KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Recreational, entertainment and athletic activities
• Body mechanics in transferring, transporting and lifting patients and equipment
• Group dynamics
• Individual behaviour in a psychiatric setting
• Telephone, office, and online etiquette
• County customer service objectives and strategies
• Current technology and trends in the profession

SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO:

• Motivate patients to increase participation in activities
• Deal and interact with patients who have emotional and behavioural problems
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relations with those contacted during the course of work
• Use a gait belt
• Drive a van or bus
• Communicate effectively with a variety of individuals representing diverse cultures and backgrounds and function calmly in situations which require a high degree of sensitivity, tack and diplomacy
• Assess the customer’s immediate needs and ensure customer’s receipt of needed services through personal service or making appropriate referral
• Provide prompt, efficient and responsive service
• Establish effective working relationships with management, employees, employee representatives and the public representing diverse cultures and backgrounds
• Treat County employees, representatives of outside agencies and members of the public with courtesy and respect
• Provides responsive, high quality service to County employees, representatives of outside agencies and members of the public by providing accurate, complete and up-to-date information, in a courteous, efficient and timely manner

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Education, training, and/or experience that demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills and abilities listed above. Qualifying education/experience:
1.One (1) year of full-time experience equivalent to a Recreation Therapy Aide with the County of San Diego in a recreation therapy department or rehabilitation setting, for example: Recreation Therapy Aide, Activity Assistant, Activity Director;
OR,
2. One (1) year of full-time experience as a Certified Nurse Assistant in a setting where providing recreational activities to patients was part of regularly assigned duties; and, at least six (6) units of college level course work in recreational therapy or a field related to recreation administration or successful completion of an approved 40-hour Activity Director Certification Course;
OR,
3. Thirty (30) completed units of college level course work from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency, at least nine (9) of these units must have been in recreational therapy or a field related to recreation administration.
Note: Successful completion of an approved 40-hour Activity Director Certification course is highly desirable.

• Assists with planning, organizing, documenting, and implementing recreational activities such as special events, field trips, and other physical, social, cognitive and spiritual activities.
• Assists with or conducts group and individual activities.
• Assesses patient activity needs, documents patient participation and charts patient’s progress.
• Motivates patients to encourage participation in activities.
• Assists adult education instructors during classes.
• Transfers and transports wheelchair patients.
• Drives patients on field trips.
• Orders and maintains recreational equipment.
• Organizes clean up and maintenance of activity areas.
• Participates in the initial patient assessment of activity needs as appropriate.
• Writes quarterly summaries.
• Updates patient care plans as assigned.
• Attends mandated facility training.