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Staff nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse

The differences between staff 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 a staff nurse and a psychiatric registered nurse. Additionally, a psychiatric registered nurse has an average salary of $73,053, which is higher than the $68,342 average annual salary of a staff nurse.

The top three skills for a staff nurse include patients, BLS and CPR. The most important skills for a psychiatric registered nurse are patients, home health, and patient safety.

Staff nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse overview

Staff NursePsychiatric Registered Nurse
Yearly salary$68,342$73,053
Hourly rate$32.86$35.12
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs699,636640,480
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Associate Degree, 43%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a staff nurse do?

Staff nurses are registered nurses who are usually assigned to work in a care home, a company, or in a clinical setting. They advise the physical assessments of patients, employees, and residents. They also handle the checking of vital signs, providing basic medical procedures, giving first aid, and, if possible, providing over the counter medication. Staff nurses provide medical attention to the people in their place of assignment. They help pave the path to their patients' full recovery. Staff nurses are expected to be patient and have good interpersonal skills.

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.

Staff nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse salary

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

Staff NursePsychiatric Registered Nurse
Average salary$68,342$73,053
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $109,000Between $45,000 And $117,000
Highest paying CityBurlingame, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companyWashington Hospital Healthcare SystemScripps Health
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between staff nurse and psychiatric registered nurse education

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

Staff NursePsychiatric Registered Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Associate Degree, 43%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Staff nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse demographics

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

Staff NursePsychiatric Registered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 12.3% Female, 87.7%Male, 16.7% Female, 83.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% 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 Percentage9%9%

Differences between staff nurse and psychiatric registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Staff nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage and further help stabilize elective and urgent care surgical patients in their post-operative/post PACU admission to the floor.
  • Accomplish extensive critical care course with EKG interpretation and yearly critical care medication exam.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Participate in discharge planning including teaching family members and patients wind care and medication administration process after discharge.
  • Provide direct nursing care to patients in a variety of settings with an emphasis in critical care and PACU settings.
  • Prepare patients for surgery and endoscopy procedures including initiating intravenous lines, physical assessments and administering medications.
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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.
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Staff nurse vs psychiatric registered nurse skills

Common staff nurse skills
  • Patients, 28%
  • BLS, 9%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Acute Care, 4%
  • Direct Patient Care, 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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