Recreation Therapist - NE

Recreational Therapy Position

Plans, organizes and conducts comprehensive Recreational Therapy services designed to facilitate the psychosocial rehabilitation of psychiatric patients in an acute/residential psychiatric health care facility.

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure:

• Bachelor's Degree.
• Valid Driver's license.
• State criminal background check and Federal (if applicable), as required for regulated areas.

Experience:

• Prior experience in a mental health program.

Preferred Qualifications

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure:

• Master's Degree in Therapeutic Recreation.
• Certification or certification eligibility by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification.

Experience:

• Three (3) years prior experience in a setting providing acute psychiatric and residential care.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned.

• Participates as an integral professional member of an interdisciplinary treatment team led by a physician.
• Participates as clinical personnel on a treatment unit and facilitates therapeutic milieu on the treatment unit.
• Evaluates each patient's progress and the effectiveness of therapy treatments and records results on patient's chart.
• Develops and applies clinical skills by interviewing and assessing each patient's level of social and leisure functioning.
• Observes patient participation in Therapeutic Recreation activities and their responses.
• Coordinates Therapeutic Recreation activities in large groups to encourage socialization of patients and to observe patients' reactions to large group situations.
• Educates/counsels patients in regard to their specific age level and personal leisure life style.
• Documents all treatment offered and patient response to treatment in a format acceptable to the facility standards for documentation, and in keeping with most current standards within the profession.
• Provides recreation group therapy as deemed appropriate.
• Acts as liaison for hospitalized patients and their families to various applicable community agencies, hospital consultants and services.
• Monitors safety in recreation in the facility, and contributes to monthly reports to the Environmental Safety Committee, and summarizes findings annually. May serve as a member of the Environmental Safety Committee by request from the committee.
• Maintains current certification in Therapeutic Recreation and attends relevant training in the profession and on Mental Health topics.
• Adheres to the Performance Expectations of WVU Medicine.
• Other projects/duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequent walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping are necessary body movements utilized in performing duties through the work shift.
• When working on inpatient units must be able and willing to participate in physical restraint of patient if needed.

Working Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Clinic based and inpatient care facilities.
• Interaction and work with trainees of multiple disciplines.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to work independently or cooperatively as a team member.
• Must have independent decision-making ability.
• Ability to work in a fast paced and rapidly changing environment.

Additional Job Description:

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 16

Shift:

Exempt/Non-Exempt: United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Company: WVUH West Virginia University Hospitals

Cost Center: 300 WVUH Neuro Psych General Services

Address: 930 Chestnut Ridge Road Morgantown West Virginia

Equal Opportunity Employer

West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively "WVUHS") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. WVUHS strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All WVUHS employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.