Need Advice: VA NNEI contract

[pinkdivaRN]

Hello Nurses,

I know this sounds totally ridiculous but the truth is, I need some advice.

I have been an RN for about 9 years and I am currently working on my doctorate. As stated, I utilized the VA NNEI scholarship (to receive my MSN) and have paid 2 years out of a 3 year commitment. I had good intentions with this when I originally signed the contract and felt that I would be a VA employee until I retired. Well, sometimes our ideas and personal responsibilities change. Now, I am ready to leave this institution so bad, I can taste it. Keep in mind, I have worked here for about 7 of the 9 years I've been a nurse but the culture and organization as a whole is so crooked and behind in the times (anyone who has worked for the VA would know exactly what i'm referring to). I have a great reputation at work and have worked in 2 departments but the problem is, I dont feel fulfilled (AT ALL). It's difficult to feel like this but have worked so hard on your education.

In addition to this, I also teach (adjunct) at a local university and have found that I enjoy that much more than the job that I currently have at the VA. The college that I work adjunct for have practically been begging me to go full time (for about a year), which their pay would be about 10-15K more than I make now. Another major perk, is that although I would be full time for the college, I wouldn't have to work every day and much of my work can be done at home. At this point in my life, im more about quality of life (not just working at a place because thats the thing to do).

However, this move would not totally be about money. I want to work in my destiny and passion. I want to finally be able to work in something that doesn't take up all of my time and is actually rewarding. I have considered the ethical aspect as well and I have never done anything like this but I just dont know how long I can go on like this.

So, if anyone has any information with terminating their VA NNEI contract (please chime in). I know that I would have to pay some of the money back but I just don't know how the payments work (is it a lump sum, once per month, etc).

As stated above, I know this sounds totally ridiculous but it's just an honest reflection of how I have been feeling for awhile.

Thanks in advance.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

You need to negotiate with them... Do a search on the internet and you're bound to find many people and how they left early and how they handled it. Good luck. But really; only 1 year left. It would probably take you that long to negotiate it. Don't you have a union rep to talk to?

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

I'm also a VA employee and looked into that scholarship in the Fall but it fell through. From what I know, you have to complete the contract or pay back three times what you were given. They are very specific about that in the beginning. I hope you find a way out though, that sounds like a wonderful opportunity.

[JOHANNARRT]

I know exactly how you feel, I know you wrote this about a year ago, so what happened? I need to pay about 20 months, but I'm losing so much money in the process, first they didnt give me a position as an NP so for the next two years I have to work as an RN and basically throw down the drain my degree to not be in breech. Any insight?