New grands & RNs looking for new work

[Blouis]

WIth the economy the way it is, are hospitals still offering relocation assistance, student loan repayments and sign on bonuses? I have started looking for another job in SC after working 4 years as an RN in Med/Surg and float. I have not been offered any of these things. When I graduated from school, we had recruiters knocking down our door offering perks to sign on to their hospital. Is that still the case or has the budget crisis eliminated that as well?

[50caliber]

There is even a hospital down here that has you sign a contract stating that you (GN) will stay with them for 2 years or pay them back the cost to train you!!!

Ahhhh, how life has changed since you graduated!

From what I heard and seen, most hospitals that have "established" new grad positions will require you to sign a contract stating you will stay with them for 2 years. If you chose to leave before hand, you will have to pay them back. I guess its really expensive to train new grads and they don't want you bailing after 1 year after getting your experience along with wasting their time.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

I'm interviewing at a facility tomorrow that's offering a sign-on bonus. I've heard bad things about the facility, so I'll have to see if It's something I want to consider.

I would be very wary in these times of any facility that is offering a sign-on bonus. Are the working conditions at this hospital so terrible that they can't even get nurses who are desperate for employment to stay working there? Once you accept that sign-on bonus, you won't be able to leave without having to pay it back.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I have not heard of any facilites offering sign on bonuses in my area in a while. However, the one hospital I work for is still offering financial assistance relocating for experienced nurses. I'm unsure of the amount but I believe that if you take it you have to commit to 2 years.

[Music in My Heart]

3-5 years ago CA was begging for nurses. You could literally walk up to the hospital apply and go home that day with a job and a check from sign on bonus.

Which is precisely why you can't turn around in a crowded room without bumping into several pre-nursing/nursing students and new/stale grads... everybody and their brother/mother/sister/father decided to go into nursing... right at the same time that hundreds of thousands of people (just in California) lost their jobs and their medical insurance. Demand for nurses is down just as supply is spiking.

Be interesting to watch how this all plays out over the next decade... It won't be to the benefit of the rank-and-file nurses, I'm certain.