need help deciding!

[my2girlskk]

Hello all! Here's a little of my background. I am a wife, mother of two (ages 4and 2), and have been accepted into my nursing program to start in the fall. I have a decision to make and am getting stressed about it. I currently work for a large health company in my state. I work as a lab tech in a doctors office, but the closest hospital in my current company is 50 min away from me. I want to work in a hospital after I graduate. My company has a tuition reimbursement program where they pay up to 3k per calendar year with no pay back in time or money. I would have to maintain 20 hrs a week to be reimbursed. It sounds great, but it also means I'm not gaurenteed a job when I graduate, unless its in my office. My tuition will prob be about thousand more than that and ill have to come up w that money and will also have to pay for books, lab, and technology fees on my own. This is a huge company, with many hospitals to choose from if I want to drive. Reloacting is not an option due to my husbands job and the support system we have here.

However, there is a smaller, more local hospital 20 minutes from my house. They have a tuition program where they pay for school and you don't have to work there until you graduate. You pay back in time depending on how much they give you. I'm guessing id have to pay back 4 or 5 years. If they can't offer me a full time position within 60 days of passing my boards, I don't have to pay back any money or time, so clearly they wouldn't let that happen and id definitely have a job. However, I have no say in the job they offer me and if I don't accept the position, I have to pay the money back. I could transfer to another job after a year though. If I don't pass my boards within in 90 days of graduating, though, I have to pay them back the money they gave me. Also, they pay the money up front and pay everything except books.

I only have about a week to decide. After taking into consideration the gas money id spend traveling to my current company, pay and benefits at both places are compariable. Does anybody have any advice to make my decision easier? My husband is pushing for the local hospital bc its closer, but I'm afraid I may not have the career opportunities I crave. So, taking my family into consideration, which sounds like a better option?

[Always_Learning, BSN, RN]

I got a little lost trying to compare your two options (sorry; probably just because I'm not familiar with the hospitals) but I may have a bit to say. I have dealt with the contract/tuition reimbursement thing also. I would advise you to get a copy of a blank contract and take it home and read it and then re-read it! You want to be very sure you are comparing apples to apples, and look especially for things like whether they would have you pay back in installments, all at once, etc. One of your options said that if you don't accept a job, you would have to pay back. Depending on the amount of money, if it is due all at once, that could be a real problem.

I also keep in mind that - while it is convenient - tuition reimbursement plans that require you to pay back time or money ARE a form of debt. As such, I have utilized some of this but also tried my best not to do a lot of it. That way I'm not stuck if the unexpected happens or I decide I need to relocate or whatever else may happen.

Also, one thing I did not see listed was benefits; if you will be obtaining health insurance for yourself or your family, it would be good to look at the insurance plans available to you at both places. Are there other things like day care, tuition discount for children, etc?

Try to be honest with yourself as well: are you the type of person that could be reasonably happy working ANYWHERE when you graduate? Or do you really have your heart set on one or two specialty areas? If someone else has the say in what position you take after graduating, make sure you'd be OK with whatever they might choose (ask them what areas are a possibility). You don't want to be miserable!

I rambled a bit...hope some portion of this helps. Best of luck to you!