Any advice? I am a new grad nurse in FL that wants to work in psychiatry/behavioral health and I am having a really hard time finding open positions in my area. Hospitals I reach out to or apply for jobs at don’t respond back to me :(

I started in psych right out of school, then went to ICU and ER. Nowadays, employers want the reverse - medicine or general surgrey prior to psych. Part of the reason is so you can identify more readily what issues may be med/surg in origin and what are strictly psych in nature. Believe me, it makes a difference when you are out there practicing to have the med/surg in your hip pocket. When I was manager of a psych unit later on in my career, I always favored nurses who also had a sound grip in med/surg. Get a year of that first, and go to behavioral health. You'll be more atttractive to employers.

My advice to any new grad whatever their interest may be is to get some bedside experience in med-surg before moving onto their specialty. Every nurse needs a good foundation, and working in med-surg or equivalent for 1 to 3 years will give you some great experience. Then it will be much easier to move into your specialty.

Try an HCA facility. They are very open to new grads. Also try state facilities. They are always looking for help regardless of the state.

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Start in Emergency medicine to develop your skills there…trust me your opportunities are endless
Be intentional about your desire let everyone know your goal.

There is a lot of behavioral health jobs available in other states,especially in the philadelphia area were i work. Try big cities or other states if you can. Some older RN did not like these jobs R/T potential violence or safety concerns. Make sure your resume high lights your wishes and your willingness to learn and adjust. Some places will take a chance due to the job market. Good Luck and stay safe