Recreational Therapist/ Director Of Activities

Director of Activities/ Recreational Therapist

Job Description

Department: Activity Department

Report to: Administrator

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Activities provides an ongoing program of activities designed to meet the interest and

physical, mental, and psychological well being of each patient.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervises activities provided by Activity Assistant Director, Activity Aides, volunteers and

others for whom they are administratively or professionally responsible.

• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organizational policies and

applicable laws.

• Supervisory responsibilities include:

o Interviews, hires, and trains activity employees and volunteers.

o Plans, assigns and directs work.

o Prepares work assignment sheets, taking into consideration patient safety, the educational

preparation, experience, knowledge and ability of staff.

o Receives calls and finds replacements for absent staff.

o Prepares performance evaluations with the understanding such evaluations impact tenure

of probationary employees and wage increases of non-probationary employees.

o Schedules and adjusts lunch and rest breaks.

o Approves errors in time cards or other timekeeping records.

o Receives and resolves employee complaints.

o Monitors and corrects job performance of employees.

o Disciplines employees up to and including discharge.

o Adequately supervises assigned staff and assures that those staff are supervising

employees assigned to them.

• Uses independent judgment and discretion on behalf of the organization in the performance of

these duties.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Experience/Certifications/Licenses/Registrations:

• A qualified therapeutic recreation specialist or an activities professional who

o Is licensed or registered, if applicable, by the State in which practicing; and

o Is eligible for certification as a therapeutic recreation specialist or as an activities

o professional by a recognized accrediting body on or after October 1, 1990; or

o Has 2 years of experience in a social or recreational program within the last 5 years, 1 of

o which was full-time in a patient activities program in a health care setting; or

o Is a qualified occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant; or

o Has completed a training course approved by the State.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Freedom from use of and effects of use drugs and alcohol in the workplace.

• Meets state and federal criminal background check requirements.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each key function satisfactorily.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the key

functions.

• Completes assessments, MDS, care plans and gathers information to design activities that are

multi-faceted, meets resident’s functional levels, and reflects needs and interests of each resident.

• Provides stimulation or solace, promotes physical, cognitive and/or emotional health.

• Offers activities that enhance each resident’s physical and mental status.

• Promotes each resident’s self-respect by providing activities that support self-expression and

choice.

• Offers activities that involve facility, staff, volunteers and visitors.

• Provides residents who are confined or choose to remain in their rooms with in-room activities in keeping with life-long interest (music, reading, visits with individuals who share their interests or reasonable attempts to connect the resident with such individuals) and in-room project they can work on independently.

• Informs residents when activities are occurring; encourages their involvement in activities.

• Occasionally assists with escorting residents to and from activities.

• Maintains sufficient activity supplies.

• Interviews residents, interested family members, legal representatives and significant others to

obtain and update information needed to develop individualized activities programs, to

accommodate individual needs and preferences and to protect and promote resident’s rights.

• Attends care conferences with members of the interdisciplinary team to develop, implement and evaluate plans of care.

• Communicates residents’ concerns and responses to interventions to interdisciplinary team

members and to direct care staff.

• Develops and coordinate individual, group and bed side activities that reflect the needs and

interests of residents.

• Coordinates resident outings.

• Schedules routine schedules for cleaning equipment and materials.

• Identifies ways to accommodate resident choices, preferences, functional capacity and customary routines in activities. Includes these approaches in plan of care and gives this information to direct care staff.

• Posts monthly activities calendars that:

o Reflects the schedules, choices and rights of the residents,

o Offers activities at hours convenient for the residents,

o Reflects the cultural and religious interests of the resident population,

o Appeals to both men and women and all age groups living in the facility.

• Performs daily rounds and observations of activities in progress.

• Records progress notes in the clinical record including subjective findings, objective symptoms,

observations of behavior, interventions provided to resident and their responses to activity

interventions. Review chart entries written by activities staff for completeness and accuracy.

• Completes documentation accurately and timely.

