resignation before contract ends

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Hi everyone. I would just like to ask if anyone of you here have worked as a nurse in Saudi? I am currently working as a nurse here for 3 months only and i would really like to resign. My contract though is for 2 years. The reason why is because of depression. My co-nurses here don't talk to me and they isolate me all the time. What are my options on how to leave this place? I already talked to the clinic director and he said that he can't allow me to leave because of shortage of nurses here in the clinic. Please help. :(

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What does the contract say about penalties for leaving early (violating the terms of the contract)?

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The contract we previously signed in our country was actually for a different clinic in Riyadh but we are deployed here in the southern region. It says in the contract that we will pay the penalties should the employee terminate the contract. I already told the clinic director that i will pay whatever penalty they will impose on me. However when i asked him if i could leave, he said "i dont think so since there is a shortage in nurses in the clinic". I dont know what else to do.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

I would hope that you are not being held against your will. But I know nothing about Saudi Arabia so I guess I cannot be certain.

Are you unable to simply pack your bags and leave? Are you able to hire an attorney to help you through the process?

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It would have been much easier if i could just pack my bag and get out of this country however, as far as i know (since it's my first time here), we still need to get like an exit clearance so that we can have an exit visa to show at the airport. :(

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Sounds like you should consult an employment or immigration lawyer if possible.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

They gave you a way out when they said "the employee would be required to pay the penalties if the contract is broken". What those penalties are would determine if I'd leave, if I were you.

Being short of nurses, in my opinion, is just the fluff and a non-factor in the round-about response instead of the STRAIGHT ANSWER. Make your decision based upon what is WRITTEN in the contract, versus what is STATED in the mouth.

Side note: You may want to think twice about signing another contract, (long or short), if you're the type to care about being accepted or what others think. Two weeks is a long time to feel isolated and alone, let alone months, and Heaven forbid, years.

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They gave you a way out when they said "the employee would be required to pay the penalties if the contract is broken". What those penalties are would determine if I'd leave, if I were you.

Being short of nurses, in my opinion, is just the fluff and a non-factor in the round-about response instead of the STRAIGHT ANSWER. Make your decision based upon what is WRITTEN in the contract, versus what is STATED in the mouth.

Side note: You may want to think twice about signing another contract, (long or short), if you're the type to care about being accepted or what others think. Two weeks is a long time to feel isolated and alone, let alone months, and Heaven forbid, years.

I do feel like an outcast here and i'm already very tired mentally and emotionally. I kind of was thinking to slit my wrist so they could hear me out and let me go. I'm really depressed. But the clinic director doesn't understand me at all. I know that i signed a contract but in my situation right now, i don't think i could last even 6 months.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
I do feel like an outcast here and i'm already very tired mentally and emotionally. I kind of was thinking to slit my wrist so they could hear me out and let me go. I'm really depressed. But the clinic director doesn't understand me at all. I know that i signed a contract but in my situation right now, i don't think i could last even 6 months.

Self-harm is definitely not an option. If you are thinking along those lines, you need to seek professional help immediately instead of attempting to reason with a manager. Reach out to a medical professional, (one whom you'd consult if you became physically ill), and ask for information on who to contact for mental health guidance. Go from there..

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Are you in the military? In your initial post, you used the term "deployed". If so, and probably if not as well, there are protocols that must be followed on both ends. If you are not feeling mentally well, there should be so sort of chain of command to follow if your immediate service line isn't 'receptive' to your needs, right? Now would be a great time to pull those protocols to get the help that you need.

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I am working in a polyclinic here in Saudi. This clinic started operating last Dec 2016. Apparently, they don't have an HR who i can reach out to. :( I am really stuck and have nowhere else to go to.

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Saudi is a very challenging place to work and the social cliques make it a lot harder. when are you eligible for your first holiday? I would book it asap, leave and not come back, it actually happens fairly regularity. If it isn't due for awhile consider stacking your shifts and apply to take a short break in Dubai, they will have to return your passport for you to travel, go and don't come back.

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