Recreation Therapist Part Time Days/Evenings

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Recreational Therapist is responsible for providing high quality patient care, displaying good skills in recreation therapy assessment, treatment planning, group treatment, and individual treatment. To plan, direct and coordinate approved recreational programs for patients. Therapist may assess a patient’s condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity. Patient program activities include but are not limited to exercise, outdoor visitations, social groups, arts and crafts and music. Additionally, s/he is responsible to function well as a member of the interdisciplinary team and participate in the Behavioral Health Services community relations program.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Patient Care Responsibilities:

• Plans and implements the recreational therapy program for the behavioral medicine units.
• Conducts recreational therapy group sessions, displaying advanced knowledge of group principles and group techniques for this population.
• Instruct patients in activities and techniques such as movement and exercise, music, art, dance, and relaxation designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
• Conducts individual recreational therapy sessions as assigned, displaying up-to-date theoretical knowledge and treatment techniques based on philosophy of acute care setting.
• Participates in the disciplinary treatment planning.
• Displays good report writing skills.
• Completes progress notes in a timely and high quality fashion.
• Supervises OT/COTA/RT students, coordinates student supervision in collaboration with OT Supervisor.
• Plans and directs groups in the patient milieu as appropriate, using flexible scheduling, if necessary.
• Attends, plans, and provides and coordinates departmental, hospital, or community in-service education pertaining to Rec/OT department needs.
• Schedule monthly department hours and coordinate weekly groups.
• Prepare and submit reports to treatment team to reflect patient participation and evidence of progress or regression.
• Engage in bi-weekly supervision with leadership team on consistent basis.
• Expand qualifications by participating in advancement through own professional development through professional organization, educational opportunities offered by the hospital, or instruction for other education programs

Other Responsibilities:

• Functions as a team member with the consideration of other treatment team members.
• Communicates effectively with families and agencies, conveying a positive professional image.
• Brings to the attention of the OT Supervisor and/or Director of Nursing significant issues related to program functioning.
• Works hours sufficient to ensure effective performance.
• Utilizes feedback regarding performance and uses supervision to improve performance

Management of Time and Resources:

• Completes work assignments within an acceptable time frame.
• Uses time and resources to the best possible advantage for successful completion of job responsibilities.
• Develops and maintains efficient working relationships.
• Is reliable in respect to attendance.
• Is Reliable in respect to punctuality.
• Recognizes the importance of team efforts and partners with others to achieve positive outcomes.

Quality:

• Is part of a team effort to insure quality services.
• Offers creative solutions or alternatives to issues or concerns.
• Produces quality results.
• Continually strives to improve the quality of work.

Accepts responsibility for all work performed and takes appropriate corrective action as needed.

Team Work:

• Involves other departments in project planning and implementation.
• Supports others in the department and provides help and assistance when possible.
• Regularly attends and participates in team and/or departmental meetings and activities.
• Keeps others in the department informed of relevant information.
• Regularly offers and requests constructive feedback and coaching.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relations.

Service Excellence: (both internal and external)

• Welcomes patients/customers/employees in a warm, friendly manner.
• Actively listens and constructively responds to questions and concerns in a timely manner.
• Ensures that the dignity of the patient/customer/employee is maintained at all times.
• Abides by and upholds the hospital’s service excellence standards.
• Respects the diversity of the patient/customer/employee population.
• Demonstrates safe and effective use of equipment.

CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS:

• Is cooperative in interactions, treating customers with courtesy, respect and compassion.
• Is patient when responding to questions and answers questions appropriately.
• Responds to requests in a timely manner.
• Handles interruptions in a skillful way.
• Maintains a professional appearance and demeanor.
• Strives to prevent/resolve customer concerns to the customer’s satisfaction.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

• Ability to interact effectively with co-workers and maintain a pleasant and courteous manner.
• Willingness to accept responsibility as delegated.
• Ability to work independently with minimal or no supervision.
• Ability to direct others in performance of their duties within the therapeutic program milieu.
• Ability to be flexible in work habits.
• Possess good verbal and written skills.
• Ability to make decisions within the confines of the position.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding any and all patients and/or information that are communicated within the Psychiatric Units

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/LICENSURE/TECHNICAL/OTHER:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in recreational therapy or in a creative arts therapy field; or a major in an appropriate subject-matter field with therapeutic emphasis or concentration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Registration with special’s National Therapy Certification Board, Inc. is preferred