Psych nursing in California

jujube · Mar 17, 2009

I'm an RN with 1 year of current psych nurse experience and was wondering if there were any pscyh nurses on this forum that could give some information about psych nursing in the California area. What are the best jobs, pros and cons of living in the area etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, I only have 2 years of Psych experience but maybe I can help you. Are you currently in California? Is there a specific city you are interested in? I will tell you right now from personal experience that nursing jobs are very difficult to obtain around the Bay Area/San Francisco area. Even for psych. I left nursing for nearly 2 years and decided to return to nursing last winter. I applied to over two dozen community hospitals, nursing homes, and state hospitals. Even though I already have 2 years of nursing experience, I was finding out that I was being passed over for 'insiders' without any psych experience in the hospital (i.e. nurses who were already employed in that hospital in different nursing area but wanting to switch over to psych floor). But my story is not unique..as many others will tell you, it has not been easy for many folks in California, especially the new grads. It has been tough for everyone.

If you go through many of the threads in the "California" forum, you will see that the common theme is: "I can't find a job in California." Why? Everyone wants to come to California due to great weather, favorable staff-patient ratio, and perceived quality of living (This last statement is subjective of course and you will find some folks who will tell you how much they loathe the traffic congestion, high cost of living, smog, etc).

I don't have a 'specific' hospital in mind when you mention you are interested in psych nursing but in addition to community hospitals, there are the California state hospitals (i.e. Napa, Atascadero, Metropolitan, Coalinga, Patton) and VA hospitals. I apologize for not being more specific as I don't have a clear idea about your desired location in California. I would venture to say that it may be easier to find a job in Central California(less populated) than in cities like San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, etc, etc.

It will take much perseverance and patience, given this economic climate. I wish you the best. If you love pysch nursing, stick with it and don't give up. If you love what you do, it is not merely a 'job.'