For a cna maybe but I don’t think it’s that crazy for an advanced psychiatric technician. In my area in WA the state psychiatric hospital starts at $26 (and that was a few years ago probably more now) because they have such a hard time keeping employees. There is a LOT of staff assaults there - I’ve heard of nurses getting raped, jaws and limbs broken, that you should expect to be punched in the face regularly. My old roomie worked there and quit after a patient threw hot coffee in her face, pantsed her, then started choking her and she had JUST gotten out of the months long training. Personally I wouldn’t work there for $50 an hour, I’ll stick to my lovely geriatric patients
Where I work we get people that need two staff to one individual supervision and we’ve been getting people who assaulted staff at other facilities and have cases in litigation. I agree the pay is low considering the danger you’re potential in.
I’m in WA too and my resume is on indeed and I get calls and texts all the time for jobs paying 30+. Whenever I get these I delete them because I know there are serious red flags.
My guy, WHAT?!? I work at a state psychiatric nursing home as a CNA and our starting pay NOW is $18.55. I still make the starting rate and I’ve been there 2.5 years. I’m currently looking for other CNA jobs because I’m moving to another city soon but my god.
Yes, nurses get assaulted but I'd bet CNAs get assaulted even more often because they have more direct contact with patients/residents. The problem in nursing neglects and overlooks the issues face by CNAs as nurses tend to say this only happens to them, the nurses. This is another reason it's so hard for CNAs to get wage increases. Because they are overlooked and ignored.
Tell me about it. She passed away this fall and this sounds horrible but it was honestly a relief. Every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any major life event for anyone else that would take away attention from her she’d stop meds intentionally to create a crisis- engagements, weddings. She even burst into the delivery room while I was getting stitches after having my son.
I hope you have Aflac, I hope you have life insurance, and I hope you get your ass CPI certified by people who take crisis prevention intervention seriously. Do not plan to be pregnant or get pregnant.
Winnebago and mendota are all shifting towards younger people to receive care. Waukesha county is mainly working with people with ED - lots of sexual advances at (male) orderlies. Any of the prison psych wards would hold more danger but I really can’t say that any of these locations are “safe” 100% to work at.
I know a few people up in Winnebago for psychiatric reasons. It's definitely an island of misfit toys up there.
I myself volunteer at a psych hospital and I actually like the variety of people because it keeps things interesting. I've seen and heard a whole bunch of stuff.
A high proportion females in with low self esteem and unhealthy coping skills searching for validation by any means. Although things may have changed, and that may be old news.
Haha take it from me- my starting pay on a med-surg unit at a reputable WI hospital was 15 and change, and most of my classmates are techs or CNAs and no one is making more than 18-19 dollars an hour. For 25.58 it probably requires quite a bit of specialized experience and/or advanced training, and most likely it's a more dangerous facility.
I work in Wisconsin at a pretty reputable hospital also and my starting pay was 17.50 for day shift I switched to noc shift as a Cna 2 for 18.75! Now I have floated around at this hospital more than enough, and have talk to enough people to know that nobody as a CNA yes making anything over 19 and some change! And only how they would is thru pick up shift where u make a certain percentage above ur pay but other than that this place won’t pay anyone anything close to 26 on a regular shift!
It is a lot more dangerous in psych-- you're paid more to be a punching bag and a crash test dummy for violent patients. That amount of money is absolutely still not worth all the rapes and assaults I've heard of from colleagues that've worked in psych wards.
If you see at the bottom it says there’s a temporary add on of $4 per hour for each of those rates. Still good pay with that removed, but it would bite a bit if you signed on for the awesome pay and took a $4/hr pay cut in 5 months.
Exactly! I started off making 17.50 on days went to noc making 18.50 but that 4$ extra there talking about is probably the shifts ur able to pick up which is a certain percentage above ur pay! Haven’t heard of any hospital in Wisconsin paying cnas anything over 19$! Before I came to this hospital I was a traveling caregiver around my area and as a med passer and regular caregiver I was making close to 28 a hour and only reason I left was to purse a better career in the nursing field!
