Breaking CNA contracts

[ErikaMarie]

I am a pre-nursing student & I want to get my CNA. If I take the class at school, it will put me back a semester. A small hospital nearby offers a class through a one year contract agreement but they're notorious for breaking promises of low hours during nursing school.

My question is, what could/would they do if I broke a contract? CNA class costs money & they offer it for free so I wouldn't mind having to pay them a few hundred to get out but if I ask beforehand, I don't think they'd hire me.

Help?

PS I already posted this in the General Nursing Discussion but I didn't

realize this forum was here until now..

[EmergencyMedicine]

Hey if they are offering the class for free, and you break their 1 year work contract, all you have to do is pay for the school received. Many programs here are the same way. You will still keep your state license but have to pay for not staying your 1 year.

Good luck.

If you can afford it, i'd break the contract and get your career in motion

[CandAmommy]

I think if you are going to go to nursing school, after your first semester you are qualified as a CNA and can take the state certification. I'm going into LPN school, but not till next May and am getting my CNA this November, I can't wait for NS. If you can't either and just want to start working, I would try and than pay if you could afford it. Good luck!

[sonomala]

Its just my op, but breaking that kind of contract is never a good idea. Word gets around in the health care industry. It sounds like from your post the hosp is notoriouse for not keeping its end up so if I were you, I'd wait till the end of my first semester of nursing or if the fees for the class are a prob (you're not alone its not exactly cheap) see if your local Red Cross has a class for free or maybe one of the LTCs around you? Good luck and let us know what you decide :)

[Speed Freak]

This is just me, not saying anything about you at all, just my own personal view if I was in the same situation. I view a contract as nothng less than giving my word. The key here is that it is MY word. They may not keep their end, but I gave my word on my end. I would follow through regardless of what the facility did.

That is why I look before I leap. Even if I could pay back the course later, my promise was to stay for a year. But like I said, it is just me.

[adorblepuppy]

I have to agree with some of the others. If i was going to sign a contract to work for a year at the hospital i would stay there. You never know you could get hired as a nurse when you get done with your schooling. And they may have some programs to help you pay for them.

[yousoldtheworld]

I wouldn't break the contract.

If you take the class and work for them, just tell them you will only work part time, a certain number f days a week upon hire.

If you accept a full time position, of course you will have to work a lot of hours.

Just make it clear from the beginning that you will only work part time.

[Zalan]

Not that I would recomend it, but you could always get fired. I would look to see if they have a clause in the contract about firing. If the clause demands that you repay for the course if your fired. I would never go to work for them.

[adorblepuppy]

Why would want to get fired from a job like that. Espically with them going into the nursing field. That is seriously going to tarnish your reputation. And in this business that is one thing i would not want to do.