Cost of Nurse Residency Program

OBigdog26, MSN, RN, NP · Jan 20, 2015

What u saying is not residency I think. If I'm not wrong this is happening in New Jersey in a hospital ..
I just graduated and get accepted in nurse residency. They will train us about 4 month and than we will work at that specific unit. During the residency we will be full benefit and also paid as regular nurse salary.
We have to sign contract that we will work for 4 year otherwise 8000$ has to be lay them as a cost of program.

You have to sign a 4 yr contract without a bonus? Wow.....that is insane!!!

roser13, ASN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

You have to sign a 4 yr contract without a bonus? Wow.....that is insane!!!

I've seen that type of required contract/no bonus when the orientation/training period is extra long or specialized, as in the OR.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

Maybe this "Residency" program is intended for nurses who have been away from the job for awhile, as a refresher of basics?

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Jan 21, 2015

This is definitely not a nurse residency program. I am in one. Its 8 weeks full employee benefits and THEY PAY ME A SALARY! yes and I got to take some of the courses during my orientation and they pay for it all. This is just another "school" trying to bank on new grads hopes of getting a job but its just more wasted money.

EDIT: Those "certifications earned" are nothing, its what every nurse does when hired. BLS is also listed and everyone knows 100% of new grads are required to have BLS already as part of nursing school...Glucometer certification? there is no such thing...even CNAs do glucometers...i know i was one...sketchy...YES! RUN!

If legit, hospitals want to keep new grads past the first year they normally require a 2-3 year contract. Only if you breach the contact then you have to pay them back (sometimes in thousands) this is how they retain new grads.

Like other suggest no job after 1 year, you really need to expand your options and stop being picky with your applications. Hospitals aren't the only places that take new grads. Have your resume professionally reviewed or post it (minus personal info) to the New nurse forums for help. Generally it should take 3-6 months for managers to get to your resume, but even before that it should say online routed to manager, if its not then your resume is missing key words to get "hits" by the programs that does the screening...hence its never reaching the right people. I don't know what you done so far, but 1 year post graduation you may not be considered a new grad...in other words it makes your search more difficult. This needs to be addressed now. Employers do most hiring in January...get yourself out there.

In the mean time I hope you have not been just at home for a year...go volunteer somewhere or make good use of your time.

PixieRN14 · Jan 21, 2015

I still don't understand the concept of a nurse "residency", let alone having to pay for it. What ever happened to getting hired and being paired up with a qualified preceptor? Anyways, whenever I hear the term residency I immediately think of a MD residency. In any event, I wouldn't pay $650 for anything like that. If they want you to become qualified in those things they can pay for it.

I am a new grad and work for a larger hospital that has a new grad residency program. It is free and I go to a meeting once a month. It allows us to talk about the issues we face as new grads and we have mentors that are there to learn from. We have projects we do to help us grow in the first year. It is an amazing program that my hospital has put in place. I get paid my normal hourly wage even when attending the meetings.

PMFB-RN, RN · Jan 21, 2015

Hi! I just graduated in December with my BSN. I applied to a Nurse Residency Program but was wondering if the cost is an average amount for a program with no guaranteed job at the end. It is a 12 week program that will certify you in BLS, IV, Glucometer, and Arrhythmia Interpretation. It costs $650. Thoughts on this?

I will certify you in all those things in 2 days for $500!

The normal cost of a nurse residency is about $55K. That is cost to the hospital, much of wich is paid to you as you normal wages.

Sounds to me like someone has found yet another way of squeezing yet MORE $$$ out of those thousands of poor, unemployed nursing grads.

PMFB-RN, RN · Jan 21, 2015

I am a new grad and work for a larger hospital that has a new grad residency program. It is free and I go to a meeting once a month. It allows us to talk about the issues we face as new grads and we have mentors that are there to learn from. We have projects we do to help us grow in the first year. It is an amazing program that my hospital has put in place. I get paid my normal hourly wage even when attending the meetings.

Going to a meeting once a month is what passed for a nurse residency at your hospital?

I would like to see some standardization of residencies so that a once a month meeting can't be called a "residency".

TheNGTKingRN · Jan 21, 2015

Lol glucometer certificate. Wtheee

roser13, ASN, RN · Jan 21, 2015

Going to a meeting once a month is what passed for a nurse residency at your hospital?
I would like to see some standardization of residencies so that a once a month meeting can't be called a "residency".

Nor would a hospital be allowed to call a $650 rip-off-new-grads course a "residency."

danceyrun · Jan 21, 2015

You are totally getting scammed.

Penguin67 · Jan 21, 2015

I just tried to read about the residency program on the link posted earlier, and the link is no longer working. Hmmmmm......

RNLeadSS · Jan 21, 2015

There are certain parts of the country that are just dying for nurses. I can't believe that program exists that you pay and don't get paid. Personally I find something else. That is ridiculous. Where do you live that this is happening?