New Grad Tele job no contract vs OR Fellowship 3 year contract

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I am a new grad that was offered a job on a telemetry floor in a hospital where there is not a contract to sign. I was also offered a job that is an OR fellowship that starts with 6 months of training so I would have to sign a 3 year contract. When I graduated I told myself that I just WOULD NOT sign a contract. I am a married 38 year old (no children) and held my first job for 7 years and 2nd job for 12 years before leaving to go back to school so I am not a job hopper but I don't like the idea of signing my life away. I don't know if it is worth my sense of freedom. It seems like a great opportunity that I would be crazy to turn down BUT I am just not 100% sure.

The tele job is my first choice out of floor jobs (I was also offered a job on neuro and another job at a long term care facility) but I never saw myself as a floor nurse, although I could do it and would be great for experience & it would just be a stepping stone. I liked the director & she really liked me. She is big on growth and learning & doesn't expect you to stay on that floor. She says I could transfer to another department after a year.

Schedule and having a work life balance are important to me at my age. The OR fellowship is 4 ten hour shifts & I would work one weekend every 6 weekends. I would also be on-call two days every 6 weeks. They do self scheduling. I really don't like the idea of being on-call but I realize it is part of the job. The tele job is day shift 7a-7pm 3 days per week, 36 hours. I would work every other weekend (not a problem) but maybe not because some prefer to the weekend shifts for the diff. Basically OR =less weekends and being on-call. Tele = more weekends and no on-call.

I feel with tele I would move into other roles easier than OR vs OR and deciding to move to another dept because it is so specific.

Another problem is that a prior clinical instructor had her students at the hospital I would be at. She told me about this program because I was talking to her about OR. She got me the interview because she just ranted an raved about me to the charge nurse. The fellowship was full but they brought me in and offered me this position. It is kind of last minute. I feel they are doing me a favor and I know my instructor pulled strings. She just has been very impressed with this hospital. So I feel the pressure to do prove to everyone why they did this for me. However, I don't really like favors being done. So if I turn it down I will feel embarassed and that I wasted everyone's time. I honestly didnt' think it would pan out.

I think I would be a good fit for OR but I only shadowed a nurse twice in school so I can't really be sure. BUT I would be in contract for 3 years. That is a long time to not be in the right spot. Another problem (sounds dumb) is that I remember being in the OR and not being sure I could work there because it is soooooo FREEZING and I hate being cold and am always cold.

Plus, being on-call makes me REALLY nervous. So while tele may not be the dream job I would feel free and know I can grow. I graduate Summa Cum Laude so I feel I can succeed and am will move on to great things.

Any advice?

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Considering jobs don't sound terribly difficult to come by in your area and there is no strong interest in OR, I would avoid signing a three year contract. Tele would be more versatile if you're looking to change direction at a later time, and you'd have the freedom to do so.

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If it were me I'd take that OR job in a heartbeat. One weekend out of 6, self-scheduling, a recommendation that gets you in the door when they said they were full and they took you? That bespeaks a management that values their staff and trusts them. That is rare and beautiful.

If you wanted to go somewhere else, you'd have your pick of other jobs.

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Thank you, that is what I am thinking...that tele is more versatile. I was thinking I had a STRONG interest in OR but I am not sure it is strong enough. I just don't have enough exposure to it to know well enough to be stuck for 3 years. Yes, I live a large medical city so there isn't a lack of jobs. Thank you!

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Specializes in ICU.

Sounds like you already made up your mind. I can remember several jobs that wanted 3 year contract, he"ll naw to naw naw naw. Most of these places have a penalty for breaking that contract up to 20k. I would never want the idea of being stuck with people I can't stand for 3 years. Unlike your other jobs nursing is different work environment.

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Yeah, it is just the 3 year contract that REALLY makes me nervous considering I have only shadowed in OR a couple of times...it was excited tho. Just really cold. I would also get to self-schedule for the tele job but would work more weekends (Every other one I think...BUT I do like having weekdays off too). The reason for 1 out of 6 weekends is because it is a huge trauma center with LOTS of employees. I just don't know about on-call. Makes me nervous. The recommendation was from a prior nursing instructor. She isn't an employee of the hospital but the school...so she has a group of students at that hospital and sends some down to the OR. I agree how awesome it is tho & I am so honored they made a spot for me.

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That's too bad... it's sounds like the OR fellowship would be a great place to work... just not as your first job out of nursing school. Unless you have a strong interest in the OR, go with Tele and don't get stuck thinking what if. Best of luck.

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Specializes in ICU.

Before you totally write off the OR. Why not go talk with some of the staff there now. Find out who did three years and what were the causes of them leaving before the three year mark.

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You get six months before you have to sign the contract, right? Might be worth giving the OR a shot.

Either way, congrats on all the offers!

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I don't think I get 6 months to sign the contract, I think it is from day 1. The training is 6 months long...which is why they have a contract. They invest that much in you they want to make sure you don't just leave. Many hospitals around here have 2 year contract for new nurse Residency programs but the tele job is at a hospital that doesn't have a contract.

To cleback: I am interested in the OR. I got excited about it & never liked the floor jobs. OR fits my personality but I lack confidence for sure. I just don't like the contract, being on-call (but it goes with the job), and it being FREEZING in there. I just am not sure it is worth it & then to be stuck for 3 years if I am miserable is scary. But it is possible I will love it. The problem in school is that you really only shadow a couple of times in OR & nursing school teaches nothing about it really. Seems risky. The tele job would just be a stepping stone. I could see myself moving from there to critical care of getting in to leadership...if I didn't decide to go try out OR at that time.

To Bottomed Out: They had a panel that met me Friday and an RN that was in the fellowship was in there. I don't know if she was done with the 3 years. But I thought of more questions over the weekend so they are supposed to call me tomorrow. One of my questions is for those that didn't succeed in the program, what were the reasons?

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Just be aware that OR is a very in-demand specialty, you'll be much more marketable/desirable for hire after training d/t the specialized experience, it receives higher pay almost always. And if you decide to travel nurse ever, OR is by far one of the best choices.

Plus all the perks- dayshift, no annoying family members, clean environment, etc. I'd take the OR position. Even with the contract. If something came up.....well I guess that depends on how much the penalty fee is.

OR's generally have low turnover compared to tele floors. That speaks for the job satisfaction itself.

And for the record, almost every single new grad has to sign a contract if they hire into acute care. Surprised you found one that doesn't require it.

Although my situation was rather peculiar...as HR told me as a new grad I had to sign a 2 year contract to stay, I never did, and only stayed a year and payed no penalties. So I think some hospitals bluff.

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Thanks. When they call me tomorrow I will know better. I don't think they are bluffing though. A couple of the hospitals systems here do 2 year contracts. The system that I got a job at doesn't. The hospital I am going to doesn't for anything other than this program because it is so extensive. I will find out the penalty tomorrow but I doubt it is cheap. I guess if it just doesn't work out and they would let me move units and still not be breaking contract then I would go for it. Considering that no other unit at that hospital requires a contract though, I think that the contract will tie me to the OR.

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