Wages

[Jules A, MSN]

I thought that psych nursing pays pretty good compared to other specialities but a friend of mine who has been one for years said he thinks psych nursing pays less. My only real comparison is my rate which is much higher than the majority of students I graduated with who started in med-surge, tele, ED etc.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Psych nursing was, in my experience, the lowest-paid nursing position I've ever held.

[Jules A, MSN]

Psych nursing was, in my experience, the lowest-paid nursing position I've ever held.

Wow, what a shame. I guess part of the reason my RN rate is higher right now is because I was a LPN first and technically not considered a new grad by my employer.

[aloevera]

It depends quite a bit on what type of psych facility it is. The behavior health unit at the hospital tends to pay more than a private psychiatric hospital from my experience. A large psychiatric hospital (not private) seems to pay better also.

Just what I have seen here in the South..........

[medsurgrnco, BSN, RN]

I'm being paid more as a psych nurse at my current position than I was in my previous jobs as a med/surg nurse.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

The behavior health unit at the hospital tends to pay more than a private psychiatric hospital from my experience.

Since I was working at a private psychiatric hospital, that's probably the reason for the low pay I received. I never looked at it in this manner.

[inthesky]

at my hospital, every new grad nurse (not including night differential) makes the same at every floor.

[PMHNP10]

I think it very much depends on where you practice...If you are on a psych floor within a hospital you will likely be paid as much as the other floor nurses; if, however, you go to a freestanding inpatient site, such as a Psy Solutions hospital, (which I'd recommend avoiding freestanding psych hospitals like the plague) you will likely make less; however, I think once you gain experience, you are more likely to make more in other specialties (SICU, onc, PICU, ER, etc.) because there are more educational and cert. opportunities (i.e., not a lot of ACLS, PALS certified, chemo certified, psych. nurses)

[aloevera]

I agree with above post....psych hospitals pay is usually less than other nursing specialties.....also the area in which you live has more to do with it than anything.....I am in the South and make much less than a friend of mine in the North.....BUT, I don't mind...I hate cold whether!!!!!