Activities Coordinator / Restorative Aide - Wmc

SEARHC is a non-profit health consortium which serves the health interests of the residents of Southeast Alaska. We see our employees as our strongest assets. It is our priority to further their development and our organization by aiding in their professional advancement.

Working at SEARHC is more than a job, it’s a fulfilling career. We offer generous benefits, including retirement, paid time off, paid parental leave, health, dental, and vision benefits, life insurance and long and short-term disability, and more.

This position is to function in the restorative nursing aide role and the coordinator role which is responsible for the oversight of the LTC activities program. This position is to ensure resident safety and ensure resident’s abilities in activities of daily living so they do not diminish unless circumstances of the individual’s clinical condition demonstrate the diminution was unavoidable. To keep the staff aware of current activities and use available volunteers. To have knowledge of the organizational structure, purpose of activity programs, understand the needs of residents, methods of motivating residents, and ability to utilize available local community resources. This position consists of 5, 8 hour days and will be responsible to work weekends, evenings, and holidays.

• Oversight in planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the Activity Program of this facility.
  • Meets with administration, activity aid, medical and nursing staff, and other related departments in planning activities. Involves the resident and family in planning activities when possible.
  • Assists in developing and implementation of policies and procedures to identify the spiritual, social, recreational, and emotional needs of the resident.
  • Assists in the development of and participates in regularly scheduled orientation and in-service training programs in relation to the social, emotional and recreational needs of residents.
• Keeps abreast of current federal and state regulations, as well as professional standards and recommendations on changes in policies and procedures to the Director of Nursing.
• Assess ADL abilities of residents newly admitted to the facility, recently discharged from therapy, and with every MDS assessment.
  • Contributes to the writing of a care plan for each resident’s restorative program after discussion with the interdisciplinary team.
  • Communicates any changes in the resident’s condition to the IDT so that updates to the care plan may be made with any changes in abilities and with every restorative assessment.
  • Monitors and maintains proper charting and documentation for all progress notes and required charting.
• Assists in the development of the department budget and monitors expenditures to stay within that budget.
• Participate in community planning related to the interests of the facility and the services and needs of the resident and their family.
  • Encourages residents to participate in religious activities through religious services, reading material, visits with clergy, etc., to fulfill their basic religious needs.
• Performs administrative requirements, such as completing necessary forms, charge slips, reports, etc., as required.
• Provides information to resident/family as to the activity programs available to the residents.
  • Obtains information concerning the resident’s background to better provide activities to meet their needs.
  • Maintains contact with the resident’s family, involving them with nonmedical progress reports as necessary. Interview residents/families as necessary, and in a private setting. Assists in making appointments for the resident/family as requested or appropriate.
• Provides consultation to members of our staff, community agencies, etc., in efforts to solve the needs and problems of the resident through the development of activity/social services programs.
• Attends and participates in professional activities and programs.
• Ensure the proper recording of activity and restorative progress notes, as well as a record of resident activities.
• Creates and maintains an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the department.
• Compiles and maintains an activity schedule, available projects, crafts, resources, etc.
• Meets with the Interdisciplinary Team on a regularly scheduled basis to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the improvement of services.
• Maintains confidentiality of all pertinent resident care information to assure resident rights are protected.
• Recommends to the Director of Nursing of Long Term Care the equipment and supply needs of the department.
• Makes written and oral reports/recommendations to the Director of Nursing of LTC concerning the operation of the activity department.
• Assists in standardizing the methods in which work will be accomplished.
• Reports all incidents/accidents immediately and document same. Reports all unsafe/hazardous conditions/equipment immediately.
  • Be alert for any change in the resident’s condition. Report to charge nurse immediately.
• Assures that established safety regulations are followed at all times.
• Assures that a current resident activity schedule is maintained for each resident.
• Participates and assists in departmental studies and projects as assigned, or that may become necessary.
• Participates in discharge planning, development and implementation of activity plans, schedules and resident assessments.
• Other duties as deemed necessary and appropriate, or as may be directed by the Director of Nursing of LTC.
• Assures resident safety.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent.

Experience

• Eligible for certification as a therapeutic recreation specialist or as an activities professional by a recognized accrediting body on or after 10/1/1990 or has 2 years of experience in a social or recreation program within the last 5 years, one of which was full-time in a therapeutic activities program; or is a qualified OT or OTA or has completed a training course approved by the state.
  • As long as a license is held, this requirement must be met within 6 months if not upon hire.
  • Must take at minimum, an on-line restorative aid training class, 30 hours, within 2 months of hire, unless prior documented experience as a restorative nurse aide.

Certification/License:

• Valid Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license, Occupational Therapy (OT) license, or Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) license.
• A current state of Alaska driver’s license.
• Certification as a Therapeutic Recreational Specialist within three (3) years of hire.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of:
  • Previous experience working with Long Term care activities.
• Skills in:
  • Fluent in the English language
  • Must be able to clearly communicate with Long Term Care patients
• Ability to:
  • Must have a current State of Alaska driver’s license.
  • Ability to drive the LTC van and demonstrate competence.

Physical Working Conditions:

• Good physical and mental health. Varied periods of sitting, standing and walking.  Pushing, turning, stooping, bending, stretching, and light lifting required in preparing and implementing activity programs.  Manual dexterity to perform therapy type activities.