mental health technician

psychiatric nurse

registered nurse

therapist

recreation therapist

The Ridge Behavioral Health System

I held several positions in the years I worked at Ridge, including Intake Coordinator, ADON, Dir. of Outpatient, Adult Unit RN, interim Intake Dir., and interim Adult Unit Manager. A typical day depended on which job I held at the time.  Generally it involved arriving on time, completing the tasks required of my position, assisting other departments as needed, assessing patients, completing admissions and discharges, contacting insurance companies, doing data entry, and completing any additional tasks required by my supervisor.  When I was ADON/Dir. of Outpatient--which was a split position-I had many more responsibilities on a daily basis, including supervising staff, overseeing patient care provided by staff, sitting on many committees, working with the DON and CEO on issues and problem solving, meeting every morning with management to review the previous day's staffing numbers, reporting the number of admissions and discharges, determining whether the number of staff assigned was within budget, and discussing any adverse events.  Not on a daily basis, but on a regular basis I would conduct in-services to staff, teach new employee orientation classes, interview prospective employees, conducting group therapy, and working on the units when they were short staffed.  Occassionally I would do a presentation to outside companies and organizations regarding the services we provide.  I would audit charts for complete and accurate documentation and care plans.  I would assist in adjusting current policies as needed and creating new policies when needed.  I worked with governing agencies, such as CMS and JCAHO during inspections. I was involved in initiating disciplinary action and the termination of employees.  Was acting DON in her absence and once a month was Administrator On Call for a week.  Some of the management was very good to work for as they were professional and responsible and fulfilled their duties as expected, while their priority was the safety and appropriate care of the patients.  Some of the administrators appeared to put staying within budget above patient care as we often did not have enough staff to provide adequate care for the patients.  Co-workers and I, for the most part, had mutual respect for each other due to being hardworking and putting the needs of the patients first.  The hardest part of the job was twofold. One reason was that as a former unit RN, I was very aware of what the unit needed to provide quality care for the patients while maintaining the safety of at risk patients.  When I was in management/administration, although I repeatedly voiced the need for more staff and the reasoning, I would usually come to a dead end because staffing was solely determined by the budget.  The second reason was that because the units were short staffed I would often work excessive overtime to work on a unit.  The most enjoyable part of the job was knowing that because I was willing to work on the units or in other departments that I was providing help that they may not otherwise have and ultimately helping to provide the care patients deserved and needed and keeping them safe.  I learned a great deal throughout my years at Ridge. Some of the more significant things I learned was the seriousness of mental illness and the lack of adequate services in the community.  I also learned the various ways to communicate with mentally ill patients, depending on their specific illnesses and behaviors.  I learned a lot about policies and procedures, as well as the regulations of the governing bodies of a behavioral health facility. For many reasons, I learned a lot about how to be an effective manager and how to treat employees  fairly, while holding them all accountable, equally, to their expectations of their specific jobs and to policy and procedure.  I received on-going learning on developing and improving in-services I conducted. I also learned how to open new programs as I was responsible for developing and opening to new programs in the facility. Basically I looked at the challenges of each day as an opportunity to learn.

The MHT position is not a bad job when you’re starting out in mental health. I am learning a ton of things very quickly and the job is fast paced with little down time. Each unit has a schedule that should be followed to keep the patients busy and doesn’t allow for much free time either. Depending on what unit you’re on, you’ll have different activities to do. The only complaint about the structure of the unit is on the youngest age unit. You only have one day room and the hallway where the bedrooms are and sometimes you can have 12 children ranging from 5-12 in one room together and this can get very problematic. It would be easier if it were like the other adolescent units that had a group room and a day room and you could divide the patients if you had the staff. Another issue is the lack of staff. Sometimes the units are so understaffed that it can feel dangerous for patient and staff safety. Some patients have had to room on another unit because we didn’t have enough beds on the unit to hold them or we had no roommate orders that only allowed one person in that room but yet they still overcrowded the units. The training of staff needs to be updated and improved, especially for crisis situations. Just an example, some staff would lay random pens and plastic down unaware that these could be used as weapons. Restraining is the ultimate defense in a crisis situation but the understaffing issue makes this dangerous. For example, a larger patient shouldn’t be restrained by a smaller staff but this occurs because it’s the only option. There isn’t any security to back up staff. If a code is called, you depend on other staff on different units to come and assist but this varies depending on what shift you’re working. First shift is great for code assistance because the administration will respond but as the shifts differs into 2nd and 3rd, the less and less staff respond and/or are available. Taking the patients on and off the units is tricky as well considering you might be in charge of 8+ patients with only one staff whereas there should be 2 or 3. If your unit has high demands and/or low staff, you probably won’t get a break at all. Then you’ll get in trouble for not taking a break or, if you’re able to get a break but come back early, you’ll get in trouble.  Overall, there are some set backs to the job that may be considered major but, on a positive note, the staff you work with become very close. The staff is diverse and can offer a lot to staff and to the patients. It seems like most of the staff put their heart into their job to connect and change the lives of their patients. It would be a solid job if they can increase the staff ratio and update their facility a little better. 