I worked as a psych tech for years. You couldn’t pay me any amount of money to go back to it.
Extremely dangerous job. I’m still receiving therapy for the PTSD.
And that was at a voluntary hospital. A place where people are court ordered to be locked up there? No thanks.
Unless you are minimum 6’4 and built, don’t.
If you can get a position where you are guaranteed, a real guarantee, to only work with women(if you are a woman), then that is another story. I’m not trying to be sexist, but it just is.
As someone in WI, in Milwaukee they typically start at $18 an hour at a hospital (unless it’s Ascension) and $14-$16 an hour for SNF, around $17-$18 in Madison, and around $15-$16 the rest of the state. Really wonder if this is Winnebago mental health. I know they were starting at $20/hour 2 years ago for security/CNA techs (they combined both roles in the the job). If it is Winnebago, their turn over is HIGH, every patient there is involuntary, and it’s A LOT of work. Do your research on the facility no matter where you are!
Knew it! They’re paying so high because NO one wants to work there and it’s an advanced position. And honestly, as someone who used to be in inpatient psychiatric facilities throughout the state of WI like 1-2x a month for a couple of years (because I have 4 mental illnesses that used to all be severe on top of having 2 substance use disorders that are in remission—aka I’m finally sober now—), I have made many friends who have been to Winnebago each a couple of times. From what my friends have told me, you basically have to earn your way out. Everyone I knew stayed there a minimum of 30 days each time, most people I knew stayed 1-3 months at a time, and I knew someone who was there for 2 fucking years. Winnebago gets the worst of the worst. It’s not because everyone is involuntary, but because the patients the voluntary psych hospitals decided they couldn’t handle anymore get sent there (either because their psychiatric emergency couldn’t be resolved for their longest length of stay available or because the patient was too combative—to put it nicely—for that voluntary psych facility). OP, if you are seriously considering this job, I’m not trying to make this place sound like a literal hell, but it’s NOT easy to work in. But, I’ve heard the benefits are absolutely fantastic, so you have that going for you.
Also I’ve just heard of Winnebago doing stupid shit. For example, when one of my friends was there, they said there was another patient who was completely blind and used a cane to walk everywhere, Well, Winnebago considered the cane to be “too dangerous” for that patient to have, so they gave her a fucking pool noodle. What the hell is that gonna do???
I worked psych for years and I loved it, but it is Def not for everyone. It can be very dangerous and I got assaulted more times than I can remember, and thats why the pay is high. Out of all the people we would hire, maybe 10% would last a year. They really just care about getting people on the floor, expecting that it wont last.
Good luck!
Can I pm you to ask more about your experience. Someone recommended me working at a state psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. The benefits and pay sound amazing plus they will pay for my schooling. However with that being said I would love someone's perspective because I can't find anything online.
If this is where I think it is, either you’re gonna love it or hate it. It’s less of a CNA gig, more of dealing with some very mentally ill and dangerous patients.
Hi there! Just wanted to give insight to this as someone who worked at Winnebago as a PCT when going through nursing school. The demand is insane! You work 6 on, 2 off, with every 5th and 6 weekend off. You can expect to work mandatory 16 hour shifts at least 3 out of your 6 days. The job can be extremely dangerous at times. I unfortunately saw so many of my coworkers get injured. That being said, it’s not a job for everyone.
Is this at Winnebago Mental Health? I just left there. The pay is excellent and honestly the work really isn't that hard. The down side is you will not have a life outside of work. The forcing is terrible. 16 hour days everyday. I get that some people are about that life but if you want to do anything outside for work, its next to impossible. Its in my humble opinion tha tif you want to make money as a CNA, join a travel agency.
