|
Continued from Page 2
But two years ago, fewer than 20 percent of students
expressed interest in hospital loan repayment offers.
"The hesitation is in having to make that commitment
to work," she said, especially when they have so
much to choose from.
Hackett said she encourages students to research at
least three hospitals they would like to work for, including
the facilities' attitudes about nursing and patient
care and how nurses feel about working there, as well
as salary and benefits packages. She advises them to
consider what best fits their needs and how they can
make a contribution.
"I do like to let them know they have some negotiation
power," Hackett said.
Elizabeth Johnson, a junior in the nursing program
at Indiana University Southeast, was already working
at Clark Memorial Hospital in nearby Jeffersonville,
Ind., when she found out the hospital had a scholarship
program that would pay for three years of tuition and
books in exchange for three years of work as a nurse
after graduation.
"I knew that I wanted to keep working there even
after I got my degree because it's a really great place
to work," said Johnson, who was a sophomore when
she applied for the scholarship. Even so, she felt a
little nervous signing a contract that committed her
to three more years of nursing school, then another
three years of work.
"I thought, I've just signed away the next six
years of my life," she said, "but I was able
to do it with great peace because I know I have someplace
to go where I know I will be happy."
Administrators of loan repayment or scholarship programs-whether
for governments, foundations or private hospitals-say
applicants should want to work in the places they will
do their payback.
"Applicants to this program should want to practice
in a critical nursing shortage area for other reasons
than the possibility of loan repayment," said Susan
Taylor, special programs coordinator, grants and scholarships
division, for the Oregon Student Assistance Commission,
which administers the state's nursing loan repayment
program.
Joyce of St. John's said salaries, the hospital's reputation
and its fellowship programs are the biggest attractions
for new graduates. "It's not the loan forgiveness
program that brings people in the door."
At the same time, he said, the hospital screens nursing
candidates carefully to make sure they fit in with the
organization and its mission. "You can tell when
you interview people who are in nursing for the purpose
of caring for others. If people are in nursing for the
money, we would not be considering them."
Students and new graduates also must take into consideration
their families' needs before signing a loan repayment
or scholarship contract. Johnson said a friend of hers
decided not to consider scholarship loan programs similar
to hers because she was not certain where her fiancé
would be working after graduation.
Hackett said she has heard from a few students who
signed agreements to work in exchange for tuition reimbursement,
then found themselves overwhelmed by their first year
of hospital nursing. But no one she knows of has defaulted
on a work obligation.
Johnson said several people in her class have signed
tuition agreements at hospitals where they have not
worked before.
"I kind of worry about people who are in programs
at the hospitals they've never worked at," she
said. "It's wonderful not to have to pay for school,
but I don't think I would do it without knowing what
I was getting into. You really need to be someplace
where you can be happy."
Although applicants are screened carefully, defaults
do happen, said Gray of the Health Professions Education
Foundation. Sometimes nurses who are in the middle of
a work payback have to move or to decide to work in
a different field, such as school nursing. Nurses who
default must repay whatever remaining obligation they
have with 10 percent interest, he said.
Hospitals programs also require repayment if a nurse
defaults on a work obligation, and most require some
sort of penalty or interest as well. Some hospitals
add extra penalty fees if a nurse leaves early to work
for another hospital within 100 miles.
|
Reply
to Article