Hi all. I am a new grad on Med Surg Tele in a small town doing the StaRN program at an HCA hospital. I have a 10,000 contract for 2 years. 8000 for the cost of the didactic training, and a 2,000 bonus (which I have no received). My experience has been terrible and I want to quit. I come to work crying, and find myself crying and getting drained at work. I had 5 weeks of didactic training and a 7 week preceptorship that did not prepare me in the least. My preceptor had less than a year of experience himself. The preceptor even told me he was burnt out and if the staff wasn't so good to him, he would have quit a long time ago. I have been off orientation for almost two weeks and I'm struggling, missing things and feeling scared my license may be on the line pretty much every shift. I have a 7:1 ratio on night shift. I do my very best, but I feel so lost. My charge nurse gets frustrated with me and I get scared coming to her with my endless questions. I have had travel nurses tell me that my floor is terrible and if I could make it there I could make it anywhere. Most of our equipment is slow or doesn't work, we don't have computers on wheels, we are constantly fighting for vitals machines. I don't want to lose my dreams and my career over a bad start, but I have no idea how to address this. I'm already trying to apply for other jobs. Please be constructive. Thank you.
So I'm in Augusta GA and I recently just signed up for a StarRN program for the OR. I have heard from others about all the horrible experiences they have had with HCA facilities. I start my program next Monday Oct 7th. I just wan the experience in the OR because this one of the specialty areas you have to fight to get into or you have to know someone to get in so this opportunity is a hard one to pass up. Only reason I am doing so is because I am a military spouse and we will be PCS back to MacDill Air force base in Tampa June 2020 so I will have completed training and will only work two months technically under the contract. The facility is aware that I am military and also was made aware that I would be leaving in June 2020 but the recruiter and the HR director for Doctor's hospital in Augusta GA pointed out to me that their was a military clause in the contract that would release me from the contract free and clear if we got orders to return back to MacDill and we will have those orders without a doubt. So I am going to take advantage of this program and focus on finishing it. This would be great on my resume for sure. Oh one last thing they also told me about the many HCA hospitals that were scattered all across Florida so if I wanted to transfer I could do that also. I'll cross that bridge when the times comes because I really haven't heard very many good things about to many HCA hospitals. Do anyone think taking this position for the experience is wrong?
Instead of leaving completely, is it possible to go PRN or move to different units with the staRN program? Then you don't have to pay them back? I'm applying and I just want to know if it possible.
Im starting at an HCA hospital residency program next month in TX. Interested to know how things worked out for everyone
Run ??♀️ for your life! HCA’s are nothing less than work mills. I’m lucky my husband who’s military received PCS orders for us to relocate to Florida to a naval base. This gets me out of the contract free and clear I could have transferred but I want out of this dreadful scam if a contract. 15 min lunch breaks everyday working in the OR that mess for the birds. I have a friend that just quit over 6 months ago she worked in mother baby and she said the patient nurse ratio was awful I have also heard others from many different units complaining about one thing or another. Places like Texas’s where the money is they will take you to court and sue if you don’t complete the 2 year agreement. Other places like Georgia and Florida pay is good also but they don’t really go after folks once they quit I know of at least 6 that have quit and nothing has been done. I only did the program because I knew I had a way out of the contract just didn’t know my way out would come when I needed it the most.
Instead of leaving completely, is it possible to go PRN or move to different units with the staRN program? Then you don't have to pay them back? I'm applying and I just want to know if it possible.
I would really reconsider signing that scammy contract HCA hospitals are money mills and that’s their goal when they are offering all these sound to good to be true StaRN cohorts back to back. Fortunately for me I was able to use my military affiliation to get out of my contract and lord knowsThose PCS orders couldn’t have come at a better time. If you can get a job anywhere else I would definitely do it. I could have easily transferred to a HCA Hospital in Tampa Fl where I’m headed but I choose to cut all ties with this company it not what it seems to be.They will work you to death with little to no lunch breaks daily and upper management is aware but play like they aren’t aware. If you want my personal experience I’d say run for your life and protect your nursing license they way they work you is unsafe. Working unsafe puts your license at risk.
They called me for the offer. I accepted it but haven't signed any paperwork yet. I wonder if I can still get out?