• Participates in the development of the department budget. Provides relevant financial

• information to Administrator regarding department financial needs and status.

• Actively participates in long term care survey process and works with Administrator to develop

responses to survey report as needed.

• Participates in facility committees as required.

• Interprets Company policy and makes decisions based on the application of those policies where

• applicable.

• Exercise unimpaired judgment in the interest of the Company.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Must be able to speak and write in the English language in an understandable manner. Ability to read,

analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or

governmental regulations. Ability to write business correspondence. Ability to effectively present

information and respond quickly to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers and the

general public.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define and solve problems, collects data, establish facts and draws valid conclusions. Ability

to understand a variety of technical instructions in statistical or diagram form and deal with abstract and

concrete variables. Ability to identify processes for improvement in daily work; educate new staff in

team process.

LEADERSHIP

Demonstrates willingness to try new tasks, generates new ideas for change; evaluates and recognizes

priorities, selects effective team members, challenges others to learn, keeps current and integrates new

information, communicates and models organization values, fosters high performance, recognizes need

for and provides adequate resources.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Demonstrates active listening techniques; gains support through effective relationships; treats other with dignity and respect; seeks feedback; sets clear standards for performance; evaluates job performance and provides effective feedback; establishes systems to measure effectiveness, efficiency, and service; creates and maintains reporting mechanisms.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Attends in-service and education programs and attends continuing education required for maintenance of professional certification or licensure.

RESIDENT RIGHTS

Promotes and protects residents’ rights; assists residents to make informed decisions; treats residents

with dignity and respect; protects residents’ personal belongings; reports suspected abuse or neglect;

avoids the need for physical restraints in accordance with current professional standards; supports

independent expression, choice and decision-making consistent with applicable law and regulation.

INFECTION CONTROL

Applies hand washing principles during daily work; demonstrates understanding of isolation and

standard precautions; recognizes signs and symptoms of infection and complies with the employee

health program; demonstrates understanding of the process for identifying and handling infectious

waste; maintains personal hygiene; complies with OSHA standards in the work place; and demonstrates

understanding of cross-contamination.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as statistical process control tools and budgets.

Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

Computer knowledge and use is required. Enters or records data timely and accurately, protects

confidentiality of patient information, protects data against loss or destruction, logs onto the system

using own password, logs off the system when leaving the work station, reports suspected violation of

security/confidentiality issues, review data and identifies trends and deletes passwords of employees no

longer needing access to software programs.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters

while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to

enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of

this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to blood or other body fluids, fumes or airborne particles

and toxic or caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

ENVIRONMENT OF CARE

Demonstrates understanding of fire and emergency procedures; participates in fire and disaster drills;

maintains emergency supplies and equipment; demonstrates understanding of safety and security

procedures; applies safety and security precautions; demonstrates understanding of hazardous materials plan; demonstrates proper use of equipment.

CORPORATE COMPLIANCE

Report issues affecting resident care to the Administrator. If issues continue, the Corporate Compliance

Officer should be contacted immediately through the Concern Resolution Program.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here representative those that must be met by an employee to

successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of this job, the

employee is frequently required to stand and walk, use hands to finger, reach with hands and arms, talk

or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit, climb or balance and stoop, squat or kneel. The

employee will frequently will assist to lift and/or transfer objects weighing up to 50 pounds. Specific

vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and peripheral vision.

JOB DESCRIPTION REVIEW

I understand this job description for the Director of Activities, its requirements, and that I am expected

to complete all duties as assigned. I understand the job duties, may be altered from time to time. I have

noted below any accommodations that are required to enable me to perform these duties. I have also

noted below any job duties that I am unable to perform, with or without accommodation.

My Signature Authorizes That I Have Read and Understand the above Job Description

Employee:

Signature:

Date:

CC: Employee File

Employe

It is the policy of this facility to recruit, hire, train, compensate and in all ways treat all staff members without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, military status status, genetic information or other characteristics protected by applicable law.

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