Lead Therapeutic Recreation Specialist

Job description

Position Location:
Hospital for Special Care
Scheduled Weekly Hours:
0
Work Shift:
First Shift
Department:
Inpatient Rehabilitation Services
We are dedicated to creating an environment of care and engagement that makes us one of the most desirable places to work, providing exceptional care to each patient each and every day!
QUALIFICATIONS Required: Degree from an accredited college or university with a major in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology or Therapeutic Recreation Required: Current Connecticut Licensure as or national certification as deemed necessary by specific discipline Required: Maintains competency requirements as defined by NCTRC/ state practice act and professional organization standards of practice Required: Minimum of 3 years clinical experience Valid driver’s license Preferred: Current CPR certification. JOB SUMMARY The Lead Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist will support the manager in daily activities focusing on efficiencies in running designated areas. The lead will work collaboratively with the rehabilitation leadership team, focusing on daily staffing/scheduling, patient access to therapy services, productivity, EMR revisions and updates. The lead will assist the manager with onboarding of new hires, staff mentoring and the student program. The lead therapist will act as a resource and facilitate the provision of therapy services for appropriate utilization of resources and delivery of care and create programs that benefit the patients’ health, functional status, and personal development related to quality of life. PHYSICAL DEMANDS Ability to tolerate up to four hours of consecutive work. Endurance for up to one and one-half hour periods of constant sitting and one-hour periods of independent mobility. Ability to lift or carry objects up to 10 pounds continuously, to 20 pounds occasionally Ability to push/pull over 100 pounds occasionally throughout the day for patient transport. Frequent need to initiate body positional changes to access equipment from high and low areas and while providing treatment interventions. Ability to tolerate submersion in up to shoulder-depth water from 1-2 hours. Functional fine and gross motor skills and upper extremity sensation needed. Intact vision needed for observation of patient's non-verbal responses and driving. COGNITIVE DEMANDS Job requires independent problem identification, quick decision making, and abstract reasoning. Job also requires the ability to adapt information to new situations and changing environments. A high degree of selective attention, discernment, perception, and/or concentration in the presence of noise/distraction is necessary. Job requires clinical judgment to analyze and synthesize information, discriminate relevant from irrelevant information and determine prognosis and plan of care through interpretation of medical history and data gathered in evaluation. Job requires ability to learn new techniques, apply theory to functional context, determine interventions to be used and modify plan of care to patient needs. Reading, auditory comprehension of abstract information, and an ability to make inferences are also required. Job requires a high degree of writing proficiency including attention to detail, and adherence to all elements of style. A working knowledge and familiarity with medical terms and definitions is required. Job requires a high level of communication skill including expression of abstract/complex ideas, use of negotiation and active listening as well as the ability to dialogue with multiple parties. Must demonstrate the ability to modify communication skills to the listener's level of ability or readiness to comprehend. Job requires the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide with all units of measure, and the ability to perform these operations with common and decimal fractions. Also, to compute ratio, rate and percent and perform arithmetic operations. Job requires computer skills for staff and patient resource education, and program development/evaluation of Recreation Therapy based programming. WORK DEMANDS Job requires primarily working indoors with an occasional need to be outdoors. Job requires working regularly with and around others. Schedule fluctuation is frequent and often unpredictable due to census, documentation requirements or program development. There is occasional exposure to particles, chemicals that could cause eye, nose or skin irritation-such as those utilized for equipment cleaning. There is exposure to body fluids, contagious disease and occasionally blood borne pathogens and radiation. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Provide evaluation of discipline pertinent impairments as dictated by relevant state practice act and licensure requirements. Recognizes physiological, psychological and age-related changes in the patient, consults with other Health Care Team members and establishes measurable 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. Coordinates time management of self by organizing schedules to meet patient care needs carrying a patient caseload that meets productivity expectations and 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 interaction such as evaluations, progress toward 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 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 HRO principles. Develops multidisciplinary expertise in designated specialty area (Rehab. /Behavioral/Continuing Care) to allow for assisting managers in the oversight of staffing and clinical practice in specific area designated as well as across the institution. Helps coordinate staffing in collaboration with the rehab. leadership team/manager to provide optimal patient care and drive efficiencies and therapist productivity expectations. Assists managers in implementation of programmatic initiatives in designated areas working collaboratively with unit managers, case coordinators and staff as appropriate. Provides education to staff on units and monitors program outcomes and ongoing quality improvement. Communicates with staff at monthly inpatient and outpatient staff meeting. Supports manager in daily running of assigned area with tasks as delegated. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS At Hospital for Special Care, we are committed to supporting the health, financial well-being, and professional growth of our team members. The wage range for this position is $27.84 to $43.15. Eligible employees may participate in a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-subsidized medical and dental, vision insurance; a 403(b) retirement savings plan with an employer match of up to 6%; paid time off; employer-paid life insurance; short-term and long-term disability insurance; a Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contributions; Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA); an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities; voluntary benefits, including pet insurance; employee wellness programs with access to our onsite fitness and aquatics center; an employee referral bonus program; and meaningful employee recognition and appreciation initiatives. Eligibility for certain benefits is based on scheduled hours worked.