Director of Activities

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nPURPOSE OF POSITION: The primary purpose of your job position is to plan, organize, develop, and direct the overall operation of the Recreation Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations, our established policies and procedures, and as may be directed by the administrator, to assure than an ongoing program of activities is designed to meet, in accordance with the comprehensive assessment, the interests and the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY: As Director of Recreation, you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties. JOB FUNCTIONS: Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position. Duties and Responsibilities: Administrative Functions: 1. Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct the recreation programs of this facility. 2. Assist in the development, administering, and coordinating of department policies and procedures. 3. Keep abreast of current federal and state regulations, as well as professional standards, and make recommendations on changes in policies and procedures to the administrator. 4. Review department policies and procedures, at least annually, and participate in making recommended changes (e.g., ADA, ergonomics, air quality, etc.). 5. Develop and implement policies and procedures for the identification of medically-related activity needs of the resident. 6. Participate in community planning related to the interests of the facility and the services and needs of the resident and family. 7. Participate in discharge planning, development and implementation of recreation care plans and resident assessments. 8. Interview resident/families as necessary and in a private setting. 9. Perform administrative requirements, such as completing necessary forms, reports, etc., and submitting such to the administrator as required. 10. Involve residents and families in planning facility recreation programs. 11. Refer resident/families to appropriate social service personnel when the facility does not provide the services or needs of the resident. 12. Provide consultation to members of our staff, community agencies, etc., in efforts to solve the needs and problems of the resident through the development of recreation programs. 13. Assist in the review and updating of departmental job descriptions at least annual. 14. Assume the authority, responsibility, and accountability of directing the recreation department. 15. Maintain a productive working relationship with the medical profession and other health-related facilities and organizations. 16. Review and evaluate the department’s work force and make recommendations to the administrator. 17. Coordinate recreational activities with other departments as necessary. 18. Work with the facility’s consultants as necessary and implement recommended changes as required. 19. Delegate authority, responsibility, and accountability to other responsible department personnel. 20. Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the administrator concerning the operation of the recreation department. 21. Assist in standardizing the methods in which work will be accomplished. 22. Interpret the department’s policies and procedures to employees, residents, visitors, government agencies, etc. 23. Keep abreast of economic conditions/situations and recommend to the administrator adjustments in recreation programs that assure the continued ability to provide daily activities. 24. Review and develop a plan of correction for recreation deficiencies noted during survey inspections and provide a written copy of such report to the administrator. 25. Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job-related recreation functions to ensure that tasks involving potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded. 26. Review departmental complaints and grievances from personnel and make written reports to the administrator of action(s) taken. Follow facility’s established procedures. 27. Assist the Quality Assessment and Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct identified deficiencies. 28. Develop, implement, and maintain an ongoing performance improvement program for the recreation department. 29. Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies. 30. Interview residents or family members to obtain recreation information. 31. Ensure that all charted recreational activity progress notes are informative and descriptive of the service provided and of the resident’s response to the service. 32. Maintain a reference library of written material,, laws, etc., necessary for complying with current standards and regulations, and that will provide assistance in maintaining a quality recreation program. 33. Involve the resident/family in planning objectives and goals for the resident. 34. Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, as well as other related departments in planning recreation programs. 35. Arrange transportation for field trips when necessary. 36. Others as deemed necessary and appropriate, or as may be directed by the administrator. Committee Functions: 1. Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the facility (i.e., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Budget, Performance Improvement, etc.) as required, and as appointed by the administrator. 2. Provide written and/or oral reports of the programs and activities as required, or as may be directed by such committee(s). 3. Participate as directed in regularly scheduled review of resident discharge plans. 4. Evaluate and implement recommendations from established committees as they may pertain to recreation services. 5. Meet with recreation personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis, and solicit advice from inter-department supervisors concerning the operation of the department, assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the improvement of services.. 6. Attend department head meetings, etc., as scheduled or as may be called. 7. Schedule and announce departmental meeting times, dates, places, etc. Personnel Functions: 1. Assist in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of personnel for the recreation department. 2. Determine departmental staffing requirements necessary to meet the recreation department’s needs, and assign a sufficient number of recreation personnel for each tour of duty. 3. Recommend to the administrator the number and level of recreation personnel to be employed. 4. Schedule department work hours (including vacation and holiday schedules), personnel, work assignments, etc., to expedite work. 5. Delegate administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability to other recreation personnel as deemed necessary to perform their assigned duties and responsibilities. 6. Counsel/discipline recreation personnel as requested or as necessary. 7. Terminate employment of personnel when necessary, documenting and coordinating such actions with the human resources director and/or administrator.. 8. Assist in standardizing the methods in which recreation programs will be performed and/or administered. 