SENIOR RECREATION THERAPIST DEFINITION:
Under direction performs the more responsible, complex therapeutic recreation procedures and/or takes the lead over other recreation therapists in planning and implementing treatment to patients/residents employing professional therapeutic recreation concepts, principles, practices, and modalities to promote the recovery, adjustment, or to achieve the physical/mental rehabilitation of patients/residents as well as to enhance the quality of their life on a continuous basis; does other related duties as required.
NOTE: The 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:
Plans and carries out a full range of treatment where therapeutic objectives are complex and procedures involved require application of highly specialized skills and knowledge.
Distributes and balances workload among employees in accord with established workflow or job specialization, ensuring timely accomplishment of the assigned workload and that each employee has enough work to be kept busy.
Gives on-the-job training to new employees in accord with established procedures/practices and informing them of available services and agency regulations.
Plans and carries out therapeutic recreation for patients/residents who have severe multiple disabilities which include paralysis, aphasia, peripheral neuritis, or nerve injuries with other complications such as loss of sensation, personality disorders, or inability to comprehend.
Makes initial evaluation of patients for functional, social, motor, and leisure skills and abilities using a variety of tests which therapist adapts to patient=s physical/mental disability.
Performs daily evaluation of progress to determine whether to continue same course of treatment, increase, or change activity altogether.
Performs the more responsible tasks and/or takes the lead in work involved in planning individual programs of therapeutic recreation as prescribed by a physician and taking into consideration the emotional, social, leisure, and physical condition/abilities of patients.
Supervises and plans suitable programs of recreation activities.
Teaches specific recreation skills and conducts classes in physical training, employing professional therapeutic recreation principles/practices.
Confers with physicians and other professional personnel relevant to patient=s total treatment.
Plans and conducts demonstrations of therapeutic recreation techniques.
Prepares reports containing therapeutic recreation progress notes.
Establishes and maintains records and files.
Performs and instructs other therapists in the full range of therapeutic work done in the unit.
Instructs employees in specific tasks and job techniques.
Checks on work performed by other therapists to see that proper procedures and instructions have been followed.
Develops, organizes, and conducts treatment plans based on study of clinical records, medical prescription, or physician's referral.
Determines patient's/resident's interests, attitudes, abilities, and leisure skills through interview and observation.
Plans therapeutic programs taking into consideration the emotional, physical, social, and leisure skills, conditions and abilities of patients/residents.
Administers professional procedures and teaches and guides patients/residents in utilizing the 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, and textiles.
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/methods of regulatory movements of body and feet to musical and rhythmic accompaniment, and observes patient's/resident's movement 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 music listening programs, and when appropriate teaches specific musical instruments.
Develops, organizes, and conducts dramas, encouraging and employing patient/resident participation in the creative writing of the plays as well as active participation in role playing which allows patients/residents the opportunity to release constructive emotional feelings, interact with others in settings other than that of everyday environment, and to elicit a comraderie naturally engendered through such activity.
Observes patients/residents in programs to maintain records of their behavior and evaluate/determine long and short term goals/plans for them.
Records progress notes of participants in various activities.
Prepares written and oral information describing patients'/residents' symptoms indicative of progress or regression for review with the treatment team.
Develops, organizes, and conducts programs in leisure education.
Identifies local resources available to patients/residents returning to the community and provides them with transitional programs.
Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and 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.
Seven (7) 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 three (3) years 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; and two (2) years of the above-mentioned professional experience.
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; and two (2) years of the above-mentioned professional experience.
OR
Possession of a valid certificate as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist issued by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification; and three (3) years of the above-mentioned professional experience.
NOTE:"Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment 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 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 the practices/procedures of the therapeutic recreation field to specific needs of individuals/groups with various disabilities.
Knowledge of procedures used in formulating individual/group diagnostic assessments, prescriptions, and treatment plans for special populations, and in recording/reporting client treatment and rehabilitation information, both in single therapy treatment and multidisciplinary treatment settings.
Skill in adapting standard practices/procedures of therapeutic recreation to the physical, psychological, psychosocial, and emotional needs/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 therapeutic recreation for patients.
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 records and files.
Ability to provide guidance, instructions, and assistance to other therapists.
Ability to identify the physical, psychological, and emotional problems, limitations, leisure skills, and abilities/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/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/needs of patients served.
Ability 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, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. America
