Did anyone take a stipend while in nursing school?

[brina]

Hi! I am starting 3rd level clinical in a BSN program in January. After completion of 2 clinical levels, a nursing student is eligible to apply for a $2000 a semester stipend in a mentorship program at a local hospital. In return for accepting the stipend, you promise to work for the facility for 12 mts. You can receive a maximum of $6000 for a promise of working for 2 yrs. I really like the facility and would not mind working there at all. Of course I could use the money while I am in nursing school, being that I have a family and my husband is taking on everything while I am in school. The only thing I am worried about is if they won't pay me what they would pay another new grad when I graduate. I asked one of the ladies that is over the program about this and she (of course) said that I would be paid the same. Has anyone out there decided to do a program such as this while they were in school? If so, what was it like after graduation? Did you get stepped on because you had already made a committment to them? Did they pay you as much as any other new grad? Thanks to anyone who can answer some of these questions.

BSN GRADUATE, DECEMBER '05 !!!

[bargainhound, RN]

Nothing wrong with the stipend. Take it. No, they cannot pay you less than other people.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

We don't have stipends where I work, but techs who work 20 hours get paid 40 hours pay, so that's somewhat of a stipend. They have to agree to work 2 years post-graduation.

It's so expensive and difficult to get through school nowadays, it's commonplace to commit yourself to an organization to get through school. That way you have a job waiting for you when you graduate. A win win situation.

The risk is you'll hate your job while you are working out the two years. :)

[NurseGuy_in_06]

Hi! I am starting 3rd level clinical in a BSN program in January. After completion of 2 clinical levels, a nursing student is eligible to apply for a $2000 a semester stipend in a mentorship program at a local hospital. In return for accepting the stipend, you promise to work for the facility for 12 mts. You can receive a maximum of $6000 for a promise of working for 2 yrs. I really like the facility and would not mind working there at all. Of course I could use the money while I am in nursing school, being that I have a family and my husband is taking on everything while I am in school. The only thing I am worried about is if they won't pay me what they would pay another new grad when I graduate. I asked one of the ladies that is over the program about this and she (of course) said that I would be paid the same. Has anyone out there decided to do a program such as this while they were in school? If so, what was it like after graduation? Did you get stepped on because you had already made a committment to them? Did they pay you as much as any other new grad? Thanks to anyone who can answer some of these questions.

BSN GRADUATE, DECEMBER '05 !!!

Our hospital requires work for the scholarship and will pay you the same pay as other nurses when you graduate. However, if you wanted to work somewhere else all you have to do is pay the money back. Not a bad deal if you could get a good sign-on bonus somewhere else.