Job offer decision for aspiring future CNRA student

Nursing Students SRNA

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I am in my last year of nursing school. I would like to get into a DNP asap, sorry to offend someone here. So I am applying to residence programs around the country hoping to get into SICU right after graduation. The first hospital I interviewed offered my a job. But I have to sign a contract to work there for at least 2.5 years before they will provide a recommendation letter. Factor in a year of applying, I have to work for 3.5 years at this place before starts DNP.

Should I turn down this offer and take my chances with other hospitals that don't need sign contracts like Mayo Clinic? I am sure I can find another SICU job somewhere, it's just I might be in places I don't really want to live like MN.

I am a student in a nurse honor program in a top ten nursing school. My GPA is above 3.9 and I took the GRE last summer and got 330. I feel like I can get into a school once I get some ICU experience.

i can't make up my mind. Please give me some advice.

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Specializes in ICU.

All I can tell you is that most places that train new grads straight out of school are going to make you sign at least a 2 year contract (that doesn't include the 4 months of training they provide you with). I have a 2 year contract in a MICU in Florida. In theory, the 2 years will pay off the amount of money and time they spend training you to start in the ICU as a new graduate.

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It's up to you. Those were my same stats and I had no problem getting into CRNA school with two years of nursing experience (all ICU) when I applied. Personally, I wouldn't have wanted to wait longer. I am soooo ready to be done with bedside nursing. If you are sure you can get good ICU experience (level 1 trauma or high acuity) then I would say why limit yourself to a place that's going to force you to stay when you may really want to move on?

But it's really a personal decision based on how willing you are to move to go to school sooner and how much you really want to go to school ASAP. And also, don't forget to factor in money into all of this (how much do you want to save before CRNA school and how much the different ICU jobs around the country vary in pay from $20 an hour to $60 an hour depending on location).

I'm not really sure what sort of advice/opinions you're looking for just because it really seems like a decision based on personal preferences. Are you wondering if you'll be able to get into a CRNA program with a year or two experience? Or worried about about finding an ICU job elsewhere? In your post you seem pretty confident about both.

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Two years total is pretty common. However this 2.5 years before even giving a recommendation seems rather unfair and controlling. Also, most contracts aren't actually "required" meaning there is no penalty if you leave early. They are simply verbal promises or good faith agreements that can be broken.

ive heard of a lot of places holding people back by not offering them good letters of recommendations just because they want to keep them. This seems dishonest and unfair. I wouldn't work for a place like that that wants to keep me back just for their own benefit.

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I just want to hear what other people think of my situation and what they would suggest. I am confident to a certain degree. But I do worry about empty handed in the end. That's why I put my GPA here to see if people will tell me there is still a good chance I may get nothing.

NYNewGradNurse,

are you saying at the time of applying, you had 2 years ICU?

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NYNewGradNurse,

My other worry is I might end up with a similar contract somewhere else worse that this hospital. At least this hospital is in a city I want to live. Even though it's the best hospital in the city, it's still a big disappointment comparing with our university hospital. I would feel terrible if I end up in a worse place, a worse hospital with a similer contract in a city I don't want to live.

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Two years total is pretty common. However this 2.5 years before even giving a recommendation seems rather unfair and controlling. Also, most contracts aren't actually "required" meaning there is no penalty if you leave early. They are simply verbal promises or good faith agreements that can be broken.

It takes at least two years to put the work into developing an ICU nurse, so its not the least "unfair and controlling" just because you don't like it.

As for the idea of a contract not being "required," I think you have an inadequate understanding of the word "contract." If somebody signs a contract, it's ... a contract, and you have to honor it. There are plenty of stories here from people who want to break theirs and are shocked to discover they're being asked to either pay back their signing bonus or reimburse the hospital for expenses, because they didn't read the fine print.

As for the idea that verbal promises or good faith agreements "can be broken" ... you seem to have a very undeveloped sense of personal honor and good faith. This is actually shocking to me, and perhaps to others. I strongly advise that you keep that attitude to yourself at all times, because once you let somebody know that's how you look at a promise or a good-faith agreement, word will get around and they won't touch you with a ten-foot pole.

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The most important things in looking for a first job: quality of the ICU, paying off your current student loans, pay everything else off and save crazy money for grad school. Where ever that may be, that's the right job. Obvi a decent pay rate and low cost of living are helpful. And hey, if you live somewhere you aren't excited about, you'll stay home and save money!! or work tons of OT!!!! Good luck.

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