Does Psy nursing pay more

In my experience, it pays less.

At the large general hospital where I work it pays the same as other specialities but at the psych-only facility I get paid more.

At the large university healthcare system where I work we make about five dollars an hour less. However, we always get our breaks and its not usually as hectic as most of the med/surg hospitals where I have worked.

I've worked in a psych unit in a general hospital. There all nurses got paid the same, based on their years of seniority. When I worked in the free-standing psych hospital, we made about $7 less per hour than at the general hospital.

depends on where u work, psych can be a bit like ltc, generally nurses aren't beating the doors down to get a job n either one. psych basically offers more job security, but that's not too big of a deal for nurses.

Hello!
I work in Acute Mental Health at a VA (soon to be the known as The Captain Mark E. Lovell Federal Health Care Facility). When I transferred from Med Surg, it was a lateral move. (so no more money) It IS a very different kind of nursing though... Can be physically challenging (psych crisis for escalating/psychotic patient) but is quite mentally challenging (no pun intended) as it is so very different. When things are quiet, it is not exactly dificult!! Working 2nd/3rd shift obviously pays a differential. We also get weekend pay which is a nice perk!!

Kathleen

The demand-supply situation is different everywhere. Where i work, we are finding it hard to attract, hire and retain nurses who want to go into psych. The employers had to raise wages by a lot! We are still short nurses.

I think i get paid a little bit more than an acute care nurse in a hospital setting.

I make about 16,000 more a year in a Psych hospital as a new nurse graduated in 2008 then my friends in Med-Surg do.. Love my job!!

That's great!
How do you know what the other's make though? The Va sends out a pay structure yearly. It lists the level nurse, then the step. We also get yearly cost of living which never hurts!!
Take it when you can get it!!
Happy Labor Day!!