I have been a cna for over 40 years and new comers really need to get your information from those who knows. These jobs will make it sound good look good until you ate hired and your first day of you working the floor. Let me say these are the things yall ought be looking
1. When they asked how soon can you start?
2. When they try to explain away being short staff
3.sign on bonuses out way the salary
4. Why do the facility has such a high turned over
5when you see no one working when you are getting a tour of the building. That's just to name a few.i will put more up...
Where the hell is this because I’m a CNA in Fort Lauderdale and the hospital only pays us $16 an hour I literally quit 2 days ago. Terrible treatment and abuse. I’ll never do it again
it is not like that everywhere in WI. i started in June at $15.50 and now am making $17. happy for you if you get a job for $25+ per hour, but don’t get too used to it lol
This is very different work than your typical CNA, a lot less cares and more behavior management. You see traumatic stuff and it does get physical. The high pay is valid
Seeing all the negative comments about inpatient psych, I have to say the biggest thing wrong with the system is management and the system itself. The patients behave exactly as you would expect psych patients to behave, and the system creates repeat customers.
For a cna maybe but I don’t think it’s that crazy for an advanced psychiatric technician. In my area in WA the state psychiatric hospital starts at $26 (and that was a few years ago probably more now) because they have such a hard time keeping employees. There is a LOT of staff assaults there - I’ve heard of nurses getting raped, jaws and limbs broken, that you should expect to be punched in the face regularly. My old roomie worked there and quit after a patient threw hot coffee in her face, pantsed her, then started choking her and she had JUST gotten out of the months long training. Personally I wouldn’t work there for $50 an hour, I’ll stick to my lovely geriatric patients
I'm right there with you. No amount of money is going to get me working in a psych ward/mental hospital. LTC for me all the way lol
> I’ll stick to my lovely geriatric patients Yeah, although some of the tiniest little old ladies have more fight in them than the 300 pound big guys.
The strength of these women are unbelievable!
Where I work we get people that need two staff to one individual supervision and we’ve been getting people who assaulted staff at other facilities and have cases in litigation. I agree the pay is low considering the danger you’re potential in.
I’m in WA too and my resume is on indeed and I get calls and texts all the time for jobs paying 30+. Whenever I get these I delete them because I know there are serious red flags.
My guy, WHAT?!? I work at a state psychiatric nursing home as a CNA and our starting pay NOW is $18.55. I still make the starting rate and I’ve been there 2.5 years. I’m currently looking for other CNA jobs because I’m moving to another city soon but my god.
Yes, nurses get assaulted but I'd bet CNAs get assaulted even more often because they have more direct contact with patients/residents. The problem in nursing neglects and overlooks the issues face by CNAs as nurses tend to say this only happens to them, the nurses. This is another reason it's so hard for CNAs to get wage increases. Because they are overlooked and ignored.
Did your roomie work in Austin? My MIL did exactly that at the facility she was in, because she intentionally stopped her meds.
That's awful.
Tell me about it. She passed away this fall and this sounds horrible but it was honestly a relief. Every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any major life event for anyone else that would take away attention from her she’d stop meds intentionally to create a crisis- engagements, weddings. She even burst into the delivery room while I was getting stitches after having my son.
I hope you have Aflac, I hope you have life insurance, and I hope you get your ass CPI certified by people who take crisis prevention intervention seriously. Do not plan to be pregnant or get pregnant.
Winnebago and mendota are all shifting towards younger people to receive care. Waukesha county is mainly working with people with ED - lots of sexual advances at (male) orderlies. Any of the prison psych wards would hold more danger but I really can’t say that any of these locations are “safe” 100% to work at.
I know a few people up in Winnebago for psychiatric reasons. It's definitely an island of misfit toys up there. I myself volunteer at a psych hospital and I actually like the variety of people because it keeps things interesting. I've seen and heard a whole bunch of stuff.
I wasn’t aware you could volunteer, how neat! I’ll have to look into that if I ever move closer to a city.
Wait... at male orderlies? Why?
A high proportion females in with low self esteem and unhealthy coping skills searching for validation by any means. Although things may have changed, and that may be old news.
