3 year contract?

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I am a fairly new nurse. Currently, I am working per diem at a facility. It is great but they aren't looking to hire anyone full time in the near future. I am really needing a full time job so I have still been sending out resumes. I had an interview with a facility yesterday. Thje interview went well but I am at a loss as to what to do. I have semi been offered a job. The hitch is that they want me to sign an agreement to stay with them for 3 years before they will fully consider me for the position. But basically it sounded like they liked me but they would not hire me on the spot unless I signed the contract.

What I was told about why they have that in place ( they spend a lot of money training and they don't want me to leave for something else I want to do 6 months down the road and then they are out all of the time and money training. They are saying three years because they figure the first year is trial and error and it is a learning time. The next two years they are seeing the benefits of the training) makes sense, however I wanted to ask around to see if this was a common practise?

Should I be worried about taking a job that makes me sign a contract? They did say if I really wanted to leave before the contract was up then I would have to reimburse the facility the orientation and training monies.

The other thing is this is the first full time position that has called me in to interview so I am a little nervous about a) not getting any other interviews and b) having someone else I really liked better call me up after I have already taken this position.

On the plus side, I know I would learn a lot more than where I am doing my per diem work and that makes me want to say yes. But I am still torn.

Would I feel better about it if they didn't make me sign it? Yes, I probably wouldn't have spent so much time worrying about taking the job or not if they hadn't said anything about the contract.

What would you do?

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Um most important read the contract.

What, apart from the job itself, are the benefits to YOU for signing a three year contract? Sign on bonus or something?

If you are sending out lots of resumes, are they for advertised positions? Do you qualify for the positions (in terms of experience)? If the answers are yes, and you are not getting asked for an interview you need to look at your resume and cover letters (or whatever communications you are sending). I cannot stress this enough. As someone who goes through piles of applications there are things that disqualify applicants almost immediately -- spelling, grammar, inappropriate information about health, family situation (just a few examples).

As you are a newer nurse make an appointment at your nursing school to get help from their career advisors. I have never heard of a college/school that did not have them.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

If you sign the contract, and the working environment turns out to be too hostile for you (poor staffing, bullying, lack of managerial support, high turnover rate, etc.), please realize that you will be stuck in a little hellhole for 3 years unless you break the contract. In addition, there might be serious ramifications that arise after the contract is broken.

I enjoy my flexibility, and would not sign a 3-year contract. If you do decide to sign the dotted line, read the contract meticulously and research the facility carefully. A good way to research is to directly ask the floor nurses if they like it there. Good luck to you, and exercise the utmost caution in this deal.

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I don't really know as there are benefits to signing the contract. Just knowing that I am expected to be somewhere for 3 years is both good and bad. Good because unless I really screw up they aren't going to get rid of me and bad because I have to guarentee them I am staying 3 years or else pay them back for the training they give me. There is no sign on bonus.

I don't want to go into too much detail but I have had my resume and cover letter looked over numerous times by about 20 people. I have sent out hundreds of resumes over the past several months. The thing is I keep getting the same response back- we want at least one year experience. It has nothing to do if whether or not I could actually do the job... the only thing holding me back is that I am new. I don't bother sending out resumes if it lists requirements of experience but even the ones that do not list it really want it. And yes, the positions I apply for are advertised.

So this is the problem. I am pretty sure that if I say yes to the 3 years they will hire me. And since not too many people in my area are even looking at new nurses, maybe I should just take it the position to get the experience?

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care, OB/GYN, Peds,.

I understand their reason for wanting you to sign a contract, but I have never heard of such and I have been around a long time. The only time we have nurses commit to any years is when we pay their tuition and require them to give so many years, 2 I think for doing so. I would be reluctant to sign also, and to have to pay back the orientation fees? Is this legal? I guess only if you sign on the dotted line. I have read on this site about nurses having difficulty finding jobs which I find unbelieveable, but if relocation is an option the rural areas need nurses. I would vote to keep lookiing.:twocents:

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Specializes in Family Med, Mental Health, Public Health.

Hello,

I am a relatively new nurse as well. I am just now approaching the one year mark. I can sympathize with you on this position, as I am now looking to get into a more acute care role where I can be a bit more hands on. I too, have sent out lots of resumes, but right now it is going to be hard with the influx of new grads taking most of these positions, so I am being patient. Yet, I know you need the full time job. Personally, I would not lock myself into any 3 year contract without ANY bonuses, loan repayment, etc. It just isnt worth it in my opinion. Who knows what could happen in the 3 years that may necessitate a move or something. It just doesnt seem right because they would "own" you for 3 years and youre not getting any extra perks, except training which you can get anywhere. If you do decide to sign, please read the stipulations carefully! Good luck with your decision!

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It sounds to me like you haven't even seen this contract. Have you? If not you certainly can say that "In principal, I have no objection to a three year contract" then ask them if they are making you an offer (in the same breath). Then get a copy of the contract to review. If there is something about clawing back funds for training you must be sure to know how they are assigning a value to training etc. Also, ask some nurses where you do your per diem about this place and about the contract scenario.

