RECREATION THERAPY ASSISTANT | BEHAVIORIAL HEALTH SERVICES | FULL-TIME EVENING E/O WEEKEND SHIFT (23223)

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center • Paramus, NJ

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center is seeking a Recreation Therapy Assistant for Behavioral Health Services. The role provides age-appropriate recreational and therapeutic support to patients in on- and off-unit settings, following activity schedules established by program and rehabilitation leadership. The assistant leads leisure, social, communication, stress-reduction, reality-orientation, self-esteem, independent-living, and physical-exercise activities, and supports patients and clinical staff during group and individual interventions.

The position also supports patients with assigned activities of daily living, helps maintain a clean, safe, and therapeutic unit environment, communicates patient needs and observed behavior to the treatment team, and records relevant patient actions and communications in the medical record. The assistant follows hospital and departmental policies, safety and infection-control standards, and patient-rights and customer-service expectations. Other duties include helping with meals or ambulation, transporting patients, contributing to treatment planning and program development, and supporting department operations as assigned.

Requirements

• Heartsaver/CPR certification is required.
• Technical skills required for patient care.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Speak, read, and write English to the extent required by the position.
• High school graduate or equivalent required.

Nice To Haves

• One to two years of experience as a direct service provider in a behavioral health facility is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide age-appropriate patient care and recreational activities on and off the unit according to the scheduled program.
• Implement and lead activities involving leisure education, stress reduction, social skills, reality orientation, communication, self-esteem, independent living skills, and physical exercise.
• Use appropriate behavioral management techniques when interacting with patients.
• Provide individual patient interventions during group activities and in the unit milieu.
• Support clinical staff with group and individual therapeutic interventions.
• Assist patients with assigned activities of daily living, including vital signs, meal service, and monitoring.
• Communicate patient needs, requests, and observed behaviors to the Charge Nurse and other treatment team members; take direction from the Unit Charge Nurse concerning patient care and management.
• Orient patients to the unit environment and daily program schedule, and maintain posted schedules and patient assignments.
• Maintain activity areas in a clean, safe, and therapeutic condition, including arranging furniture and cleaning and organizing after activities.
• Conduct patient head counts and participate in monitoring precaution levels as assigned.
• Transport patients to and from scheduled activities and other appointments.
• Participate in activity program development and multidisciplinary treatment-plan development and implementation as appropriate.
• Help create an aesthetically pleasing unit environment and decorate for seasonal or holiday observances in accordance with hospital safety standards.
• Document patient actions, behaviors, symptoms, and significant verbal and non-verbal communications in the medical record using the prescribed format.
• Follow hospital-wide, Behavioral Health, and Rehabilitation Department policies and procedures, including safety, environmental, infection-control, quality-assurance, and Patient's Bill of Rights standards.
• Provide timely, professional, caring, and respectful customer service.
• Use the hospital computer system in accordance with job responsibilities and hospital policy.
• Assist patients during mealtimes, including observation or feeding assistance, as needed.
• Assist patients with ambulation, including walking on the unit or accompanying them to the bathroom, as needed.
• Identify problems and contribute to unit and department problem-solving processes.
• Participate in unit committees and Performance Improvement activities as assigned.
• Assist other personnel and perform other duties that support department and organizational objectives.

Benefits

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Generous time-off policy, including vacation days, personal time, sick leave, and nine paid holidays.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Continuing education programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: High school or GED