Can a hospital make you repay the cost of training you if you quit?

Does anyone have any experience with a hospital making you pay them money if you quit before working 1-2 years for them? How do they get the money from you? They want $2500 to $4000 depending on how long you worked there....
thanks!
If they paid for your nursing program, yes, this is common. But not common for them to ask for you to pay back the cost of your orientation (training) for the job they hired you for. Losing money on new hires who quit is part of the cost of doing business.

If you had an agreement/contract, yes.

My guess is that you signed a contract and that it says just that.

If you sign a contract of course they can make you since you gave consent for it! I think it's outrageous. For ex, USC University Hospital....$20,000 if you leave before you have been there for 2 years! Quite a lot of money for a decent amount of time.

Why would you sign a contract if there was any doubt in your mind about the job?

I would because I'm a new grad and I can't find a job to save my life!

My hospital has a contract like that for one particularly lengthy (and expensive) specialty internship. People were taking advantage of the training and then leaving. So, they made the contract. Anyone taking the internship must stay for 2 years or repay some of the cost. So, I know that in my state at least, it can be done.(The contract is not required for my hospital's other orientation and internship programs because they are less lengthy and expensive to run.)

They did not pay to put me through a nursing program, I was already employed at the hospital for 2 years then decided to transfer to a different dept within the hospital and they make you re-sign the same contract you signed when hired as an outsider or new grad.

I would question that attempt. I effect it is an attempt to make you an indentured servant. Make them show you in policy where it says that a transfer requires a 2 year agreement to accept an internal position. They won't be able to show you because it is probably against their ow procedures. Your orientation etc has already been paid for with your prior service.

Moved to General Nursing Discussion for visibility.

Quote from SFnewRNIf you sign a contract of course they can make you since you gave consent for it! I think it's outrageous. For ex, USC University Hospital....$20,000 if you leave before you have been there for 2 years! Quite a lot of money for a decent amount of time.

Once you've signed a contract, you're committed. Unless of course you want to get an atty to argue that you signed it under duress, but that's likely to cost as much money as just paying the place what you owethem.