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I recently moved to California and I am a psych RN with 5 years experience. What is the pay rate I should be looking for in Alameda County/San Francisco area??

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Acute care is mid 60s an hour. However, there could be a big difference between psych at an acute care hospital and a community psych facility. Good luck in your search, tough place to get a job.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I understand Aurora Hospital in Santa Rosa pays in the 30s. I think it's about $30-35 for new grads, and I can't imagine it's much more for experienced RNs. Not sure what it is further south.

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Specializes in ICU/ER, Maternal, Psych.

I don't know about psych specifically, maybe try Patton State Hospital or Arrowhead for employment but my sister in law works at a surgery center as their charge nurse and makes between $45-$50

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.
I don't know about psych specifically, maybe try Patton State Hospital or Arrowhead for employment but my sister in law works at a surgery center as their charge nurse and makes between $45-$50

I think the OP is in northern california as they are asking about Alameda county. Southern california typically has different pay rates than Alameda. :)

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

The state hospitals like Napa and Vacaville might be good choices, though a little north of Alameda/SF. Here's a link to info for that.

http://www.dsh.ca.gov/jobs/docs/Exams-Continuous/RegisteredNurse.pdf

They're generally hiring, and they have great benefits packages. I toured Napa State with my class during my psych rotation. It's a really neat place. Good place to get in if psych is your thing.

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Specializes in Psych/mental health.

Northern CA typically pays higher than southern CA for any m/s or psych RN jobs. The new grad rate m, here in LA, is livable and actually pretty nice.

Abby Lessem, RN, ADN, Psychiatric-Mental Health

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you will be very marketable, even L.A. and San Francisco are begging for all types of nurses, ADN's, BSN's, LVN'/LPN's. Go on Craigs list for a more sure way of getting your info. thru to the right person, people don't realize how much it offers. The lists of jobs for Psych nurses with experience was astounding to me, all over the state. Pay is good too! Good luck.

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L.A. and San Francisco are begging for all types of nurses, ADN's, BSN's, LVN'/LPN's.

That is the exact opposite of what I've read on this forum...that CA is super saturated and competitive.

And I thought these areas were BSN only

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Yessir! That is what I've read recently too! IT's ALL BS. I JUST NOW got an e-mail from one of the recruiters, and agency, that is paying $3400/wk for ICU in L.A. and San Francisco. If I had a way to send you her e-mail, I could give it directly to you! my e-mail is: [email protected] Let me go back into my e-mail, and see if I can just give it to you here also. hang on...

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Yessir! That is what I've read recently too! IT's ALL BS. I JUST NOW got an e-mail from one of the recruiters, and agency, that is paying $3400/wk for ICU in L.A. and San Francisco. If I had a way to send you her e-mail, I could give it directly to you! my e-mail is: [email protected] Let me go back into my e-mail, and see if I can just give it to you here also. hang on...

I would STRONGLY advise that you keep your e-mail or anything directly linked to you personally off this very public website.

Are you a nurse in CA? I can tell you that the market is VERY competitive. Yes, there are travel positions available for EXPERIENCED nurses, but those are not reliable and vary widely in a lot of ways.

The OP should be able to find something good as an experienced psych RN. I do see those positions available, particularly in the state hospitals, but I also know that private psych hospitals have difficulty retaining staff, so they're always looking as well.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.
you will be very marketable, even L.A. and San Francisco are begging for all types of nurses, ADN's, BSN's, LVN'/LPN's. Go on Craigs list for a more sure way of getting your info. thru to the right person, people don't realize how much it offers. The lists of jobs for Psych nurses with experience was astounding to me, all over the state. Pay is good too! Good luck.

This made me laugh hard.

The only people who are able to get jobs currently in California are:

RN's with 2 to 8 years experience, I think they start getting too expensive close to 10 years, no one wants the expensive expertise.

Who also have a BSN

Preferably specialty certification and various other alphabet soup

Willing to work nights/weekends

And there's about 20 of those applying for every 1 position. Lottery ticket anyone?

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