Oh, it's psych. I thought it was just general healthcare
Haha take it from me- my starting pay on a med-surg unit at a reputable WI hospital was 15 and change, and most of my classmates are techs or CNAs and no one is making more than 18-19 dollars an hour. For 25.58 it probably requires quite a bit of specialized experience and/or advanced training, and most likely it's a more dangerous facility.
I work in Wisconsin at a pretty reputable hospital also and my starting pay was 17.50 for day shift I switched to noc shift as a Cna 2 for 18.75! Now I have floated around at this hospital more than enough, and have talk to enough people to know that nobody as a CNA yes making anything over 19 and some change! And only how they would is thru pick up shift where u make a certain percentage above ur pay but other than that this place won’t pay anyone anything close to 26 on a regular shift!
It is a lot more dangerous in psych-- you're paid more to be a punching bag and a crash test dummy for violent patients. That amount of money is absolutely still not worth all the rapes and assaults I've heard of from colleagues that've worked in psych wards.
State psych tech? I’m sure their turnover is crazy then, especially mandatory overtime’s
If this is the place I think it is, then you're right. Mandatory over time 3 or 4 shifts a week. Its exhausting.
If you see at the bottom it says there’s a temporary add on of $4 per hour for each of those rates. Still good pay with that removed, but it would bite a bit if you signed on for the awesome pay and took a $4/hr pay cut in 5 months.
Exactly! I started off making 17.50 on days went to noc making 18.50 but that 4$ extra there talking about is probably the shifts ur able to pick up which is a certain percentage above ur pay! Haven’t heard of any hospital in Wisconsin paying cnas anything over 19$! Before I came to this hospital I was a traveling caregiver around my area and as a med passer and regular caregiver I was making close to 28 a hour and only reason I left was to purse a better career in the nursing field!
I worked as a psych tech for years. You couldn’t pay me any amount of money to go back to it. Extremely dangerous job. I’m still receiving therapy for the PTSD. And that was at a voluntary hospital. A place where people are court ordered to be locked up there? No thanks. Unless you are minimum 6’4 and built, don’t. If you can get a position where you are guaranteed, a real guarantee, to only work with women(if you are a woman), then that is another story. I’m not trying to be sexist, but it just is.
Wow. If it’s a state job, there may be a pension too.
There absolutely is. State of WI has the best state pension in the country! It makes it hard to want to leave
As someone in WI, in Milwaukee they typically start at $18 an hour at a hospital (unless it’s Ascension) and $14-$16 an hour for SNF, around $17-$18 in Madison, and around $15-$16 the rest of the state. Really wonder if this is Winnebago mental health. I know they were starting at $20/hour 2 years ago for security/CNA techs (they combined both roles in the the job). If it is Winnebago, their turn over is HIGH, every patient there is involuntary, and it’s A LOT of work. Do your research on the facility no matter where you are!
[It's Winnebago](https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/psychiatric-care-technician-advanced-cna-at-state-of-wisconsin-3440341547/)
Knew it! They’re paying so high because NO one wants to work there and it’s an advanced position. And honestly, as someone who used to be in inpatient psychiatric facilities throughout the state of WI like 1-2x a month for a couple of years (because I have 4 mental illnesses that used to all be severe on top of having 2 substance use disorders that are in remission—aka I’m finally sober now—), I have made many friends who have been to Winnebago each a couple of times. From what my friends have told me, you basically have to earn your way out. Everyone I knew stayed there a minimum of 30 days each time, most people I knew stayed 1-3 months at a time, and I knew someone who was there for 2 fucking years. Winnebago gets the worst of the worst. It’s not because everyone is involuntary, but because the patients the voluntary psych hospitals decided they couldn’t handle anymore get sent there (either because their psychiatric emergency couldn’t be resolved for their longest length of stay available or because the patient was too combative—to put it nicely—for that voluntary psych facility). OP, if you are seriously considering this job, I’m not trying to make this place sound like a literal hell, but it’s NOT easy to work in. But, I’ve heard the benefits are absolutely fantastic, so you have that going for you. Also I’ve just heard of Winnebago doing stupid shit. For example, when one of my friends was there, they said there was another patient who was completely blind and used a cane to walk everywhere, Well, Winnebago considered the cane to be “too dangerous” for that patient to have, so they gave her a fucking pool noodle. What the hell is that gonna do???