You may have had some 20 people look over your resume but resume writing is an art form not just a plug and play scenario. Very few people are qualified to constructively comment on a resume unless they are in fact 1) someone who hires people for a living 2) someone who helps people get employment in that industry. About 1 in 15 resumes I get are remotely well done -- I do not imagine anyone sends in a resume that they think is not perfect.

Also, you should look to a network that you already have in place for job leads: 1) your former fellow students 2) your former CIs and lecturers 3) the nurses where you do your per diem.

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Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.

No.

Do NOT do it.

I understand the comfort of KNOWING that you will have a spot for the next THREE (long?) years - but....

Now, as I understand it there is NOTHING extra in it for you. OMG. You even note that "unless I really mess up" - my job is secure. Let me be blunt with you - You are reading things into that. Period. They could decide that they do not want you any and/or no reason and BYE-BYE and that will be that. Do NOT believe that unless you mess up your are a sure thing - that is fantasy crap. Sorry.

Now, you note that there is NOTHING extra in it and you will have to pay THEM back their COSTS for up to the THREE years if you "leave" early. Let say they decide that "You do not fit in" or "We do not like you" and they trump up letting you go for "cause" (it doesn't have to be TRUE - but, if you find yourself on the outs - you will be in an impossible situation) will they deem that YOU broke the contract.

Ask them how much it will be. Break it down to the month - etc. Know what you are really in for if you go forward. There may be point where getting rid of you and making you pay will be lucrative for the "employer". Imagine being let go (for any and/or NO reason) or deciding to walk because of "issues" that make working there risky for you/your license (safety, staffing, the list could be long!!!!) and you will be in a battle with a former employer, any references you could offer another employer will not be worth squat, even your work friends could be caught in the middle - anyway I'm sure that I'm just being negative, but, before I take a risk - I try and make sure that any benefit could be worth what it may cost me. I can see this being a loser for you in many more ways than you will ever win.

Now - maybe it will be nursing nirvana. But, those folks would not need to bait a nurse into signing a threatening THREE YEAR (36 month, 156+ week, 1095 day contract) that gives you nothing but the veiled "security" of a job.

I have seen a bunch of stuff - but, this is a first for me.

Imagine feeling stuck, no raises, no shift selection, working every holiday, insane patient assignments and NO RECOURSE - because they will know that they have you. I think it is loser for you.

Now, before I'd go that route - I'd take a real look at a military enlistment as a nurse officer. I'd even bet that there would be great things in an offer like that!!!

Practice SAFE.

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No, I haven't seen the contract but she said it was just an agreement that if they pay for orienting me and any extra training (ie- IV certification, PALS, etc) that I would have to pay them back the cost of this back if I left before 3 years.

They said they had to adopt this policy because people didn't really want to work there or people whom really wanted another job but came there to work until something else opened up at the hospital down the street left after orientation or after they had spent all of the money on them for getting training and certified. The nurses left and they lost all of the money. She said they didn't have any problems after they adopted it because then they knew they were getting people who really wanted to work there.

I understand what she is saying and I get why they might want to go that route... but the thing that put me off was the 3 years. I could understand maybe 2 at most but I was a little unsure of 3 and I wanted to ask around if anyone else had a similar circumstance.

But the raises and shift selection or whatever have nothing to do with that. The raises have to do with skill set and performance. I would have a choice of two shifts. And holidays are on a rotating schedule for everyone.

Yes, 3 people with whom I have shared my resume with have been qualified to professionally critique my resume. They only did minor tweaks. I really don't think my resume is the problem.

I don't want to be a military nurse because I don't want to go overseas.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

Is this Dartmouth-Hitchcock by any chance? If so, I wouldn't sign it if they were offering $3 million a year for that 3 years. I wouldn't sign a three year contract regardless of the hospital. If it's a positive environment people will want to stay. In my opinion there's a reason a facility requires you to make a three year commitment in writing before you even have a chance to work a day, and it's usually unsafe staffing because of poor management and lateral violence. Where's the protection for you in that three year contract? You have to make a serious commitment while they are held to no standard of commitment to you.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

Let me tell you how this plays out in real life....

Back when I worked in a cubicle farm, we were bought (again). The new "owner" stated that we would get tons of training, lots of opportunities for going to conferences and seminars. Very exciting to a nerd.

Then, the catch. Sign a contract that state that if you leave, you repay all training taken the prior 12 months. Keeps someone from learning cutting edge stuff, then leaving. Sounds reasonable, right?

I took one look at the contract and said, no way, and went to the next cube farm. A friend of mine stayed. What they did was state that you had to attend x amount of training classes, and x amount of seminars per year...which averaged out to about 10,000 dollars. You are signed up, and told to attend, no options. If you get fired for not attending or any other reason, you still have to repay the 12 month amount.

My tried to leave for 3 years....she couldn't afford to. Finally, she just quit and spent another 5 years paying her employer back (interest and penalties). Can you say "indentured servitude?"

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Specializes in MS.

i would not sign a 3 years contract. 1 year contract-yes.I signed a 1 year contract for relocation assistance and sign on bonus in a rural area which i don't really like but willing to stay to get my experience.

It is still ur choice. Goodluck.

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