Bellevue Hospital Psychiatric Unit

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Hi all. I was just wondering if there are any nurses here who work at Bellevue Psych unit. I just got a call for an interview for a psych RN position next week. I work as an OR nurse at a surgery center and the pay is really low. I am hesitant because I don't know if Psych is the right department for me. I have only been a nurse for 3 mos and just started the OR exp few months ago. I really like it, it's just that the pay is very low. thanks all for the insights.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

about 70k starting it's a govt job so the salary is posted on their website

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Thanks for the response. How is it working as a psych nurse in a govt hospital such as bellevue?

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I dont work in Bellevue but I work at another major NYC psych center. Psych is NOT for everyone, you need thick skin as well as the ability to think quickly and independently. There is no true way to tell if you can handle it until you throw yourself out there.

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I am curious about this as well. I just got an offer on a psych unit at Elmhurst, which pays less than my job now which is outpatient. Any advice? Do you take the job that offers more experience and less pay for more work or keep the job that pays more?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

psych is really not for everyone. it's 8 hour shift mostly. and I don't really consider it medsurg. so I'm not sure what kind of experience it offers except psych experience.

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Specializes in Utilization management, psychiatric-mental health.

I work in a state operated psych facility in NYC. It's not hard when it comes to the clinical component since majority of the medication administered is oral and IM (and creams and other things but it's not complicated). Also you have to do your assessment,, blood draws, (depending on the patient and how often the doc orders it). You are also in charge of the unit and have to manage the staff and delegate responsibilities and change of shift report. Once you get a handle on what is expected, it does become manageable. BUT you definitely have to be prepare to manage unpredictable behavior from patients. So you have your good and bad. I mean, any nursing subspecialty has its pros and cons.You have to embrace it tho. Psych is deinitely not for everyone but it's rewarding when you are able to help the patients rehabilitate and manage their mental issues so they can be discharged.

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what questions did they asked you

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