Recreational Therapist

LCMC Health•New Orleans, LA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Recreational Therapist assesses patients with psychosocial risk factors, develops treatment plans, and delivers interventions. The role evaluates social needs, coping skills, cognitive and intellectual functioning, support systems, resources, and other factors that may affect a patient’s response to illness, treatment, and discharge. The therapist identifies barriers, communicates findings and plans to the interdisciplinary team, documents care in the medical record, and reassesses patients according to their needs and plans of care. The role also facilitates and participates in therapeutic group therapy on the assigned unit. The therapist maintains a clean, organized, and safe recreational therapy room, checking for clutter, contraband, and ligature risks before each group. The position provides short-term supportive counseling and crisis intervention, refers patients and families to community agencies as needed, and coordinates with staff, agencies, and the interdisciplinary team. As an active member of discharge planning, the therapist identifies social and interpersonal factors that complicate discharge, connects patients with appropriate post-discharge resources, reviews caseloads with the treatment team, and collaborates on discharge activities for complex patients. The role coordinates care recommendations across disciplines and documents relevant information according to department standards. This position is at Children’s Hospital, part of LCMC Health. The work shift is days.

Requirements

At least 1 year of experience in a behavioral health care hospital.
Bachelor of Science in rehabilitation, recreation therapy, physical education, music therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, horticultural therapy, or psychology.
Heart Saver or Basic Life Support certification.
CPI certification at or before orientation.
Excellent communication, conflict-management, organizational, and planning skills.

Nice To Haves

3 years of experience as a recreational therapist in a behavioral health care hospital.

Responsibilities

Complete recreational assessments and develop and carry out interventions for patients with psychosocial risk factors.
Assess patients’ social needs through interviews with patients and family members, consultation with the interdisciplinary team, and medical-record review.
Evaluate coping skills, cognitive and intellectual functioning, support systems, resources, and factors affecting responses to illness, treatment, and discharge.
Identify barriers and plan interventions to overcome or lessen them; communicate findings and plans to the interdisciplinary team.
Document assessments, plans, interventions, and other pertinent information in the medical record; reassess patients based on need and plan of care.
Facilitate and participate in therapeutic group therapy for patients on the assigned unit.
Maintain an organized recreational therapy room and conduct safety rounds before each group to check for clutter, contraband, and ligature risks.
Provide short-term supportive counseling and crisis intervention to help patients develop healthy relationships and lifestyles.
Refer patients and families to appropriate community agencies or recreational services and facilitate interactions between staff and agencies.
Communicate with the interdisciplinary team to facilitate progression of care.
Participate in discharge planning by identifying social and interpersonal factors and barriers to appropriate discharge.
Refer patients to appropriate post-discharge social resources and collaborate with the treatment team on discharge planning activities for complex patients.
Review caseloads daily with the treatment team and communicate needs, barriers, findings, and progress toward discharge.
Coordinate care recommendations effectively across disciplines and maintain a working knowledge of available community resources.