Sometimes was rewarding to help the patients. However, the work is draining. You're pulled to different units. So if you're hired for one unit, be prepared to work all units. Management was horrible and they were deceptive. They tried to accuse me of something I didnt do. They've done it to one of my coworkers too. The turnover rate is high because of how insane the job is. Nurses are having to deal with a lot of patients alone which is incredibly unsafe. They expect you to care for 15 plus patients sometimes alone, with 1 tech, 2 if you're lucky. Good luck with med pass with that many patients. They continue to call you with admissions knowing you're over loaded already and will hardly ever send help or come help you themselves. You cant safely care for your patients. They expect a check every 15 minutes of all patients. Basically, you're pulled in a million directions. Not including patients coming up to ask for things constantly. Dont get me started on working with adolescents and children. Expect to get kicked, spit on, punched, etc. A few nurses had bones broken by patients. Management will always take the patients side and not even let you restrain a patient properly for fear of being sued. It's not hard to safely restrain a patient but they want a hands off approach meaning you're forced to allow people to beat you and not be able to defend yourself. They will always side with patients and never care for their nurses and techs. They write up or fire people all the time for dumb reasons. Just do yourself a favor and stay away from the ridge unless you want to emotionally and physically drain yourself daily.

This worst part about the job is upper management; the patients are usually great. Upper management has almost no experience being on the floor and makes all the decisions regarding the patients and then hides because it isn’t them getting screamed at with the threats of getting physically hurt over. They make decisions without asking opinions from anyone on the floor for the sake of money, truly they could not care less for patients safety. The other USUALLY employees are great just trying to stick it out and make it through each day. Some of the employees are under qualified and it is very scary to be with when things go south on the unit. Also, there is a problem with people who should be in the floor helping hiding in the nurses station when help is very much needed else where. Some staff seem to be more interested in the drama than patient care. Gossip spreads around there like a wildfire and gets twisted each step of the way.

There is major favoritism between staff from upper management with big differences by the way you are treated. Upper management looks the other way for some but others will give them a heavier work load. 

The only good part about this job is being a sliver of a safe space for patients and that makes everything worth it. You just have to remember that your own well being and mental health is more important from this job. They truly do not care about their employees that’s why groups of employees are leaving over the last two weeks Handfuls of people are putting their two weeks in. l

The Ridge is a fast paced job with a lot of support from other staff and management.  My boss is very open to suggestions and is very encouraging.  I learned how to conduct group therapy surrounding substance abuse with Adolescents and Adults. I also learned how to use the seven challenges model for adolescents and became certified in training other new employees in this model. I was already very familiar with the 12 steps but learned how it worked in Recovery Dynamics.  My co-workers are very enjoyable to work with and offer support. The most difficult part of my job is wanting and hoping everyone will improve and get better but that is not always the case and I have learned that sometimes just planting the seed is a good start for people in recovery.  The most enjoyable part of my job is seeing the light come back in peoples eyes when they start to become feeling some peace and surrender to the process and accept their addiction or alcoholism.  To me there is nothing like working with silent sufferers, whether it is in mental health or substance abuse, to see the life starting to come back in them is such a positive experience.  I am so passionate about working in mental health or substance abuse; just being useful and offering even the smallest bit of hope touches me deeply.

