Recreational Therapist

Job Title

Promotes optimal development of recreational/leisure pursuits and quality of life through planning and administration of therapeutic recreation services.

Essential Functions

Delivers quality care

By integrating the elements of examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis and goal oriented comprehensive intervention to optimize outcomes and improve overall quality of life.

Records resident/patient information

By documenting, dating, and authenticating all resident information as per department policy, completing daily statistics, completing all documentation needed for reimbursement, reviewing and updating resident care plans as per facility policy, providing written updates to other staff, physicians, families. Compiles/drafts/organizes therapy calendar and maintains schedule/log of residents' attendance to programs.

Facilitates resident transfer, discharge or discontinuation of services

By analyzing achievement of anticipated goals and expected outcomes, preparing resident with needed equipment/therapy programs and leisure education, performing training, assessing new environment with recommendations made, providing follow up or referral as needed.

Develops and enhances professional knowledge and skills

By attending department inservices, participating in continuing education, providing inservices/teaching to staff, residents, families, other health care professionals, supervising students/volunteers, independently reviewing current literature.

Develops leadership skills

By assisting with supervision of staff, serving as mentor to other staff, proposing, problem solving, investigating and implementing alternative approaches, assisting with program planning, providing input for budget development, providing input to and/or delivering staff performance appraisals.

Educates staff, students and volunteers

By planning, supervising and providing educational experiences, providing instruction with verbal and written feedback to students, consulting with schools and arranging educational tasks with other staff.

Maintains confidentiality and protects resident information

By securing all information in confidential space, following facility confidentiality policy.

Promotes safe and clean work environment

By ensuring good operation of all equipment, maintaining equipment manuals, providing/procuring equipment maintenance as needed, providing education to staff regarding equipment use, assisting with cleaning/housekeeping of department following facility policies and procedures for infection control and life safety.

Ensures resident safety

By maintaining CPR certification, being aware of emergency procedures during on/off campus programs, performing safe, effective use of tie downs during motor vehicle use, ensuring use of proper body mechanics during all resident treatments/transfers, and demonstrating safety during operation of all motor vehicles.

Contributes to the team effort

By embracing change to achieve common goals, demonstrating and promoting a positive work environment, contributing to the development of others. By attending and actively participating in staff meetings, serving as representative of the LTC therapy department, serving as liaison between therapy departments and internal/external contacts, serving as resource person for staff, residents, families, community members, participating in departmental and GSH events/activities which are supportive of our mission.

Complies with governmental legal and professional guidelines/requirements

By understanding and adhering to current standards of practice for their discipline, guide for professional conduct including the code of ethics and practice guidelines established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Recreational Therapy or related major required

Work Experience

Previous experience working with neurologically impaired individuals with moderate to severe physical and cognitive deficits preferred

Licenses / Certifications

Recreational Therapist certification required or obtained within 12 months of date of hire

Basic Life Support / CPR, as a healthcare provider, per the American Heart Association required