Activity Therapist - Outpatient

Advocate Health; Wauwatosa (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocate Health in Wisconsin seeks a recreational therapy professional to develop and evaluate experiential therapy programs that align with patient treatment goals. The role individualizes activities, leads groups, and collaborates with the multidisciplinary team to inform treatment plans and improve patient outcomes.

Responsibilities include documentation, equipment maintenance, and applying growth and development knowledge for age-appropriate care.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Recreational Therapy is required.
• Typically 1 year of behavioral health experience or clinical field work.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develops, plans, implements and evaluates recreational therapy programming to support treatment goals.
• Individualizes treatment and facilitates activities across the continuum of care.
• Provides leadership and models behavior within group dynamics.
• Completes all documentation in a timely manner.
• Contributes to treatment planning from psychosocial activity perspective.
• Educates other disciplines on recreational therapy principles and evaluates programming.
• Monitors patient behavior and intervenes safely using de-escalation techniques.
• Maintains therapy equipment and supplies.
• Fosters collaborative relationships across disciplines to support patient care.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Interpersonal skills

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Recreational Therapy

Job description

Major Responsibilities:

• Develops, plans, implements and evaluates recreational and experiential therapy programming as a means to assist patients in reaching treatment goals. Plans are developed as a response to patient assessment conducted.
• Individualizes treatment programming for patients as assigned. Facilitates therapeutic activities involving a variety of modalities and across the continuum of care.
• Provides leadership and role modeling, incorporating group dynamics into process.
• Completes all documentation in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Participates with the interdisciplinary team in treatment plan formulation by contributing to the assessment of the patients' needs from a psychosocial activity point of view.
• Educates other disciplines in theory and philosophy of recreational therapy as needed. Evaluates programming on an on-going basis and formulates plan for improvement as needed.
• Monitors patient behavior and intervenes appropriately in a safe manner, using de-escalation techniques.
• Maintains recreational therapy equipment and supplies.
• Maintains awareness of and works within Hospital, State of Wisconsin and the Joint Commission (TJC) standards of practice.
• Develops supportive, collaborative relationships with all disciplines to promote positive, team-oriented approach to patient care.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards.

Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required:

• None Required.

Education Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in Recreational Therapy.

Experience Required:

• Typically requires 1 year of experience in assigned specialty area in behavioral health setting, this may be substituted for the clinical field work experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:

• Must have completed or in process of completion, a clinical field work experience on a full-time basis.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Good interpersonal skills with ability to function in a multidisciplinary team.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Must be able to sit, stand, walk, lift, squat, bend, twist, and reach above shoulders frequently throughout the workday.
• Must be able to:
• lift up to 50 lbs. from floor to waist.
• Lift up to 20 lbs. over the head.
• Carry up to 40 lbs. a reasonable distance.
• Must be able to:
• push/pull with 30 lbs. of force.
• Perform a sliding transfer of 150 lbs. with a second person present.
• Must be physically able to restrain and control patients who are outwardly psychotic or physically combative.
• Must have functional use of senses to allow for effective communication.
• May be exposed to mechanical, electrical, chemical, and radiation hazards as well as blood and body fluids; therefore, personal protective equipment must be worn as necessary.
• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.