It is an extremely difficult and stressful place to work. Employees can be disrespectful and untrustworthy. Favoritism is rampant. No accountability for workplace behaviors. Management will “cover” and/or excuse staff behavior. Revolving door. Will hire pretty much anyone. Upper management “pretends” to be involved but really has no clue about what actually goes on within the hospital. Fill every bed whenever possible. Staff are burned out and disengaged. It was easier to work with patients than my coworkers. Some managers try to help and even though they don’t say it , I know they are being directed from mangers above them. The place lacks empathy, knowledge on how to interact with age groups, mental health diagnosis - staff are punitive with patients. Facility lacks motivation and investment in either patients or staff. To be a mental health facility it’s laughable at how patients and staff are treated. I wouldn’t take my pet rat there! If you didn’t have issues before you were hired you WILL before you leave. No one cares! Staff throw each other under the bus, lie and manipulate. I witnessed the maintenance guy do a better job deescalating a patient then the unit staff were doing. The patients deserve better! Management needs to get out there and actually experience first hand how their staff behave! Turning a blind eye will come back to get you. 

Pay is not great, there is no incentives to further your education after a BSN, the incentives are low, you don't get to control your schedule (as you would in every other hospital in Lexington), requesting time off is a bear, management does NOT care about safe staffing ratios. It is normal to have a single tech and a nurse on a unit with 20 patients. Patients who have aggressive behavioral issues or are detoxing and need close medical monitoring. Breaks and lunches are not guaranteed, it's the expectation that you clock out for lunch but then stay in the nurses station (because again, ONE TECH AND ONE RN.) Do not work here. Nurses are treated like dirt here, they treat the MHTs as though they do everything even though they don't have licenses on the line. Everyone who has the ability is leaving as soon as they can, because no one wants to risk their license because management is more concerned about money than they are about patient safety. Also be prepared to call for a doctor's consult for everything. Including applying a cold pack. Because they nickel and dime their patients for every single thing. 

The Ridge paints a picture of a “family” work environment. Terrible management, under staffed, and constantly getting hit by patients creates a toxic work environment. The children and adolescents are able to hit staff without any repercussions and it makes it very hard for us to keep coming back to the same unit every day. The children/adolescents only get 2 hours of a school a week and they are cooped up on the same unit all day fighting each other and trying to harm staff. There are no guards or police at this facility like other psych hospitals so the MHT’s and other staff are the only ones restraining patients. They over admit adolescents and children and make them sleep on mattresses placed on the floor in the “quiet room”. It’s unsafe to have 20+ teenagers on a unit made for 16 with only 2 techs. This place has put several techs in dangerous situations with highly aggressive patients. They have even made techs work on the unit with an unhealed concussion they got from a patient at the Ridge. The administrator’s are confused on why more than 30 people have quit in the past 2 months. This place is poorly ran and they do not care about your safety, they only care about milking the insurance money from DCBS kids and adults on Medicaid

I have great support through management and feel welcomed/appreciated as a new employee. I do know staff are in need of relief and HR and management are working hard everyday to recruit the best help and retain the amazing staff we have currently. Fresh pay scales reflect competitive pay. I love employee of the month and the recognition of multiple employees each month. Birthdays are celebrated! Free meal with each shift is a huge bonus. Lots of opportunity to grow and ascend within the company and other UHS branches. Awesome retention bonus for RNs and referral bonus for RNs and Therapists. Techs have a program for growth and raises as early as 6 months. Tuition reimbursement. They want us to succeed! Lots of opportunity if you want it!

The employees and supervisors are great and really look out for one another. The food is delicious and you're provided a free meal with each shift. It can be a fun work place because of the employees. There is sometimes petty drama but you will find that everywhere. 

The pay does not compensate for the amount of stress. They are constantly understaffed and upper management still allows patients to be admitted even though they are at capacity. They are constantly making unnecessary changes and not doing anything to help support the well-being of their staff. It seems as though money is more of a concern than ensuring patient safety and providing the highest level of care to an acute population. The staff to patient ratio is met at the bare minimum without acuity of the units being taken into account. 

If you're well tempered and able to manage your stress properly, this could be a great place to work. Keep in mind it's a very difficult job all around. If the staffing was better and if management seemed to care more, they would probably have less turnover.


Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Mental health technician 6 salaries reported	$2,000 per month
Psychiatric nurse 5 salaries reported	$55.00 per hour
Registered nurse 3 salaries reported	$55.00 per hour
Therapist 1 salary reported	$70,000 per year
Recreation therapist 1 salary reported	$21.00 per hour

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