general not a good fit for me. I go home after work in tears, unhappy and scared for my license and my mental health. Without getting into too much detail, I've talked to coworkers and they too think the floor is not a good fit for me. The only thing that keeps me pushing is the contract and my coworkers. I accept full responsibility for picking this job, even though now when I reflect, it seems to look like a trap for new grads. So my question is: Should I seek transfer (not sure they will let me)? Should I break my contract?

Specializes in Transplant.

I honestly had the WORST experience with memorial HCA as a new grad. Their nurse/patient ratio was insane and staffing was always awful. I quit, found a new job at another hospital and my life is SO much better.

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How did the hospital react and did they go after you for the contract? Was there a conversation?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
On ‎9‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 9:47 AM, Greeze said:

Thank you the update, I see a few topics but never the end result. I'm a new grad just beginning my career and I'm terrified of the future and what may happen. I'm currently in a residency program and I have a 2yr contract.

Recently I've been on the extremes of emotional suppression and then bursting out crying when I'm alone. I hate it. I want to survive this 1st year so badly. Then I know I can survive the 2nd year even if I cry everyday.

I really want it to work out but I can't imagine myself competent to care for a 6 patient load when I've been only handing 3 so far. After 5weeks I was told by other nurses I should already be able to take a full load and I feel deeply ashamed that I cannot and have not tried. My mind cannot imagine how would it could even be possible at my current level.

Finally I put my embarrassment aside and I asked for another week. I was terrified to speak up because other new grads seem to be going with the flow even though they also said they didn't feel ready. I see it as me just the only drowning and everyone is wading water around me saying they feel the same. I can see how negative I am being but how is 3 more shift going to make enough difference to be on my own?

In any case, the question I wanted to know was: how did you resign and the hospital's reaction to breaking contract. How did it all go down?

I don't want to break contract but it seems near impossible and I wonder if the same happens if I am fired for being incompetent with my patient load. How would I even breach this topic with the hospital or my manager? The thought makes me panic. I don't have money to right away pay back.

Don't panic. Just ask your manager to sit down with you. Explain the trouble you are having and ask for an extended orientation period.

You are worrying about getting fired. Have they given you any indication that the potential for that is on the table? Have you read your contract? It should spell out the penalties for leaving early. Usually if the hospital chooses to end the contract there is no expense to you - it is voided.

Talking to your manager may result in you being able to have a more extended orientation. It may result in you being offered the chance to transfer to a less acute unit. It certainly will give you the chance to discuss with him or her that you are motivated to fulfill your end of things.

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anything HCA is sure shot to be a nightmare, its a for profit organization. the bottom line is HCAPS and being in the green! Patient satisfaction is the bottom line.

the HCA hospital I worked for had new grads that are still completing their residency functioning as preceptors. yes, re-read it again.

I don't say this to throw shade, to say they are not good nurses, but there is all together something wrong with that picture.

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On 8/29/2019 at 1:03 PM, HayRayRN said:

Hi just want to update for any readers out there,

I gave it a year. I switched to days which did help my overall mental well being, but still really disliked the job and environment I was in. I was just tired of the constant issues with poor management, purposefully short staffing the unit (no tech, short a nurse, always being badgered to come in on days off to work), and this constant blaming the nurse for everything wrong culture that existed there. I made some great friends there, but it was a toxic place to work. So after talk with my management (who would not transfer me), family, coworkers, friends, I made the decision to quit so long as I had another job lined up. Never once was I questioned for only staying on the floor for a year in my interviews. Found a job in research & clinical trials.

Also, while I do agree that employers invest in hiring and training new employees and will contract you to recoup costs....I have not seen another hospital in this city (major medical center in the US) contract for 2 years at a monetary value of 10k. The training I received was 1 teacher in a room of 150+ new hires, disorganized, busy work. It was kind of ridiculous, and I look back at that now and think it was a huge red flag. I still believe that program was a trap to new nurses. They hired so many, you'd get to your unit and look around and not a single experienced nurse was working the shift with you. That's scary.

did HCA come after you? for the balance of the contract?

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On 8/29/2019 at 1:03 PM, HayRayRN said:

Hi just want to update for any readers out there,

I gave it a year. I switched to days which did help my overall mental well being, but still really disliked the job and environment I was in. I was just tired of the constant issues with poor management, purposefully short staffing the unit (no tech, short a nurse, always being badgered to come in on days off to work), and this constant blaming the nurse for everything wrong culture that existed there. I made some great friends there, but it was a toxic place to work. So after talk with my management (who would not transfer me), family, coworkers, friends, I made the decision to quit so long as I had another job lined up. Never once was I questioned for only staying on the floor for a year in my interviews. Found a job in research & clinical trials.

Also, while I do agree that employers invest in hiring and training new employees and will contract you to recoup costs....I have not seen another hospital in this city (major medical center in the US) contract for 2 years at a monetary value of 10k. The training I received was 1 teacher in a room of 150+ new hires, disorganized, busy work. It was kind of ridiculous, and I look back at that now and think it was a huge red flag. I still believe that program was a trap to new nurses. They hired so many, you'd get to your unit and look around and not a single experienced nurse was working the shift with you. That's scary.

Hello, did they ever come after you to pay back?

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Thank you for providing an update. I think that a lot of new grads are in a 2-3 year contract in certain markets because that is what you typically find. Did you ever have to repay?

