$8000.00 Penalty for Quiting Critical Care Nurse Residency Program Before 3 Years

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Specializes in Neurosciences.

Fellow Humans:

I have an offer to enter into a Critical Care Nurse Residency Program that will give me seven months of training for critical care. However, I will need to sign a contract to stay at this particular place of employment for three years. And if I decide to leave before the three years I will have to pay a penalty of $8,000.00 for early termination of contract.

So, I would like to know other nurses opinions about this before I make the decision because I do not see it as being a very good deal.

Remember that the $8,000.00 is NOT for a signing bonus!

Happy Holidays,:D

Kevin

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Specializes in ER.

I would think that penalty would be pro-rated. I've known nurses to quit a job and have to pay back a portion of the sign up bonus but not the total, unless of course you quit pretty much right away.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

That sounds like a big commitment.

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Specializes in Neurosciences.

Yes it is and the hospital is in a small town of 13,000 people. And I am afraid that I may not like living in a town that size.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Small hospitals can be somewhat smothering, with hard to change cultures and limited escape routes. I ended up feeling quite trapped in one. How big is this ICU?

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I sure wouldn't sign for the privilege of working for them. They need me, they can train me and then treat me right. Then I'll stay. No way would I sign myself into indentured servitude.

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Specializes in Neurosciences.
I sure wouldn't sign for the privilege of working for them. They need me, they can train me and then treat me right. Then I'll stay. No way would I sign myself into indentured servitude.

Yes, I have been thinking this way too. After all, I am a newly graduated professional nurse. NOT, an indentured servant.:crying2:

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

I am kind of curious that knowing this up front if you had planned on moving on before the 3 years were up? The rules are pretty are pretty self explanatory. If you think you might want to leave before 3 years, stay away. They are training you and this is your commitment requirement. I don't consider this as being an indentured slave, so to speak, but you know right away what is expected of you. But, on the other hand, you need to know what is expected from your employer if they should fail to come through. This is not any different than getting a signing bonus up front then quitting after 6 months, you owe the employer something in return when you leave. It sounds like you wouldn't stay the 3 years anyway, not fair to the employer who is training you.

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Specializes in Neurosciences.
Small hospitals can be somewhat smothering, with hard to change cultures and limited escape routes. I ended up feeling quite trapped in one. How big is this ICU?

It is 18 beds.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

It sounds like a decent sized unit then. You would get good experience. This is more like an apprenticeship rather than indentured servitude.

You have to look at your options. How tight is the job market where you are? From the hospital's point of view, they've probably been burned before and wasted money training people who didn't stay.

If ICU is your dream job and you have no other way to get the training, and you are mobile enough to relocate, then go for it. You'd come away from it as an experienced ICU nurse and be in high demand.

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Specializes in Neurosciences.
It sounds like a decent sized unit then. You would get good experience. This is more like an apprenticeship rather than indentured servitude.

You have to look at your options. How tight is the job market where you are? From the hospital's point of view, they've probably been burned before and wasted money training people who didn't stay.

If ICU is your dream job and you have no other way to get the training, and you are mobile enough to relocate, then go for it. You'd come away from it as an experienced ICU nurse and be in high demand.

I think that if I was to work for one year I could find an ICU job with excellent training with no problem in at least one part of the state. I mean they are offering sign on bonuses for experienced RNs in some parts of the state.

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, Education.

Try to negotiate for no more than 18 months. JMHO.....:smokin:

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