so I regrettably signed a contract that is binding me to a one year employment with a plastic surgery office as an OR RN nurse .thinking that I had thirty days to back out of it. Unfortunately it turned out that the contractual period started on the first day of employment. Meaning if I leave now I will be penalized $10,000.
Then 7 days later I received a call from an agency (Prime staffing agency in NYC) that they were starting w pilot program for nurses with no hospital experience..it starts at $15/hr but it is possible to get into L&D directly with a reputable facility - Jersey city medical center.
after three months you will make new grad rates for nine months then go up another bump afterward.
L&D has always been something I wanted to do . And now I'm losing it because I feel like I did something so stupid and careless by signing the contract. I had no idea that it was even possible for me to get an offer like this one because I don't have the best GPA nor do i have any acute experience.
i want to try to renegotiate the contract to working per diem perhaps but im honestly worried that I will end up with nothing. What would you do if you were in my situation?
I can't see any scenario that the plastic surgery center would let you out of the contract and let you go per diem. It would be very hard to train a nurse to a new specialty on a per diem basis. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I would go with the contract and see how you actually like this job. You may like it.... And you don't want to pay $10,000 back, for sure.
I just *have to mention that, even though this might be a "good opportunity" in NYC, as far as you are concerned right now...$15/hr for 3 months is robbery! NYC is one of *the* best paying areas. Sounds terrible on the money end! Just sayin'!
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Consider this a valuable lesson in that good employers rarely require contracts (because their staff don't leave in droves), and any contracts you do sign should be read and understood in detail before you sign). .
I'm sure you are right about good employers not requiring contracts where you are; but where I am, that isn't the case. Even the best employers have new grads leaving in droves because they "didn't know this would be so hard," "can't work night shift because I have a life", "weekends and holidays are for my friends" and various reasons around hating the bedside and getting an advanced degree. Some of them came to work in the ICU with every intention of leaving as soon as they get into anesthesia school and many have left as soon as they finish their six month orientation. One girl, whom we were working with because she was having so many problems, had her orientation extended twice and left nine months after hire to start anesthesia school without every having made it off orientation.
My employer hasn't yet started requiring a contract, but only because they haven't finalized the contract language. It's coming. In the meantime, they try not to hire new grads -- experienced nurses tend to understand the realities of working the bedside and stay longer -- or hire ADNs in preference to BSNs because the reality is that they'll stay long enough for tuition reimbursement to pay for the BSN, and possibly even an MSN.
Hiring new grads who stay less than a year, approximately six months of that year while on orientation is just not sustainable.
The other offer with the promise of a maybe might be, possibly be sounds super shady. I would not want to leave a job that pays for my RN status to something that could possibly be something or maybe not. $15 /hr is not okay for NYC. What wil happen after three months and they decide that they don't like you, or you were not a good fit, etc. Your current job sounds like it has guarantees and some security, the other sounds like a bait and dump job.
I agree with everyone else...go with the job that you're already guaranteed and has a better wage.
OR nursing sounds like it would be interesting, and a better experience than working below a typical RN wage for the "chance" of working your dream job. I have several classmates that went into OR nursing, and they love it. Plus, as others have said, you're not committed to this job for the rest of your life, just for the next year.
Although I have never been forced to sign a contract, I wouldn't necessarily say that employers that do so are bad to work for. There is a reason they do this, with this being a good example. They want employees that are committed to them, not ones who are going to leave once something "better" has come along.
$15/hr is peanuts and trying to work as an agency nurse with no hospital experience would be TORTURE. Believe me, you're better off staying with your plastics job. Many nurses would kill for an office job. There will be opportunities for L&D jobs down the road.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Have you even found out for certain that Jersey City Medical Center even works with this agency? It makes no sense for a NJ hospital to set up a new grad program paying half or less than typical starting salary for a highly coveted hospital unit utilizing a 1 star NYC agency. Consider calling nurse recruiters or HR at JSUMC to find out if this even a legit program. It's unlikely that a RWJBH facility would use such an agency when they have centralized recruiting & HR as well as a system affiliated staffing agency.
Make yourself feel better contact the nurse recruiter to find out if this is a legit program or a pipe dream of the agency:
I am a L&D RN....and I have to say while I love my job doing OR in Plastic Surgery sounds awesome. I'd do the year and reevaluate your goals at that time. What you're doing is a niche specialty that correct me if I'm wrong isn't easy to get into either. :)
roser13, ASN, RN
6,504 Posts
*bound, not binded