Activity Therapist - Level I

Therapeutic Recreation Specialist

Elmhurst Hospital Center (EHC) is the major tertiary care provider in the borough of Queens. The hospital is comprised of 545 beds and is a Level I Trauma Center, an Emergency Heart Care Station and a 911 Receiving Hospital. It is the premiere health care organization for key areas such as Surgery, Cardiology, Women's Health, Pediatrics, Rehabilitation Medicine, Renal and Mental Health Services. At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.

Work Shifts: 7:00 P.M 7:00 A.M - working Saturdays and Sundays Total hours: 21.00

Duties & Responsibilities

Purpose of Position: Under supervision, with latitude for initiative and judgement, performs responsible therapeutic work of varying degrees of difficulty and responsibility in an activity therapy department providing medical/psychiatric recreational therapeutic services for patients/residents, both individually and in group settings, in conjunction with other members of the treatment team. All personnel perform related work. Under supervision, with latitude for initiative and judgement, performs responsible therapeutic work of ordinary difficulty.

Examples of Typical Tasks:

• Participates in planning and implementing a medical/psychiatric approved recreational program of individual and ward activities adapted to the needs, interest and capacities of patients.
• Participates in meeting with treatment staff to coordinate effective patient care and participates as a member of a team, in patient groups.
• Plans individualized schedules including activities of daily living, arts and therapy and socialization to meet specific needs of patients.
• Teaches and leads recreational activities such as group and team games, arts and crafts, dances, gymnastics, art in therapy, poetry, simple forms of music and dramatics.
• Directs learning experiences as part of care/treatment of patients to influence behavioral changes leading to increased experience and comprehension of self and environment.
• Works with and may guide students from multi disciplines, volunteers and others assigned to the area of service.
• Attends and contributes to department meetings, attends and conducts in-service training programs.
• Works with private and public organizations to further recreational programs.
• May co-lead or lead small group therapy and other discussion groups.
• May co-lead community meetings with other members of various disciplines.
• Communicates observations of patients in activity therapy to team.
• Charts Activity Therapy Progress Notes.
• Prepares periodic reports and keeps appropriate records.
• Is responsible for maintaining and ordering of supplies and equipment for assigned unit.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university, including or supplemented by eighteen (18) credits in recreation, physical education, dance, fine arts, and/or applied arts (including therapy), and twelve (12) semester credits in psychology, social psychology, group work, group dynamics, and/or related discipline; or 2. Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university, and one (1) year of full-time experience in planning, coordinating and supervising a recreation activities program in a health care setting; or 3. A satisfactory combination of education, training and/or experience equivalent to 1 or 2 above. However, all candidates must possess a Bachelor's Degree.

Benefits

NYC Health and Hospitals offers a competitive benefits package that includes: Comprehensive Health Benefits for employees hired to work 20+ hrs. per week Retirement Savings and Pension Plans Paid Holidays and Vacation in accordance with employees' Collectively bargained contracts Loan Forgiveness Programs for eligible employees College tuition discounts and professional development opportunities College Savings Program Union Benefits for eligible titles Multiple employee discounts programs Commuter Benefits Programs