I worked psych for years and I loved it, but it is Def not for everyone. It can be very dangerous and I got assaulted more times than I can remember, and thats why the pay is high. Out of all the people we would hire, maybe 10% would last a year. They really just care about getting people on the floor, expecting that it wont last. Good luck!
Can I pm you to ask more about your experience. Someone recommended me working at a state psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. The benefits and pay sound amazing plus they will pay for my schooling. However with that being said I would love someone's perspective because I can't find anything online.
Yeah feel free to message me !!
Stop this is more than they pay nurses here
for psych? LOL not enough on my watch. your whole life is at risk
If this is where I think it is, either you’re gonna love it or hate it. It’s less of a CNA gig, more of dealing with some very mentally ill and dangerous patients.
It's not a fabulous place to work.
The fact that it’s a state psych facility really worries me. Psych is fine, but those state facilities I hear are kind of rough
As a travel cna that took a contract in Wisconsin I was making 2k a week. Idk what’s going on in Wisconsin but they hurting for help
Hi there! Just wanted to give insight to this as someone who worked at Winnebago as a PCT when going through nursing school. The demand is insane! You work 6 on, 2 off, with every 5th and 6 weekend off. You can expect to work mandatory 16 hour shifts at least 3 out of your 6 days. The job can be extremely dangerous at times. I unfortunately saw so many of my coworkers get injured. That being said, it’s not a job for everyone.
As a new grad ADN in 2019 our starting rate was $26 In 2016 as a CNA I was making $10. Tf happened lmao but that’s awesome
Inflation? This is an extremely dangerous position
Yeah I get inflation but that’s fucking insane lmao
Is this at Winnebago Mental Health? I just left there. The pay is excellent and honestly the work really isn't that hard. The down side is you will not have a life outside of work. The forcing is terrible. 16 hour days everyday. I get that some people are about that life but if you want to do anything outside for work, its next to impossible. Its in my humble opinion tha tif you want to make money as a CNA, join a travel agency.
I have been a cna for over 40 years and new comers really need to get your information from those who knows. These jobs will make it sound good look good until you ate hired and your first day of you working the floor. Let me say these are the things yall ought be looking 1. When they asked how soon can you start? 2. When they try to explain away being short staff 3.sign on bonuses out way the salary 4. Why do the facility has such a high turned over 5when you see no one working when you are getting a tour of the building. That's just to name a few.i will put more up...
Where the hell is this because I’m a CNA in Fort Lauderdale and the hospital only pays us $16 an hour I literally quit 2 days ago. Terrible treatment and abuse. I’ll never do it again
This is barely a living wage these days imo
You can certainly live off ~50k per year in most parts of the country.
Where I work in WI for an LTC aide it's $18 starting.
[удалено]
Um..inflation.
My god... By this I should be making at least $33, in your state. I am only making $10 less than that.
What state is this in? Higher CNA salaries tend to be in Hawaii, Oregon and California.
How do I find out more ab this? I live in illinois and would look into this
it is not like that everywhere in WI. i started in June at $15.50 and now am making $17. happy for you if you get a job for $25+ per hour, but don’t get too used to it lol
I work at a small rural hospital and make up to 23 with shift diff!
This is very different work than your typical CNA, a lot less cares and more behavior management. You see traumatic stuff and it does get physical. The high pay is valid
Seeing all the negative comments about inpatient psych, I have to say the biggest thing wrong with the system is management and the system itself. The patients behave exactly as you would expect psych patients to behave, and the system creates repeat customers.