Breaching StaRN Contract

Nurses New Nurse

Published

Hello, I need some help! I'm a new graduate nurse that started working on a very busy medical-surgical unit in April. In order for me to accept the job, I was required to sign a 2 year contract that states if I didn't stay with the company for 2 years, I'd have to pay them $10,000 in 60 days. I was never given any type of bonus pay--I was only offered the job. I've only been working for the company for 6 months, and I couldn't take it any more. They treated me like a slave and paid me like one too! Sometimes I would not be able to take a lunch break. Every shift I felt like I was risking my patient's lives and my nursing license because I didn't have enough time to provide all of their care! I never would have signed the contract if the manager told me the truth about the unit! She told me the nurse-patient ratio was 1:4. She didn't tell me we rarely have CNA's on our floor. Only after 7 weeks of orientation on my unit, I was consistently assigned 5 and sometimes 6 patients--with no CNA! I was told by my preceptor (who trains people on our unit) to omit critical nursing assessments/tasks because we don't have time (of course they all chart they did those things, but I refuse to follow their advise). Everyone else was too busy to help me too, even the charge nurses. There were many shifts that I was assigned 5-6 patients and all the other experienced nurses were assigned 3-4 patients! On those same days, I was also assigned the most challenging patients together. It was completely unfair for the patients and for me! Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that HCA organization truly values money $$ over patient safety and care!

I don't know what to do. I'm waiting to hear back from a lawyer on some legal advise. I don't feel like it is fair for me to pay them $10,000 for their poor staffing issues and unfair treatment! Apparently the debt is going to collections. Do you have any ideas on what to do?!

The contract is broadly written to include both termination or resignation--I would still have to pay 10k. I don't want to ruin my life with this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Man I sure do wish I could see this contract you signed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.
The contract is broadly written to include both termination or resignation--I would still have to pay 10k. I don't want to ruin my life with this.

Then they could fire you on day one and demand 10K?

Wow! I'm going to start a company and get rich quick!

Except... that would be totally unenforceable (IANAL).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.

I'm going to assume that are in the Denver area based on your name. None of your experiences are unique to HCA or any of the other big players in the Denver area. DHMC and the Kaiser system have a whole different set of frustrations. Pay is a pittance compared to cost of living in every system, and every system has their own way to pinch pennies. There is a reason why so many of the nurses end up leaving the state after their new grad commitments.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Contracts have to have consideration "something of value" from BOTH sides. What did they promise you, and did they live by it? Simply giving you a job usually doesn't qualify. And, an employer is required to make sure you are able to do your job. So, giving you the same orientation and training they give everyone, including those who don't sign contracts, usually wouldn't qualify either.

Who signed the contract on the employers side? Was it a local recruiter? If so, it's likely the recruiter isn't someone who is authorized to sign into legal agreements on the behalf of HCA.

In my opinion, many of these new grad contracts are designed to scare you into staying, and aren't binding.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I didn't work for a HCA but took a contract in Indiana with a similar outcome. Apparently at this facility, CNA's aren't licensed so they can't perform basically anything. No accuchecks, can't deliver trays, unable to do vitals and were unwilling to chart I & O's etc.....On dayshift, working on a neuro floor this is disastrous (unsafe). Ratio was 5-6:1 without any relief from ancillary help, mostly 6 some nurses had taken 7 but travel didn't. The majority of the travelers didn't stay on contract including me past 6 weeks. All this wasn't divulged at the time of the interview, I was actually told the opposite. I had CNA's coming to me telling me what I hadn't done. Big NO in my book. In the fine print of my contract it said I would owe them $1000 if I breached the contract, which also wasn't divulged but that was my fault for not reading the contract in it's entirety. I gladly paid the money but 10,000 is totally different and should be PRORATED since you did complete 6 months of the contract. I'm not sure this helps at all but just know that this is the new NORMAL. I've met nurses that quit due to these conditions and became truck drivers. I love nursing and keep trudging along but anything that puts my license at jeopardy I will not be apart of.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

Do you know anyone who has had to pay AFTER consulting legal representation? Or is that just what the rumor mill says because management has insert these rumors into the mill?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've spoken to all of my friends and colleagues who are nurses at other hospitals, and they are shocked when I explain to them all of things that happened on my unit involving staffing and management. I've also worked in the nursing field for 8 years. Through that time, I've done work at nursing homes with approximately 30 total care residents (provided all basic needs). I know what I experienced as a new graduate nurse is NOT normal (as did my coworkers who were experienced nurses). We had such a high turnover rate on our unit that most days and nights we had more agency nurses than our own. Some of my preceptors were new graduates (graduated same time as me) hired a few months prior. We lost so many of our employees that the charge nurses had 12 months nursing experience (sweet for them).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.
I've spoken to all of my friends and colleagues who are nurses at other hospitals, and they are shocked when I explain to them all of things that happened on my unit involving staffing and management. I've also worked in the nursing field for 8 years. Through that time, I've done work at nursing homes with approximately 30 total care residents (provided all basic needs). I know what I experienced as a new graduate nurse is NOT normal (as did my coworkers who were experienced nurses). We had such a high turnover rate on our unit that most days and nights we had more agency nurses than our own. Some of my preceptors were new graduates (graduated same time as me) hired a few months prior. We lost so many of our employees that the charge nurses had 12 months nursing experience (sweet for them).

Where do your friends work because what you describe does not shock me in the least.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

They mostly work for large hospital corporations, but not HCA.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I worked in a Magnet hospital and I typically had 6 patients on my med-surg teli floor (and we were the good floor, some had 8). Sometimes I had a PCT, Sometimes not. We had to do everything, including drawing blood. What you described sounded beyond typical and not shocking at all. I am now in Critical Care and I have a 1:3 ratio and am just as busy, non stop with super sick patients. I would of suggested to stick it out and move on after if it didn't work out, but honesly, if you have quit already, then you are really up a creek without a paddle and probably for a long long time.

But if anyone gets the same contract in the future, I would steer clear.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

I'm not remotely qualified to give legal advice, but I'm with Hppy. If it was me, I would not rush to pay them $10K. Certainly not in 60 days. Maybe in 60 years. Collections? That's just people bugging you on the phone. They can be told where to go. The hospital can take you to small claims court and maybe even get a judgement against you. But it's still up to them to figure out how to collect it.

Yes, I would play hardball. Doubtful there's a union at that hospital. But there is a state labour board. Please call them. I don't know how such a contract can be legal. If they had paid you a sign-on bonus and required you to pay it back, that would be one thing. But they get to fire you and then collect $10K? That's just laughable.

I would tell these dirt bags to fly a kite and let the chips fall where they may. But that's just me. I hope the lawyer gets back to you soon. Good luck and hang in there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment