ESH Recreation Assistant/UKHC

UK HealthCare; Lexington (KY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

UK HealthCare in Lexington, KY seeks an Eastern State Recreation Assistant to support the patient care team, schedule classes, and lead recovery-focused activities per the PRP.

The role emphasizes coaching, compliance with HIPAA and infection control, teamwork, and maintaining a therapeutic unit, with flexible hours and ongoing professional development.

Qualifications

• Scheduling and coordinating patient classes.
• Coaching and counseling staff to reinforce competencies.
• Strong collaboration with Employee Relations and other departments.
• Providing timely performance and behavior feedback to direct reports.
• Fostering communication through regular staff meetings.
• Ensuring compliance with policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Monitoring work environment and driving improvement initiatives.
• Assisting with recovery PRP planning and patient care delivery.
• Assisting with transportation and escorting of patients as needed.
• Handling safe patient transport and on-unit group activities.

Responsibilities

• Assists with transportation and escorting of patients.
• Lifting of patients may be required.
• Gives feedback for the personal recovery plan (PRP).
• Completes rehabilitation screenings with patients per policy.
• Explains procedures and services to patients and guests within scope.
• Redirects issues to appropriate staff and fosters teamwork.
• Maintains relationships with patients and healthcare team members.
• De-escalates patient situations and builds therapeutic rapport.
• Manages unit milieu to keep it therapeutic, pleasant, and professional.
• Follows PPE and infection control guidelines.
• Promotes customer-focused service excellence.
• Supports restraint-free patient environment goals.
• Identifies opportunities for improvement and communicates them.
• Keeps professional knowledge up to date through workshops and publications.
• Work hours may vary.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Engages in patient and employee satisfaction initiatives.
• Understands satisfaction scores and goals.
• Fosters interdisciplinary teamwork to improve clinical outcomes.
• Flexible with schedule and willing to work in other areas.

Job description

The Eastern State Recreation Assistant uses best practices such as behavior-based interview techniques, interviews applicants for vacant positions and selects best candidates. Develops staff through effective coaching/counseling, reinforces University’s core competencies. Collaborates with Employee Relations and applies appropriate, consistent corrective action. Provides direct reports with performance and behavior related feedback, negative and positive, daily. Completes PEs at least annually. Fosters communication through regular staff meetings. Ensures compliance with UK policies and procedures, and federal, state, and local regulations. Constantly monitors work environment for improvement opportunities and implements improvement initiatives. Assists the patient care team in providing care as defined by the scope of the job duties and the Personal Recovery Plan (PRP); scheduling patients for classes, assisting with planning an leading recovery mall and on-unit groups and activities.

Assists with transportation and escorting of patients. Lifting of patients may be required. Gives feedback for the personal recovery plan (PRP). Completes rehabilitation screenings with patients per policy. Within the scope of practice, explains all procedures and services for patients and guests, corrects problems and inconveniences of patients and families or redirects to appropriate staff, fosters a sense of teamwork and collaboration within the department and hospital, demonstrates good working relationships with other patients, and demonstrates effective verbal and written communication. Works closely with other members of the healthcare team. Builds therapeutic rapport and de-escalates patient situations as needed. Manages the unit milieu to keep the unit environmental therapeutic, pleasant, and professional. Demonstrates the appropriate use of personal protective equipment/attire; follows established hospital infection control guidelines and follows isolation precautions for infectious patients.

Assists recovery mall/unit staff in ensuring a safe environment. Use all equipment in a safe and effective manner and report all accidents and incidents appropriately. Restraint-free environment. Completes accurate and legible recording in the medical record. Follows established HIPPA regulations, communicates pertinent information related to patient care, and provides communication during patient hand-off to all healthcare providers. Assumes accountability for development. Completes all required competencies. Participates in staff meetings or other meetings as requested. Serves on committees, project teams, etc., as needed and/or required. Functions as a part of the recovery team and maintains an integrated services system that focuses on patient recovery, collaborates with other disciplines, departments, and treatment teams, and ensures a collaborative approach to patient care. Works directly with clinical and non-clinical staff in resolving patient problems and service issues. Ensures high level of satisfaction from patients related to services.

Facilitates communication of the philosophy of a customer-focused environment and the expectation of service excellence. Participates in goal of restraint-free patient environment. Identifies and communicates opportunities for improvement. Maintains Professional and Technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing professional networks; participating in professional societies; maintaining certifications; completing required annual training within established timeframes.

Work hours may vary. Other related duties, as assigned. Exhibits personal engagement in Patient and Employee Satisfaction initiatives. Has current understanding of Patient and Employee Satisfaction Scores and goals in work area. Fosters and models interdisciplinary team collaboration to achieve desired clinical outcomes and improve culture. Expresses and demonstrates willingness to assist team and other departments during increased capacity by being flexible with schedule and willing to work in other areas.