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Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Resume Samples
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0-5 years of experience
- MAB trained and certified to de-escalade and safely manage assaultive behavior.
- Assessed, planned, implemented and evaluated patient progress in regards to treatment plan goals.
- Documented patient progress daily and communicated progress to treatment team members.
- Provided large group sessions daily focused on recreation, leisure, play, relaxation techniques, communication, socialization, art, music, coping skills and positive outlets.
- Met with patients 1:1 to assess leisure interests and current leisure participation, and develop appropriate treatment goals based on information provided by patient and documented in chart.
0-5 years of experience
- Created and lead three 50-minute recreation therapy groups daily for adolescent boys and girls, children, and adults.
- Wrote daily progress notes on each patient.
- Conducted recreation therapy assessments for each new patient admitted.
- Collaborated and communicated with treatment team staff.
10+ years of experience
- Developed Therapeutic Recreation Program for Inpatient Acute Rehab program
- Completed assessments, provided treatment and gave referrals/resources upon discharge to all patients
- Co-treated with PT/OT/SP
- Assisted with community re-Integration programming
0-5 years of experience
- Director of the Therapeutic Recreation Department, 2001.
- Performed patient assessments, MDS, and related documentation for patients in the sub-acute unit.
- Developed care plans including individualized goals for sub-acute patients.
- Implemented group activities for sub-acute, assisted living, and long-term care units.
- Performed one-on-one treatments for sub-acute patients.
- Planned and organized large group activities.
- Coordinated therapeutic interventions with interdisciplinary team.
- Conducted worship service choir.
- Developed and edited the monthly newsletter.
0-5 years of experience
- Provided recreation services and therapeutic recreation activities through group programming to attain or maintain the highest practical level of residents physical, mental, and psychosocial wellbeing as assigned, in accordance with established performance standards.
- Completed Therapeutic Recreation interviews and assessments on all assigned residents upon admission, or as directed, to determine individual needs preferences with regard to recreational capabilities and resources.
- Designed, planned, and executed all recreational activities and events for the 94 bed forensic hospital. These activities include, but are not limited to, Christmas/Halloween/Holiday themed programs, weekly incentive programming, etc.
0-5 years of experience
Plans programs activities; teaches various activities while promoting individual guidance to participants; coordinates group activities with other staff members; assist I'm scheduling activities.
- Maintains appropriate records, statistics, and supplies; prepares and submits reports as requested; maintains equipment records.
- Ensures safety and security of equipment and facilities.
- Prepares a variety of forms, requisitions, correspondence, and paperwork; designs flyers for programs.
- Leads, schedules, and oversees the work of therapeutic recreation assistants, assists in hiring summer staff; assist in training volunteers and staff.
- Full-Time Employee
0-5 years of experience
- Travel extensively on daily basis to establish ongoing relationships and to assure quality service to consumers
- Manage and organize highly sensitive and confidential health documents to submit periodically to Director
- Assess, teach, and assist disabled individuals/consumers in performing basic functions of independent living
- Provide one on one instructional training to prepare individuals for employment and/or community inclusions
- Manage all documentation for each consumer according to departmental standards
0-5 years of experience
- Implemented therapeutic interventions to increase functioning, to allow patients to participate in leisure interests with modifications and to increase quality of life.
- Collaborated with rehabilitation team to create goals for discharge planning.
- Responsible for weekly community reintegration outings for patients.
0-5 years of experience
- Evaluated newly admitted residents for activity preferences and levels of function.
- Conducted various programs for residents on all units of nursing home.
- Documented attendance, assessments, MDS, care plans, and progress notes.
0-5 years of experience
Assessment and evaluation of children's functional skills
- Implementation and design of TR programs
- Provision of treatment on a one on one, small group, and community setting-based programs
- Coordination of weekly outings in the community
- Adapting to address the child's leisure needs
- Completion of documentation including assessments, progress notes, and discharge planning
0-5 years of experience
- Interview new patients weekly to assess recreational interest and needs.
