Therapeutic Activity Specialist

PRN - As needed

Must work 24 hours in 6 weeks

General Summary

In concert with the therapy team, treatment team members, and nursing staff, this position works collaboratively to facilitate a stable and smooth operation of the program and provides therapeutic interventions in accordance with best practice guidelines, treatment plans, and policies and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Provides day-to-day oversight of activities. Identifies times of needed patient engagement and facilitates activities on all units.
• Documents weekly group topics and assists with program performance improvement measures and outcomes.
• Promotes client attendance and participation in groups and activities and documents participation.
• Assumes responsibility for awareness of individual treatment goals in collaboration with the client and team to provide support as appropriate.
• Assumes responsibility for awareness of behavioral management plans for acute patients in cooperation with treatment team
• Participates in completing client-centered questionnaires as assigned.
• Provides direct support to teach behavioral symptom management techniques and assists clients in adapting to and/or coping with internal and external stresses.
• Provides support to clients and families by maintaining communication between support person(s), patient and team.
• Communicates relevant client progress to team members to promote continuity of treatment information.
• Provides practical help and side-by-side coaching and problems solving to help clients obtain necessities of daily living.
• Provides care to clients in a manner that considers safety, comfort, and the therapeutic environment.
• Exhibits clinically appropriate relational (e.g., accurate empathy, active listening) skills.
• Manages behavioral crises including 1:1 observation, redirection, physical restraint, and team crisis interventions.
• Participation when requested in non-clinical tasks to meet patient needs and requests that do not require delegation from an RN.

Common Expectations:

• Demonstrates leadership through collaboration with other team members, maintaining positive solution-focused communication, taking initiative, leading by example, demonstrating open and consistent communication, understanding of diagnosis and clinical interventions, and investing in the development of growth of staff and the program.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span of the assigned client population.
• Assesses and interprets client age specific data and provides appropriate, age specific treatment.
• Establishes and maintains positive therapeutic relationships with clients.
• Demonstrates commitment to clients, visitors, and other staff by complying with all applicable safety regulations, identifying opportunities to standardize processes and "error proof" systems that will lead to increased safety, and participating in safety education programs and performance improvement as required.
• Maintains established policies and procedures, objectives, quality assessment, safety, environmental and infection control standards.
• Enhances professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-service meetings, and workshops.
• Provides outstanding service to all customers; fosters teamwork; and practices fiscal responsibility through improvement and innovation
• Attends scheduled meetings as required.
• Maintains proficiency in principals of de-escalation.
• Completes documentation according to established standards.
• All other responsibilities as assigned by the manager/designee.

Qualifications

Minimum Education:

• High School Diploma or GED Required and
• Bachelors Degree Preferred

Work Experience:

• 1 year Of group development/facilitation programming with Bachelor's Degree Required or
• 3 years Of group development/facilitation programming without Bachelor's Degree Required and
• Behavioral/mental health, social science Required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent human relations and oral/written communication skills.
• Analytical skills.
• Organization and time management.
• Mental and visual ability to observe client behavior and document findings.
• Teaching ability.
• Customer service awareness and capability.
• Knowledge of current activities, therapy principals and group counseling skills/techniques.