about a year ago I accepted a graduate nurse position at a hospital in florida. I was required to sign a contract that stipulates I work for 2 years or pay back $13,500. I have already worked for a year. The dilemma that I face is that my fiancé had to relocate to another state for his job. I have had a really difficult time the past 6 months that he has been gone. I feel constantly alone and isolated, especially because I work night shift and everyone is asleep when I'm wide awake. I just put my notice in to quit, so I can move there and be with him. My question is, has anyone else ever broken a graduate nurse contract? Did you end up having to pay back money? Do you regret your decision? Did it have a terrible impact on your career going forward?
If anyone else has advice who hasn't been in this situation I would appreciate that as well.
His job doesn’t bounce him around. He is on the west coast loves it there. I think it would probably be better for nurses out west as well. Here in Florida employers think they can pay us in sunshine
Out west, well hopefully it is not California. It is tough to get job in CA.
I really can't comment on whether or not you'll have to pay all or part of your contracted money back. I do agree you need to find said contract and go thru it with a fine tooth comb.
What really hits me, and I've been a nurse for 30 years, is how crude and judgmental some of us can be. You are a new grad. Maybe fairly young? I don't know. But I once had a nursing prof say that nurses eat their young, and sadly, it's very true. And it has been shown on several of the posts you have received.
There are hundreds of ways to practice nursing without being miserable. Life is too short to work with people who make you feel less than you are. You finished school, passed the NCLEX, now get out there, find a place that suits you, and be with your love, doing what you love!
I worked in clinics, answering triage calls, giving allergy shots, assisting surgeons, UC Docs, then went on to be a School Nurse. Enjoy your career.
I also work for this particular hospital system. Without naming names....it used to be called one thing and now its called another. ? Your contract is pro rated...so you will owe less than the original amount. However just let them know you are moving, they may not hold you to the agreement. I have never understood where they come up with the 13,500 from though. Its not like they give us that. How does our training cost that much? All we do are a few sims and depending on the unit, have a preceptor for 8-15 weeks. We do way more for them than they ever do for us.
On another note..I feel the same way you do in many ways OP. I do like the people and management on my unit, but the hospital itself and the policies they push are miserable. The staffing is unsafe, we have no ancillary help and new things are pushed on us everyday. I know alot of nurses feel this way and hopefully it will change but until then..there is better out there. I for one, will most likely pay to get out of my contract in the next few months. It will be worth every penny. Best of luck in your move
I also worked for this hospital system and had the same experience. I stayed about a year past the end of my contract until I couldn't take it anymore. I'm much happier with my new employer who values me and my time.
I had a couple of friends leave the hospital system before their contracts were up. The particular hospital that I worked at didn't go after the vast majority of them for the money, but they did go after one in particular that I can remember. That nurse responded to their request for money with a list of unsafe practices that he had observed there and magically the hospital dropped their pursuit.
Specializes in Tele/Interventional/Non-Invasive Cardiology.
This must be Florida Hospital because I had the same awful contract. I never paid them back. They tried to collect and never got anything from me. Hell, they even wanted to rehire me. Don’t walk, RUN away from them. They have these contracts to keep new grads hostage for 2 years and then give lucrative bonuses to try and lure in unsuspecting veterans from out of state.
Its almost predatory. It’s sad because they cannot keep their employees!
I broke a new grad contract that sounds like it was similar to yours. I looked into the contract details and found numerous clauses that the hospital failed to fulfill. For example, the contract it said that they would provide so many hours of training that was far beyond the actual amount of training I received. I made this and a few other points in a very politely, but sternly, worded letter to the legal department. Never heard a thing after that.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
As far as references go, if you apply starting now, it is standard practice to answer "no" when you get to the application question of whether they can contact your current employer. With a little finesse you can finagle this move smoothly and pretty much be gone before your current employer really realizes. Apply, do Skype interviews, fly out for in-person in between shifts (or use PTO - good chance you won't get that paid out once you leave due to the contract debt, so many as well use it now), see your fiancé in the process (and get a good boost of optimism and sweet lovin' to carry you through) and then get the move planned when the offer comes.
This have every potential to be something you look back on as both stressful and exciting. Your whole life is about to change and at your stage that is pretty sweet.
You mentioned that your fiance's job involves moving a lot. Does he have any kind of control over places and frequency? What if your new job is one you really like, and your fiance wants/needs to move again before you have much experience? Will your career be negatively impacted him?
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
On 4/5/2019 at 11:56 AM, Mini2544 said:
I have never understood where they come up with the 13,500 from though. Its not like they give us that. How does our training cost that much? All we do are a few sims and depending on the unit, have a preceptor for 8-15 weeks. We do way more for them than they ever do for us.
From the standpoint of an administrator - paying two nurses for the job of one nurse for 2-4 months KILLS productivity. I'm not saying that it's right to require a new grads to have a contract that requires the person to pay the hospital if they break it (unless they were actually given a sign-on or relocation bonus), and in fact, I don't agree with the practice. But just wanted to offer an alternative viewpoint. New nurses on orientation give the hospital NOTHING, from a productivity or financial standpoint. They don't break even on a new orientee until after the nurse has been working on their own longer than their orientation period was. Prior to that point, the new nurse is just money in the hole. Yes, it's the cost of doing business. But the new grad nurse certainly doesn't "do more for them" during that training period, and for a good number of weeks/months afterwards.
If the job your at is not healthy for you mentally or physically then don't feel bad IF it turns out you have to pay. I agree with all those above that said to have a copy of your contract and possibly even have a lawyer review it to know your options. But either way your health and mental stability is worth way more than any amount of money. One thing I have learned in this profession is that YOU must fight for your own self care.
And the comment that someone said saying: “you shouldn't being nursing if your sensitive".......i'm sorry but "sensitive" nurses that actually have empathy and see the patients as people and not numbers are the BEST nurses. Goodluck with your career!! You will have a great one if you maintain your selfwealth and take care of yourself always ❤️
Med_RN
18 Posts
Just wait to see the outcome since you already quit. Modify your resume to find new opportunities. Good luck.