Operating room nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse

The differences between operating room nurses and psychiatric registered nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an operating room nurse and a psychiatric registered nurse. Additionally, a psychiatric registered nurse has an average salary of $73,053, which is higher than the $68,255 average annual salary of an operating room nurse.

The top three skills for an operating room nurse include patients, BLS and acls. The most important skills for a psychiatric registered nurse are patients, home health, and patient safety.

Operating room nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse overview

	Operating Room Nurse	Psychiatric Registered Nurse
Yearly salary	$68,255	$73,053
Hourly rate	$32.81	$35.12
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	545,487	640,480
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Associate Degree, 43%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does an operating room nurse do?

An Operating Room Nurse assists surgeons during operations and keeps the operating room sterile at all times. They ensure that patients are ready for transport to the recovery room.

What does a psychiatric registered nurse do?

A registered psychiatric nurse works alongside mental health experts to develop and administer psychiatric treatment plans according to the patients' needs. Among their responsibilities include gathering and organizing patient information, studying the patients' medical histories, conducting interviews and assessments, providing counseling, administering medicine, and restraining unsettled patients. There are also instances when they must conduct inspections to remove potentially harmful objects and provide psychoeducation to the patients' families. Above all, a registered psychiatric nurse must closely monitor the behavior of patients, record their daily progress, and report to the psychiatrists regularly.

Operating room nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse salary

Operating room nurses and psychiatric registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Operating Room Nurse	Psychiatric Registered Nurse
Average salary	$68,255	$73,053
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $108,000	Between $45,000 And $117,000
Highest paying City	Urban Honolulu, HI	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Hawaii	New York
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Scripps Health
Best paying industry	Professional	Health Care

Differences between operating room nurse and psychiatric registered nurse education

There are a few differences between an operating room nurse and a psychiatric registered nurse in terms of educational background:

	Operating Room Nurse	Psychiatric Registered Nurse
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Associate Degree, 43%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Operating room nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse demographics

Here are the differences between operating room nurses' and psychiatric registered nurses' demographics:

	Operating Room Nurse	Psychiatric Registered Nurse
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 14.8% Female, 85.2%	Male, 16.7% Female, 83.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between operating room nurse and psychiatric registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Operating room nurse example responsibilities.

Post op surgery assist recovery nurse with obtaining vitals signs and attaching EKG leads and oxygen.
Achieve departmental goals and objectives by instituting SGNA standards and processes for inpatient and outpatient care.
Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
General surgery, ortho, GU, GI and ENT and dentals.
Complete BLS and ACLS certification.
Specialize in GYN, urology and orthopedics.

Psychiatric registered nurse example responsibilities.

Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
Collaborate with psychiatrists and therapists to coordinate detoxification protocol, medical and psychiatric care for mental health and substance abuse patients.
Perform psychiatric nursing assessments and medication management for patients in a residential detox and rehab for alcohol and substance abuse.
Certify CPR instructor and conduct CPR training sessions.
Staff RN; function in various duties of triage, staff, and charge nurse positions.
Communicate triage decisions to psychiatrists.

Operating room nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse skills

Common operating room nurse skills

Patients, 21%
BLS, 13%
Acls, 7%
Surgical Procedures, 4%
PACU, 3%
Pre-op, 3%

Common psychiatric registered nurse skills

Patients, 33%
Home Health, 7%
Patient Safety, 4%
Substance Abuse, 4%
Triage, 4%
IM, 4%

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Operating Room Nurse
Operating Room Nurse vs Psychiatric Registered Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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