- Create treatment plans for patient's goals, objectives and outcomes.
- Meet weekly with doctors and treatment team to assess and update patient progress.
- Submit weekly progress reports detailing patient participation and behavior in allied therapy recreation groups.
- Facilitate allied therapy large group activities, including, art, dance, trivia, healthy eating, and fitness
- Anticipate conflict and de-escalate potential conflicts and respond to crisis.
0-5 years of experience
- Provide daily assistance to individuals with special needs as their caregiver
- Maintain records/logs of any incidents between individuals and their guardians or individuals and staff members.
- Assist with the distribution of medication
0-5 years of experience
- Develop, adapt, organize and administer recreational therapy group programs to meet the needs of each patient
- Develop psycho-social programs for multiple goals including: stress, anger, coping, social interaction and communication skills
- Develop programs for patients with various types of disabilities
- Conduct admission, readmission, annual, quarterly and significant change assessments
- Conduct CERTs to establish 1:1 therapeutic needs
- Conduct on going evaluations, assessing that each program is appropriate toward patient goals
- Document care plans, participation, goals and objectives of both 1:1 therapy sessions, group sessions, and room visits
- Provide room visits 1-2x per week to ensure comfort and safety while offering independent leisure material, and decreasing social isolation
- Provide pet therapy room visits, groups, and 1:1 session with personal dog 1-2x per month
- Participate/member in Employee Recruitment and Retention Committee
0-5 years of experience
- Provided creative sessions tailored to client's with developmental and intellectual impairments
- ISP and NOA experience
- Intake and Scheduling
- Daily communication with team members
0-5 years of experience
- Assess patients' needs through talking with patients, patients’ families, other healthcare professionals, as well as observations, and medical records
- Create treatment plans and programs that meet patients’ needs and interests
- Plan and implement interventions to prevent harm to a patient
- Engage patients in therapeutic activities, such as games, arts & crafts, reminiscing discussions, pet therapy, and community outings
- Help patients learn social skills needed to become or remain independent
- Teach patients about ways to cope with anxiety or depression
- Record and analyze a patient’s progress towards goals
- Evaluate interventions for effectiveness
- Support patients rehabilitate after an injury or illness through leisure and recreational activities
- Supervised volunteers
0-5 years of experience
- Assess patients' needs through observations, medical records, tests, and talking with other healthcare professionals, patients' families, and patients
- Create treatment plans and programs that meet patients' needs and interests
- Plan and implement interventions to prevent harm to a patient
- Engage patients in therapeutic activities, such as games and field trips
- Help patients learn social skills needed to become or remain independent
- Teach patients about ways to cope with anxiety or depression
- Record and analyze a patient's progress
- Evaluate interventions for effectiveness
6-10 years of experience
- Organize, implement, evaluate and direct the activity programs of an Assisted Living campus as well as Long Term Care facility. Including assessing and understanding Person-Centered Care for residents, developing a schedule of activities, and leading/developing a team of activity personnel. Participating member of the care conference team as well as QA.
- Responsible for interviewing residents and recording information in PCC for MDS 3.0. Documentation for resident progress.
- Responsible for writing newsletter articles, interviewing and orienting volunteers and maintaining a budget.
Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Duties and Responsibilities
Therapeutic recreation specialists work in care facilities that focus on patient recovery, so the duties of this role are dependent on specific patient groups. Based on job postings we analyzed, there are core responsibilities associated with this position, regardless of the care provider setting:
Conduct Patient Assessments When first interacting with patients, a therapeutic recreation specialist may conduct a series of evaluations to determine a patient’s specific needs. These can include tests of physical mobility, mental evaluations, and interviews to determine the extent of the patient’s behavioral and social disabilities. This aspect of the job also gives the therapeutic recreation specialist the opportunity to answer patient questions and provide information about the therapy process.
Develop Therapy Plans Therapeutic recreation specialists also develop and enact patient treatment plans in conjunction with other therapists and specialists. While developing a treatment plan, the therapeutic recreation specialist considers many patient factors, including mobility, mental and social capabilities, pain levels, and desired outcomes. Before therapy begins, the therapeutic recreation specialist reviews the treatment plan and timeline with the patient.
