Signing new grad contract?

[kurlykay]

I originally posted this in the graduate nursing forum, but I would like to hear some opinions from my own state of California. Maybe this is standard in southern cali:

I recently passed my NCLEX RN (Last Friday!) and was hired on a telemetry floor. Yesterday, I got a packet in the mail and the hospital wants me to sign a new grad contract that I will pay back my new grad orientation fees ($11,000 for 12 weeks) if I quit or I'm fired within 18 months. Is this something that most new grads have to do? I'm a little worried about being locked into a job if something doesn't work out. What have you all experienced with contracts and getting your first RN job?

[begalli]

Nope, no new grad contract here when I started in No Cal about 4 years ago.

I wonder why only 18 months? That's about the time a new grad really starts thinking and putting things together fully.

To me it says that it might not be a place that I want to work.

[wjf00]

I would RUN from that place.