Need Help Asap

Can you explain what you had to sign in the contract. Is it that you would work in the hospital for a certain amount of time?? I think your ratio is ridiculous and an experienced nurse would have a difficult time. No wonder you are questioning your decision.

If you signed a contract, what was their part of the bargain? Are they living up to it? It sounds brutal for anyone, no matter how much experience you have, and to be expected to carry that kind of load when you are new is absurd. Can you change units? Can you dispute the contract?

I am so sorry you are dealing with this...good luck. Keep us updated.

Hi thanks for your words Well its a 24 months for $8000 sign in bonus ( $4000 first year 4000 second year, but i could return this without problem) and they said because of the preceptorship of 6 weeks and the EKG course if i leave earlier i have to paid $5000 back. Thats the catch! :angryfire. I cant not change units until 6 months in there but since Im new its not easy to change. Even in Med surge the ratios are high! 10 -1 night time. Even if i have to paid I think Im living when i find something better. When I finish school I never understood the difference between profit and non profit hospitals, but believe me after this experience in profit hospital I got the picture. I hope i can find something soon:uhoh3:. Thanks again

If you signed a contract, what was their part of the bargain? Are they living up to it? It sounds brutal for anyone, no matter how much experience you have, and to be expected to carry that kind of load when you are new is absurd. Can you change units? Can you dispute the contract?

I am so sorry you are dealing with this...good luck. Keep us updated.

thanks for your words!

yes, 24 months for 8000 sign no bonus ( 4000 first year and 4000 second) and for education they gave me like basic EKG and preceptorship I will have to paid back $5000. I hope I find something better even if i have to paid the 5K back!

Can you explain what you had to sign in the contract. Is it that you would work in the hospital for a certain amount of time?? I think your ratio is ridiculous and an experienced nurse would have a difficult time. No wonder you are questioning your decision.

You mean you have to pay the 5000 for just the precepting and the EKG class? I'm confused. Is the $5K part of the sign on bonus?

You're right. 8-1 is crazy for a PCU. Does your floor have drips, drains, restraints, tube feeds, etc etc? That's crazy!

Oh My God!! You work for EVIL people. That is the most absurd situation I have ever heard. I can certainly understand the draw of the bonus, but then of course they have you trapped. It still may be worth consulting a lawyer over, if the pay back numbers are not stipulated in the contract, I would bet a good lawyer could help you. I am soooo sorry you are having to deal with this. Keep us posted.

No the sign in is 8k and the 5k is for the "education part " yes we have drips like nitro up to 50 mcg, cardizem, and stuff like that, tube feeds yes, no so much of drains just some chole, they try the new restrain free enviroment as much as they can so they have sitters. but we get baker act pts any ways a little of everything. It IS crazy !

You mean you have to pay the 5000 for just the precepting and the EKG class? I'm confused. Is the $5K part of the sign on bonus?

You're right. 8-1 is crazy for a PCU. Does your floor have drips, drains, restraints, tube feeds, etc etc? That's crazy!

Go with your gut. I know several nurses who broke a contract because of the very same reason. They felt unsafe and had too many patients. I would find out what would happen if you broke your contract and then I would probably look elsewhere. Always go with your gut unless you can work this out some how.

Just my humble opinion.

Best wishes with your choice.

8:1 on PCU is insane.

A very wise travel nurse once told me if a hospital is offering big bucks (sign on, completion, whatever) to entice you to work for them, you need to step back and ask yourself, "Why?"

Hi thanks for your words Well its a 24 months for $8000 sign in bonus ( $4000 first year 4000 second year, but i could return this without problem) and they said because of the preceptorship of 6 weeks and the EKG course if i leave earlier i have to paid $5000 back. Thats the catch! :angryfire.

I can see where you'd have to pay back whatever portion of the sign-on you've already received, but the 5K? That sounds like BS to me.

Ask for an itemized statement describing exactly where the costs of your "education" totaled $5000. Then take that and a copy of your contract to an employment or contract attorney. Seriously. I'm betting that business about the $5000 wouldn't stand up, because the "education" is something the hospital MUST provide to all employees on an ongoing basis.

They're full of it.

Hi thanks for your words Well its a 24 months for $8000 sign in bonus ( $4000 first year 4000 second year, but i could return this without problem) and they said because of the preceptorship of 6 weeks and the EKG course if i leave earlier i have to paid $5000 back. Thats the catch! :angryfire. I cant not change units until 6 months in there but since Im new its not easy to change. Even in Med surge the ratios are high! 10 -1 night time. Even if i have to paid I think Im living when i find something better. When I finish school I never understood the difference between profit and non profit hospitals, but believe me after this experience in profit hospital I got the picture. I hope i can find something soon:uhoh3:. Thanks again

I would say. "I'll see you in court." I would report the facility to the State department of health for unsafe patient care conditions. they would drop the case in a New York minute because it would cost them far more to recoup the 5000 than they could regain. As Emmanuel put it: The hospitals must provide trainnig to new employees. In other words its a fixed cost of doing business so they are truly full of beans. Thanks for sharing the wisdom of "look before you leap."

Wow! I'm a new grad too and have only been on my own for 3 weeks now. I am an oncology nurse. The 8:1 ratio seems insane, especially for the PCU. The ratio on my floor is 6:1 on easier days it may be 5:1 and our patients have a high level of acuity; alot are post-op. I have a hard time getting everything done for my 6 sometimes. I feel as though I have little to no support. My resource nurse is rotten and very condescending. I posted earlier......I also accepted a sign-on bonus. It was $4000 and I have to work for the same network for 2 years. If I leave sooner, then I pay back the $4000 plus $250. I am supposed to stay on my Unit for 6 months and then I can transfer anywhere within the network and not lose benefits or seniority, etc. That part is nice........BUT I am so stressed! I have bad days when this resource nurse or as we call them PCCs or something is there......I make mistakes (nothing major) because she rides me all day long and flusters me becoz I'm intimidated by her. I have spoken to my director and she tells me i'm too sensitive and we all make mistakes, just learn from them. I am also thinking of leaving my Unit.....I worry about what my director will say....will she give a good report to anyone I interview with or will she only relay mistakes I have made and say I am difficult to work with? Honestly, I am very laid back. I do not yell or even stand up for myself which may be part of my problem......I'm told I'm too nice! So...what do we do? Can you keep your sign on and transfer to another floor? I'm thinking about going in to work tomorrow and talking to the nurse recruiter or the nurse from the mentor program and see what they say. Good luck to you!!!!!!!!!! and me!!!!!!!!!