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Job Specification

RECREATION THERAPIST  

DEFINITION:

Under direction of a physician and/or a higher level therapist, plans and implements treatment to patients/residents, employing professional therapeutic recreation theory concepts, principles, practices, and modalities to promote the recovery, adjustment, or to achieve the physical and mental rehabilitation of patients/residents as well as to enhance the quality of their life on a continuous basis; does related work as required.

NOTE: The definition and examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

EXAMPLES OF WORK:

Develops, organizes, and conducts treatment plans based on study of clinical records, medical prescription, or physician's referral.

Creates an atmosphere which provides the opportunity for socialization and communication.

Determines patient's/resident's interests, attitudes, needs, and abilities through interview and observation.

Plans therapeutic programs taking into consideration the emotional and physical conditions and abilities of patients/residents.

Administers professional procedures, and teaches and guides patients/residents in utilizing various therapeutic activities.

Prepares written patient documentation and reports in conformance with prescribed administrative, professional, and legally mandated practices.

Develops, organizes, and conducts therapeutic art programs, and instructs and guides patients/residents in the field of art techniques such as painting, drawing, sculpture, collage, printmaking, puppetry, photography, textiles, and so forth.

Assists patients/residents in developing a basic understanding of art and how its creative process is used in achieving self awareness, personal growth, and self expression.

Develops, organizes, and conducts dance and movement activities individually or in groups, combining nonverbal and/or traditional verbal therapy with a focus on a patient's/resident's movement, posture, breathing, and interpersonal interaction.

Explains and demonstrates techniques and methods of regulatory movements of body and feet to musical and rhythmic accompaniment.

Observes patient's/residents's movements to determine physical, emotional, and perceptual needs and progress.

Develops, organizes, and conducts therapeutic programs of music activity such as group singing, rhythm training by means of musical instruments, orchestral work, choral work, and appropriate listening music programs; when appropriate, teaches specific musical instruments.

Develops, organizes, and conducts dramas, encouraging and employing patient/resident participation in the creative writing of plays as well as active participation in role playing so that patients/residents have the opportunity to release constructive emotional feelings, interact with others in settings other than that of their everyday environment, and to elicit a comraderie naturally engendered through such activity.

Collects and compiles cooking recipes based on patient's/resident's abilities and utilizes crops from garden and various cooking utensils.

Delegates responsibilities to patients/residents and oversees preparation and cooking of food.

Designs and organizes trips into the community for patients/residents.

In accord with patients'/residents' abilities, adapts games and equipment to promote healthy competition and exercise.

Sets up equipment, organizes teams, establishes rules, referees games, and participates in activities when needed.

Compiles information and prepares self relaxation/stress reduction exercises for patients/residents.

Plans programs in therapeutic plant care to be carried out by patents/residents incorporating the techniques of propagation, transplanting, watering, seeding as well as garden layout or design, and promotes organization and responsibility among them.

Sets up work area and brings patients/residents to the program discussing work to be done and assisting them in the activity.

Requisitions supplies, cleans work areas, and transports supplies and equipment by cart when necessary.

Maintains attendance records for all program activities.

Records progress notes of participants in various activities.

Observes patients/residents in programs to maintain records of their behavior, and evaluates and determines long and short goals and plans for them.

Prepares written and oral information describing patient/resident symptoms indicative of progress or regression for review with the treatment team.

Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

REQUIREMENTS:

NOTE: Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience.

Five (5) years of professional experience in conducting therapeutic recreation activities in a clinical, health care, residential, or community-based therapeutic recreation program.

OR

Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and one (1) year of the above-mentioned professional experience.

OR

Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in therapeutic recreation or in recreation with a therapeutic concentration.

NOTE:Therapeutic concentration in recreation is defined as including all of the following:

1. A minimum of three courses exclusively dealing with therapeutic recreation content. 2. Completion of six months of field placement experience in a clinical, residential, or community based therapeutic recreation program. 3. Completion of supportive course work which includes a minimum of 18 semester hour credits from four of the six areas listed below: Psychology Sociology Physical/Biological Sciences Special Education Human Services Adapted Physical Education

OR

Possession a master's degree from an accredited college or university in recreation therapy.

OR

Possession of a valid certificate as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist issued by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification.

NOTE:"Professional experience" refers to work that is analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range of basic knowledge of the profession's concepts and practices; and is performed with the authority to act and make accurate and informed decisions.

LICENSE:

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of and familiarity with approved therapeutic recreation principles, procedures, and techniques.

Knowledge of activities which make up a therapeutic recreation program.

Knowledge of illness and disability with their implications for therapeutic recreation programming for individuals with various types of disabilities.

Knowledge of activity modification techniques used to adapt practices and procedures of the therapeutic recreation field to the specific needs of individuals and groups with various disabilities.

Knowledge of procedures used in formulating individual and group diagnostic assessments, prescriptions, and treatment plans for special populations and in recording and reporting client treatment and rehabilitation information, both in single therapy treatment and multidisciplinary treatment settings.

Ability to adapt standard practices and procedures of therapeutic recreation to the physical, psychological, psychosocial, and emotional needs and limitations of individual patients and groups of patients, and to the treatment objectives prescribed by medical teams.

Ability to plan and carry out under medical supervision individual programs of recreation therapy.

Ability to comprehend such subjects as psychology, anatomy, and physiology, and to develop appropriate skills in various modalities.

Ability to relate subject matter and skills to therapeutic needs of individuals.

Ability to achieve and maintain a rapport with people with all types of disabilities.

Ability to exercise necessary modality skills when required in demonstrating and instructing.

Ability to maintain harmonious working relationships with professional and subprofessional personnel.

Ability to prepare written and oral reports containing therapeutic recreation progress notes.

Ability to establish and maintain essential records and files.

Ability to identify the physical, psychological, and emotional problems, limitations, and needs of disabled individuals in terms of possible rehabilitation through therapeutic recreation.

Ability to plan, organize, and implement a variety of therapeutic recreation activities for individual patients or groups of patients within the framework of a medical team approach to patient care, physiotherapy and psychotherapy treatment, and rehabilitation.

Ability to communicate effectively with and motivate people of widely varying backgrounds, interests, and abilities.

Ability to evaluate the degree to which specific therapeutic activities and overall therapeutic services are meeting rehabilitation goals and objectives.

Ability to innovate in providing the widest possible range of therapeutic activities within the therapeutic recreation field and which take fully into account the physical, mental, psychosocial, and emotional limitations and needs of patients/residents served.

Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

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