Execute Activities and Treatments From day to day, therapeutic recreation specialists lead a variety of leisure activities for patients in both individual and group settings. These activities can depend on a specific patient and goal, but tend include arts and crafts projects, dance, music, and aquatic exercises. A therapeutic recreation specialist may also modify activities to address a specific patient need or limitation, such as adapting a dance to better suit patients with limited mobility.
Implement Patient Intervention Plans To support patient outcomes, therapeutic recreation specialists may need to adjust their treatment plans or introduce new modalities to address a specific patient need as it arises. A patient working on social or behavior skills may need specific, tailored outings to get more comfortable in public settings, while a therapeutic recreation specialist who determines that a patient is suffering from depression or anxiety may need a to refer them to a psychiatrist or counselor.
Evaluate Patient Progress As part of an ongoing treatment plan, the therapeutic recreation specialist also conducts periodic assessments to monitor patient progress and compares it with intended milestones and outcomes. Through these evaluations, the therapeutic recreation specialist can determine whether a specific modality proves effective and adjusts accordingly. They may also provide reports to therapists and other medical professionals to support overall patient health.
Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Skills and Qualifications
Therapeutic recreation specialists lead a variety of activities for individuals and groups. Hiring companies look for therapeutic recreation specialists to have at least a bachelor’s degree, along with the following skills:- Assessment and Evaluation – Therapeutic recreation specialists play a vital role in patient evaluation and assessment, so they are familiar with practices and procedures for measuring patient health before and during therapy
- Project Management – The ability to plan activities for patients with a variety of physical, emotional, and social limitations is also important for therapeutic recreation specialists, as is the capacity to modify activities for individual patients
- Communication Skills – Therapeutic recreation specialists use verbal and written communication to interact with patients and other care providers
- Leadership Skills – Many therapeutic recreation specialists work with groups of patients, so they effectively manage these groups and maintain focus in different settings
- Organizational Skills – Therapeutic recreation specialists need to be highly organized to develop and enact patient treatment plans, manage schedules of patient events and activities, and maintain patient records
- Endurance and Physical Dexterity – Because they work with patients with limited mobility, therapeutic recreation specialists may need to be able to support a patient’s weight. They also tend to spend long stretches of time on their feet
- Basic Computer Skills – These therapists utilize basic computer skills to coordinate patient calendars, maintain records and files, prepare reports, and conduct correspondences as needed
Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Education and Training
While therapeutic recreation specialists can find employment with an associate degree, most care facilities prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree in a field like recreation and leisure studies or recreational therapy. In addition, most employers look for therapeutic recreation specialists who are certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. Some experience working with patients or leading group activities in a setting like a school, nursing home, or hospital can also improve job-seekers’ prospects.
Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Salary and Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) includes data for therapeutic recreation therapists with that of recreational therapists. According to the BLS, recreational therapists earned a median annual salary of $47,680 as of May 2017. The lowest-paid 10 percent of recreational therapists earned less than $29,750 annually, while the highest-earning 10 percent made over $74,210. Employment for recreational therapists is expected to grow 7 percent between 2016 and 2026 as older populations put more value in safely maintaining their active lifestyles.
Helpful Resources
Interested in learning more about working as a therapeutic recreation specialist? If so, check out the following websites and texts for more information on this dynamic career path:
National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) – The NCTRC provides certification examinations, industry news, and career guidance for therapeutic recreation specialists.
103 Group Activities and TIPS (Treatment Ideas & Practical Strategies) – This book by Judith Belmont includes group therapy strategies and activities for patients with a variety of physical, mental, emotional, and social limitations.
American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) – This professional organization promotes the practice of recreational therapy and provides resources for therapeutic recreation specialists.
Recreational Therapy: An Introduction – Read this textbook by David R. Austin for a detailed overview of recreational therapy practices and modalities, along with example activities for groups and individuals.