9. Review and check competence of recreation personnel and make necessary adjustments/corrections as required or that may become necessary. 10. Maintain an excellent working relationship with other department supervisors and coordinate the recreation program to assure that daily recreational activities can be performed without interruption. 11. Assure that appropriate identification documents are presented prior to employment and that such records are maintained in the employee’s personnel record. 12. Make daily rounds to assure that recreational personnel are performing required duties, and to assure that appropriate recreation programs are being rendered to meet the needs of the resident. 13. Conduct departmental performance evaluations in accordance with the facility’s policies and procedures. 14. Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility’s policies and procedures governing accidents and incidents. 15. Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest, and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the facility. Staff Development: 1. Develop and participate in the planning, conducting, and scheduling of timely in-service training classes that provide instructions on “how to do the job,” and ensures a well-educated recreation department. 2. Develop, implement, and maintain an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to the department, its policies and procedures, and to his/her job position and duties. 3. Provide leadership training that includes the administrative and supervisory principles essential for the recreation department. 4. Encourage the supervisory staff to attend and participate in outside training programs. Schedule times as appropriate. 5. Assist support services in developing, implementing, and conducting in-service training programs that relate to the recreation department. 6. Attend and participate in continuing educational programs designed to keep you abreast of changes in your profession, as well as to maintain your license on a current status. 7. Ensure that all department personnel attend and participate in annual OSHA and CDC in-service training programs for hazard communication, TB management, and bloodborne pathogens standard. Safety and Sanitation: 1. Assist the safety officer in developing safety standards for the recreation department. 2. Ensure that the department’s policy and procedures manual identifies safety precautions and equipment to use when performing tasks that may result in bodily injury. 3. Monitor department personnel to assure that they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies. 4. Ensure that department work areas are maintained in a clean, sanitary, and safe manner. 5. Ensure that all department personnel follow established departmental policies and procedures, including appropriate dress codes. 6. Ensure that department personnel participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drills in a safe and professional manner. 7. Assist the Infection Control Committee in the development, implementation and revising of written aseptic and isolation techniques relative to recreational activities. 8. Develop, implement and maintain a program for monitoring communicable and/or infectious diseases among residents and personnel. 9. Ensure that recreation personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary. 10. Develop, implement, and maintain a procedure for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment. 11. Ensure that department personnel follow established procedures governing exposure to blood/body fluids. 12. Ensure that department personnel follow established procedures governing the use of labels and MSDSs. 13. Report missing/illegible labels and MSDSs to the safety officer or other designated person. 14. Ensure that department personnel performing tasks that may involve potential exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious diseases, etc., attend appropriate in-service training classes prior to performing such tasks. Equipment and Supply Functions: 1. Recommend to the administrator the equipment and supply needs of the recreation department. 2. Place orders for equipment and supplies as necessary or as may be required. 3. Make periodic rounds to check equipment and to assure that necessary equipment is available and working properly. 4. Check supply rooms to assure that needed recreation supplies are on hand to conduct scheduled recreational activities. 5. Ensure that all personnel operate recreation equipment in a safe manner. 6. Develop and implement procedures that ensure recreation supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste. 7. Ensure that appropriate cleaning supplies are on hand to perform necessary departmental cleaning functions. 8. Ensure that MSDSs are on file for hazardous chemicals used in the recreation department. Care Plan and Assessment Functions: 1. Develop preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the recreation needs of each resident. 2. Develop a written plan of care (preliminary and comprehensive) for each resident that identifies the problems/needs of the resident and the goals to be accomplished for each problem/need identified. 3. Encourage the resident/family to participate in the development and review of the resident’s plan of care. 4. Assist in the scheduling of recreation care plans and assessments to be presented and discussed at each committee meeting. 5. Ensure that all recreation personnel are aware of the care plan, and that care plans are used in providing daily recreational activities for the resident. 6. Review nurses’ notes to determine if the recreation care plan is being followed. Report problem areas to the director of nursing services. 7. Review and revise care plans and assessments as necessary, but at least quarterly. 8. Develop and maintain a good rapport with all services involved with the care plan to ensure that a team effort is achieved in developing a comprehensive plan of care. Budget and Planning Functions: 1. Forecast needs of the department. 2. Assist in preparing and planning the recreation department’s budget for food, equipment, supplies, and labor, and submit to the administrator for review, recommendations, and approval. 3. Maintain current written records of department expenditures and assure that adequate financial records and cost reports are submitted to the administrator upon request or as necessary. 4. Make departmental adjustments in order to conform to approved budget, and/or as dictated by an analysis of the monthly operating statement. Resident Rights: 1. Maintain the confidentiality of all resident care information. 2. Knock before entering a resident’s room. 3. Ensure that all recreation personnel are knowledgeable of the resident’s rights and responsibilities, including the right of refusal. 4. Review complaints and grievances made by the resident and make a written/oral report to the administrator indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance. Follow facility’s established procedures. 5. Participate in resident/group council meetings as requested and provide support services to such council.