New Grad Employment Contracts

[nursewifie, ASN]

Hello All,

I am currently an ADN student with an anticipated grad 12/17. In my area, it is pretty standard for new grad RNs to have to sign an employment contract, with no bonuses given, and exclusive of an internship program--just as a regular staff RN. For obvious reasons, economical (my family needs my income) and to gain clinical skills ASAP, I plan to seek employment as soon as I am licensed. However, my husband and I have discussed the possibility of relocating to his home state of IN. The perfect time for us to make the move would be over next summer, when our current lease is up for renewal, and prior to our youngest beginning Kgarten.

I feel like I am in a bad position here. I don't (can't?!) delay gaining employment in early 2018 because my family needs my income. However, I will more than likely be required to sign an employment contract to get hired in my home state, which wouldn't work if we plan to move less than 6 months later.

I understand the cost and other considerations to a unit to hire a new grad, and don't want to be a jerk and leave right after new grad training, but I also don't want to wait 6 months post grad to begin my first clinical job--i'm nervous that I will forget all that I worked so hard to learn in the absence of clinical time/working time.

What are my options? What would you do? Do I have options...? I was so excited to graduate and get licensed and now I am worried that I will be languishing without a job for 6 months because we may have to move next summer. What happens when these things are unforseen and nurses break contract? 2 years is a long time to be contractually obligated....

Any insight would be appreciated!

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Wouldn't it solve your problem to just break the lease and move when you graduate?

It would cost you some $$, but otherwise, what would the downside of that be?

[nursewifie, ASN]

Unfortunately, that wouldn't work for many reasons. I'm specifically looking at moving in the summer and what my options are for employment under that circumstance. Both of my kiddos are in the middle of a school year and I'm not looking to move during winter/snow season.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Either move earlier or stay longer if you want to lessen the impact on the rest of your career. Those are pretty much the options! This is the start of your nursing career, which warrants some favoritism and consideration. I will not be thrilled if my husband gets a residency spot in a cold state (I don't do well in cold places anymore), but I recognize that it will be the foundation of his medical career, which takes precedence over my cold intolerance. Your nursing career deserves the same kind of consideration so you start out well.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

PS: Kids are remarkably resilient if you give them a chance to be.

[AceOfHearts<3]

Or you find a job that doesn't require a contract- maybe a nursing home.

In all reality though just because you graduate in December doesn't mean you can start work right away. It may be January or February before you can take/pass the NCLEX and it could take another month or so (maybe more) to secure and start a job. If you start at a hospital in March (or even February) you likely won't finish orientation until May or June- then you are just going to move. Honestly that's really crappy and exactly why contracts are now being required. You also can't say this is "unforeseen" as it sounds pretty calculated.

Either you move sooner- kids are moved during the school year all the time and are fine (I certainly was), find a job without a contract, break a contract (and burn some bridges), or you move a couple of months ahead of your family. My father worked in another state for 4 years before my family made the move.

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

Unfortunately, I don't think you'd be doing yourself any favors by taking a new grad job for just six months (even if you weren't locked into a contract).

First of all, it will royally tick off your employer, who will have invested a ton of money training you as a new grad. Not only will you burn bridges, but it may come back to bite you on future job applications when you put down contact info for former employers. I don't think your employer would see it as an 'unforeseen' issue (you're obviously foreseeing it now...)

Secondly, you may have a difficult time finding another new grad position: you won't qualify for 'experienced RN' jobs since you will have less than a year of experience, but you may also be ineligible for 'new grad' jobs since you'd have some experience.

Maybe a compromise would be to move the following summer, so staying in your position for a year and a half? That way you'd have 'experience,' so getting a job after the move would be easier. Your manager would probably be much more understanding of you leaving six months early (although you still might get placed on a 'do not rehire' list by HR). By that point, you might be happier just staying for two and a half years.

I'd also try to investigate new grad hiring timelines in the region where you're moving (I know, easier said than done). In some regions, hospitals don't even start accepting applications until after students have passed the NCLEX, so the start date is 3-6 months after graduation. In others, applications open several months before graduation, students receive offers contingent of graduating/passing the NCLEX, and start 1-2 months after graduation. The major hospitals in your area may begin their new grad cohorts at a certain time. For instance, I graduated in May, and nearly all of the new grads in my hospital that summer started mid-June (over a hundred of us). In a city a few hours away, nearly all of the May new grads in the hospital started in September. Knowing the regional trends may help inform your timeline.

[nursewifie, ASN]

Thanks for the replies.

I wasn't trying to say that my situation is unforeseen, at all. I was genuinely wondering what happened when people found themselves in similar circumstances and it was unforeseen--you know, in order to gain an understanding of my options.

I guess people assume the worst here, but I have a lot of integrity, which is why I am here posting the question/scenario.

We have decided that it is best to stay put, and we will each sign new contracts (my husband is a nurse, too, and is moving into the ICU) for employment, and finish our BSN, and the look at relocating in another 2 years. It will be best for us both to have experience and BSN degrees prior to moving.