Recreational Therapist

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation is seeking a qualified Recreational Therapist to plan and administer therapeutic recreation services, coordinating care and documenting resident information to support outcomes and quality of life.

The candidate will manage therapy calendars, analyze progress toward goals, supervise students and staff, and ensure confidentiality and safety across departments. A Bachelor’s degree and CBT/CPR credentials are required or anticipated within 12 months.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Recreational Therapy or related major required.
• Previous experience working with neurologically impaired individuals with moderate to severe physical and cognitive deficits preferred.
• Recreational Therapist certification required or obtained within 12 months of date of hire.
• Basic Life Support / CPR, as a healthcare provider, per the American Heart Association required.

Responsibilities

• Deliver examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis and goal-oriented intervention to optimize outcomes and quality of life.
• Document, date, and authenticate resident information; complete daily statistics and documentation for reimbursement; update care plans as per policy.
• Compile, draft and organize therapy calendar; maintain attendance logs for programs.
• Analyze achievement of goals; plan equipment and therapy programs; provide follow-up or referrals as needed.
• Attend inservices; provide inservices/teaching to staff, residents, families and other health care professionals; supervise students and volunteers.
• Assist with supervision of staff; participate in program planning; contribute to budget input and staff appraisals.
• Plan, supervise and provide educational experiences for staff, students and volunteers; provide feedback and coordinate with schools.
• Ensure confidentiality of resident information; follow confidentiality policy.
• Maintain safe and clean work environment; ensure equipment operation and infection control procedures.
• Promote resident safety during treatments and transfers; ensure proper body mechanics.
• Collaborate with team; participate in meetings; act as liaison between therapy departments and internal/external contacts.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Recreational Therapy

Recreational Therapist certification

Basic Life Support / CPR certification

Job description

Promotes optimal development of recreational/leisure pursuits and quality of life through planning and administration of therapeutic recreation services.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

DELIVERS QUALITY CARE

By integrating the elements of examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis and goal-oriented comprehensive intervention to optimize outcomes and improve overall quality of life.

RECORDS RESIDENT/PATIENT INFORMATION

By documenting, dating, and authenticating all resident information as per department policy, completing daily statistics, completing all documentation needed for reimbursement, reviewing and updating resident care plans as per facility policy, providing written updates to other staff, physicians, families.

CALENDAR AND SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT

Compiles, drafts, and organizes therapy calendar and maintains schedule/log of residents’ attendance to programs.

GOAL ANALYSIS AND EQUIPMENT PLANNING

By analyzing achievement of anticipated goals and expected outcomes, preparing resident with needed equipment/therapy programs and leisure education, performing training, assessing new environment with recommendations made, providing follow-up or referral as needed.

PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

By attending department inservices, participating in continuing education, providing inservices/teaching to staff, residents, families, other health care professionals, supervising students/volunteers, independently reviewing current literature.

LEADERSHIP SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

By assisting with supervision of staff, serving as mentor to other staff, proposing, problem solving, investigating and implementing alternative approaches, assisting with program planning, providing input for budget development, providing input to and/or delivering staff performance appraisals.

EDUCATION OF STAFF, STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS

By planning, supervising and providing educational experiences, providing instruction with verbal and written feedback to students, consulting with schools and arranging educational tasks with other staff.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND RESIDENT INFORMATION PROTECTION

By securing all information in confidential space, following facility confidentiality policy.

SAFE AND CLEAN WORK ENVIRONMENT

By ensuring good operation of all equipment, maintaining equipment manuals, providing/procuring equipment maintenance as needed, providing education to staff regarding equipment use, assisting with cleaning/housekeeping of department following facility policies and procedures for infection control and life safety.

RESIDENT SAFETY

By maintaining CPR certification, being aware of emergency procedures during on/off campus programs, performing safe, effective use of tie downs during motor vehicle use, ensuring use of proper body mechanics during all resident treatments/transfers, and demonstrating safety during operation of all motor vehicles.

TEAM CONTRIBUTION

By embracing change to achieve common goals, demonstrating and promoting a positive work environment, contributing to the development of others.

By attending and actively participating in staff meetings, serving as representative of the LTC therapy department, serving as liaison between therapy departments and internal/external contacts, serving as resource person for staff, residents, families, community members, participating in departmental and GSH events/activities which are supportive of our mission.

COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNMENTAL, LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDELINES/REQUIREMENTS

By understanding and adhering to current standards of practice for their discipline, guide for professional conduct including the code of ethics and practice guidelines established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Education
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Recreational Therapy or related major required
• Work Experience
  • Previous experience working with neurologically impaired individuals with moderate to severe physical and cognitive deficits preferred
• Licenses / Certifications
  • Recreational Therapist certification required or obtained within 12 months of date of hire
  • Basic Life Support / CPR, as a healthcare provider, per the American Heart Association required