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To anyone interested:

Currently, I'm doing well at my hospital job after I've given up actually caring about patient care and just focused on getting through the day with scheduled meds and making sure everyone eats when they need to eat, not eat when they shouldn't and pee when they should pee. It's a horrible view and I'm sure great nurses out there are ashamed of the type I've become. In the beginning I tried my best to complete every assessment, listen to every patient and turn every patient that couldn't (even doing passive ROM!) and I ended up leaving hours late in the day still feeling incompetent. I'd barely know my patient besides the initial assessment because I'd be so behind and other nurses kept getting upset because my report was subpar and it didn't include info/notes I should have been reading through. 

Unfortunately I adapted and not in a good way I, myself as a student or new nurse would have admired. 

Unfortunately, I'm considered a new nurse that has done well post-oreintation. Fortunately, I know my limits and have enough skill to keep my patients alive or transfer them to higher acuity when I know I can't. The Rapid Response Nurses actually like me as I recognize a circling drain and actually in my patients room enough I catch them very early. I can't say I'd be great in a code Blue but I'll be doing something which is more than I can say just months prior. Charge nurses think I'm dependable as I can manage my 6 patient set without having a VISIBLE mental health breakdown and I'm not horribly late on meds to get complaints or poked someone with lovenox when they have scheduled surgery and I run fast enough to bed alarms no grandma is breaking her hip.

Sad state of affairs overall. 

I'm well liked by other staff and they enjoy working with me or after me but I still harbor the thought I want to leave every, it's just further back of my mind and I just get through each shift telling myself to get through one more day and you're fine. Any advancement in my skill set I've very slowly gained and in no way would I say I'm a competent nurse ready to go out in any situation.

I'm not alone in all this. They might not have the same thoughts and view as me but only 2 other resident nurses have stayed on fulltime on my unit. In the program MANY resident nurses left ealry and found great, better paying jobs. Some left mid-program and some are leaving now. No one has reported back that they were chased regarding the Contract payment. It was a shambles of a program and we never finished our supposed schedule and covid also complicated things to where they never even bothered to attempt to tie things off. I believe we're still being promoted and getting our raises for surviving our 1 year anniversary. 

I'm afraid to tell new grads out there to not care too much about their contracts but it seems to not have mattered in my situation. While I was writing my initial posts here scared about being on my own, other new grads were putting in applications and getting better jobs or sharing their misery together while I drowned alone. Stay or get out? All I can say is be prepared and don't give too much *** about anything, it's not the end of the world.

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WOW! I’m so sorry that you have had such an experience. I will be starting a nurse residency program with a two year contract on a very busy unit. There are no new grad positions in my area without contracts. I am hoping for the best. They say it usually gets better at the One year mark but I guess if the facility is run poorly, then it doesn’t get much better and that’s why many new grads leave for better jobs. I wish you all the best.

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Hi everyone,

Its been a few years! I got out of that place and never looked back. It was a stepping stone to where I am now. Never payed a dime. If you are truly in a bad position like I was, and you can line up another job, I’d say go for it. I have 0 regrets. 
 

I re-read this post and realize I gave you all the shortened and condensed version of the situation I was in. It was hell. I still have flashbacks to that extremely negative time of my life. However, I’m thankful because it paved the way to where I am now. 
 

I ended up working at a major cancer hospital in research. Very interesting. Best of all it was off the floor. Worked there for 1.5 years and decided it was time to ease into an outpatient position with more skills and interaction. I transferred to an infusion center where I now do chemo, blood, abx, etc everyday. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I get to put my whole heart into it and my patient population is the best. I never thought I’d like oncology so much, but it’s truly a different world. The patients are the sweetest and my hospital has so many good benefits, pay, resources. This is not a place I would have been able to get into without my experience on the floor however, so I’m thankful for that. It was a smooth and easy transfer and I am happy to say I didn’t “lose my skills” or anything after being off the floor for 1.5yrs. 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

TY for your continued updates. Glad that you are one of the fortunate ones where all your stars lined up in cosmic harmony. Too many folk just keep floating from one problem to the next problem.

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Specializes in med/surg.
On 9/8/2020 at 7:34 PM, HayRayRN said:

Hi everyone,

Its been a few years! I got out of that place and never looked back. It was a stepping stone to where I am now. Never payed a dime. If you are truly in a bad position like I was, and you can line up another job, I’d say go for it. I have 0 regrets. 
 

I re-read this post and realize I gave you all the shortened and condensed version of the situation I was in. It was hell. I still have flashbacks to that extremely negative time of my life. However, I’m thankful because it paved the way to where I am now. 
 

I ended up working at a major cancer hospital in research. Very interesting. Best of all it was off the floor. Worked there for 1.5 years and decided it was time to ease into an outpatient position with more skills and interaction. I transferred to an infusion center where I now do chemo, blood, abx, etc everyday. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I get to put my whole heart into it and my patient population is the best. I never thought I’d like oncology so much, but it’s truly a different world. The patients are the sweetest and my hospital has so many good benefits, pay, resources. This is not a place I would have been able to get into without my experience on the floor however, so I’m thankful for that. It was a smooth and easy transfer and I am happy to say I didn’t “lose my skills” or anything after being off the floor for 1.5yrs. 

Did you tell the next position what happened with your residency job? Or did you just omit it on your resume?

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