Therapeutic Recreation Specialist - Per Diem, Days

Hospital for Special Care•New Britain, CT

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Therapeutic Recreation Specialist will evaluate, plan, implement and document according to the ATRA standards. Create therapeutic recreation programs that benefit the patients’ health, functional status, personal development and quality of life. Ensure the successful provision of recreation/leisure/community participation throughout admission utilizing an interdisciplinary team approach, communicating relevant information to others and providing education to staff, patients and families as necessary. The TRS will mentor and provide training to aide level staff and volunteers as appropriate.

Requirements

Valid driver's license.
Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a major in therapeutic recreation.
Certification by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation within six months of hire.
Maintains competency requirements as defined by NCTRC and ATRA standards of practice.

Nice To Haves

Current CPR Certification.
Minimum of one year clinical experience.
Public Passenger endorsement(s).

Responsibilities

Provides evaluation and treatment of recreation, leisure, and community reintegration as dictated by the ATRA practice standards.
Recognizes physiological, psychological, and age related changes in the patient, consults with other Health Care Team members, and establishes measureable goals with the patient and family based on appropriate patient care protocols and critical paths.
Plans, implements, delivers, and delegates patient care by utilizing appropriate therapeutic modalities and interventions based on assessments, revising treatments when needed, instructing patient/family through verbal, written, and audiovisual materials and participating in discharge planning including recommendations to community resources to meet patient needs throughout the continuum of care.
Maintains knowledge of advances in the care delivery through evidence based review, peer reviews, case discussion and continuing education.
Coordinates time management of self and support personnel by organizing schedules to meet patient care needs, carrying a patient load that meets productivity requirements and reflects standards of care of the service area collaborating with team members for assistance and coverage when needed to meet patient outcomes and department goals and standards.
Supervises responsibilities that have been delegated to supportive personnel.
Documents in a timely manner all patient and professional interactions such as evaluations, assessments, progress towards goals, equipment purchase orders, statistical reports, home programs and discharge summaries to maintain continuity of patient care for department standards, JCAHO and outside regulatory and insurance agencies.
Communicates understanding both verbally and nonverbally to patients and families, health care team members, supervisors, and students in an appropriate manner to enhance positive relationships both internally and externally.
Demonstrates professionalism in all interactions to promote the needs of the patient and the institution they represent.
Utilizes the AIDET principles in all interactions with internal and external customers.
Demonstrates appropriate critical incident follow-up skills by timely verbal reporting to charge RN and documentation in medical record.
Completes other documentation, ie incident reports, seclusion and restraint forms, as applicable.
Participates in debriefings.
Handle crisis situations in a safe, effective manner, utilizing the least restrictive, safe patient care alternative.
Demonstrated ability to anticipate, address and deescalate patient distress situations prior to patients loss of control as designed in their treatment plans.