If you haven’t signed the paperwork you are good but once you sign the contract and send it back to the recruiter you are agreeing to the terms of the contract. And really the only way out of the contract is the military clause not leaving you much wiggle room. I only took the deal because I knew I had an out which the recruiter was aware my husband had pending orders. They encouraged me to still move forward I learned the hard way but I was able to walk away free and clear and not have to wonder will or if they will come after me for breaking the contract. If you decide to move forward with the contract just keep a personal diary of all the mishaps from StarRN program and it’s entirety should you find yourself in court getting sued for braking the contract. I kept a diary ? also because I didn’t trust them from day one after my big interview with the director over OR surgical services something just wasn’t right but the recruiter still persuaded me to move forward. I’m glad I kept the diary because now looking back and reading what I wrote you can’t make this stuff up I say this and I won’t change or steer from it HCA’s are horrible places to work for unless you are being hired into a leadership role. It’s takes time to get to those roles so I’ll pass.
Are you going into a specialty area or are you going to med/surg patient nurse ratio in HCA’s is very high unless you are working in specialty areas like the OR, PACU, or Pre holding. But the problems for the specialty areas are HCA’s are always very under staffed and filled with travelers. The hospital I was at 80 percent of the OR staff was travelers. They only had four original workers that was there leadership team. They will lace you with travelers during your preceptorship which is not good travelers are great nurses but they bounce from facility to facility and they are constantly enduring change that’s not a good match or what I call good preceptorship. My place I work for now is advent health in the OR and I love love the culture and environment our leadership team is awesome. Good luck with whatever decision you make.
I wouldn't sign it. I was with HCA for a year and a half and it was terrible. I left early as a StaRN and they are asking me for repayment.. even though they let me go PRN during the contract, which it should have been voided at that point. It is a terrible place to work, and I have heard that most HCA's are like that. They pray upon new nurses and get them to sign-- that is how they get staff! I know it sometimes seems like you can't get hired another way as a new nurse but you can.. it just take patience.
I wouldn't sign it. I was with HCA for a year and a half and it was terrible. I left early as a StaRN and they are asking me for repayment.. even though they let me go PRN during the contract, which it should have been voided at that point. It is a terrible place to work, and I have heard that most HCA's are like that. They pray upon new nurses and get them to sign-- that is how they get staff! I know it sometimes seems like you can't get hired another way as a new nurse but you can.. it just take patience.
This is all true I left after 7 1/2 months the facility I was at was horrible and they do prey upon new nurses who are freshly out of school and are pretty eager to get a job. I’m sorry they are trying to pursue you for repayment. I have heard depending on what areas, city, or state you live in. I worked at one in Georgia and they tried hard to get me to transfer to a facility in Florida were I’m originally from I ended up using our military PCS orders back to Florida it couldn’t have come at a better time. I would get anxiety when I had to go to work and that wasn’t good for my health so I gave it up. Over half the facility is travelers and even they are constantly quitting.
I'm in my first of immersion at a hospital that has a 50/50 partnership with HCA. So far it has been everything I wanted. Classroom experience and educator support & floor shadowing/orienting with a preceptor. I have 13 weeks total of orienting on the floor and as of right now I think I'll be ready to work alone at the end. I'm on a Medsurge floor transitioning to PCU, we are 4:1 most days, sometimes 3:1. It may be an anomaly but so far my floor seems well staffed and healthy!
I wouldn't sign it. I was with HCA for a year and a half and it was terrible. I left early as a StaRN and they are asking me for repayment.. even though they let me go PRN during the contract, which it should have been voided at that point. It is a terrible place to work, and I have heard that most HCA's are like that. They pray upon new nurses and get them to sign-- that is how they get staff! I know it sometimes seems like you can't get hired another way as a new nurse but you can.. it just take patience.
Did you ever pay? I’m in the same situation. Considering not paying the 5,000 I owe for leaving 2 year contract. I’m wondering if they will report to credit agencies...
ORNurse_74, BSN
8 Posts
So I'm in Augusta GA and I recently just signed up for a StarRN program for the OR. I have heard from others about all the horrible experiences they have had with HCA facilities. I start my program next Monday Oct 7th. I just wan the experience in the OR because this one of the specialty areas you have to fight to get into or you have to know someone to get in so this opportunity is a hard one to pass up. Only reason I am doing so is because I am a military spouse and we will be PCS back to MacDill Air force base in Tampa June 2020 so I will have completed training and will only work two months technically under the contract. The facility is aware that I am military and also was made aware that I would be leaving in June 2020 but the recruiter and the HR director for Doctor's hospital in Augusta GA pointed out to me that their was a military clause in the contract that would release me from the contract free and clear if we got orders to return back to MacDill and we will have those orders without a doubt. So I am going to take advantage of this program and focus on finishing it. This would be great on my resume for sure. Oh one last thing they also told me about the many HCA hospitals that were scattered all across Florida so if I wanted to transfer I could do that also. I'll cross that bridge when the times comes because I really haven't heard very many good things about to many HCA hospitals. Do anyone think taking this position for the experience is wrong?