Recreation Therapy Technical Standards

• Recall, collect, analyze, synthesize and integrate information from a variety of sources.
• Measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize data.
• Problem-solve and think critically in order to apply knowledge and skill.
• Communicate verbally, and through reading and writing, with individuals from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds.
• Relay information in oral and written form effectively, accurately, reliably and intelligibly to individuals and groups, using the English language.

Examples of learning activities found in the recreation therapy curriculum and related to industry standards:

• Process information thoroughly and quickly to prioritize and implement recreation therapy.
• Sequence or cluster data to determine patient/client needs.
• Develop and implement a recreation therapy plan of care for patients/clients in acute, long term and community settings.
• Discriminate fine/subtle differences in medical terminology,
• Report verbally and in writing patient/client data to members of the healthcare team.
• Read and comprehend medical orders and patient/client information found in the medical record.
• Perform math computations for analyzing assessment and evaluation data both with and without a calculator.
• Apply critical thinking in the development and implementation of modifications of interventions as needed to meet client outcomes.
• Ability to select modalities suited to a client’s current functional capacities in order to maximize independence, restore functions(s), and/or aid in adjustment to disability.

Motor:

• Coordinate fine and gross motor movements.
• Coordinate hand/eye movements.
• Maintain balance from any position.
• Negotiate level surfaces, ramps and stairs.
• Function with both hands free for performing psychomotor tasks.
• Maneuver in small areas.
• Attend to cognitive and psychomotor tasks for up to 3-hours.

Examples of learning activities found in the recreation therapy curriculum and related to industry standards:

• Control a fall by slowly lowering patient/client to the floor.
• Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• Lift or move (turn, position) patients/clients or objects, pull or push objects, weighing up to 35 pounds.
• Reach to shoulder or higher level to place or access equipment, bend or squat to access equipment below bed level.
• Carry equipment and supplies to the patient/client.
• Manipulate small equipment and containers used in recreation therapy practice.
• Perform evaluation and treatment techniques; manipulate common tools used for screening tests and therapeutic intervention of the client.
• Ability to physically maneuver in required clinical settings to accomplish assigned tasks.
• Demonstrate strength and endurance to complete assigned periods of clinical practice.

Sensory

• Acquire information from demonstrations and experiences, including but not limited to information conveyed through online coursework, lecture, small group activities, demonstrations and application experiences.
• Collect information through observation, listening, touching and smelling.
• Use and interpret information from diagnostic maneuvers

Examples of learning activities found in the recreation therapy curriculum and related to industry standards:

• Detect changes in skin color or condition.
• Detect a fire in the patient/client care environment.
• Observe patients/clients in a room from a distance of 20 feet away.
• Detect audible alarms generated by mechanical systems such as those that monitor bodily functions, fire alarms, call bells.
• Observe and collect data from recording equipment and measurement devices used in patient/client care.
• Communicate with peers/faculty/patients/clients and members of the healthcare team in person and over the phone in a variety of settings.
• Detect foul odors of bodily fluids or spoiled foods.
• Detect smoke from burning materials.
• Detect changes in skin temperature.

• Demonstrate emotional stability to function effectively under stress and adapt to changing environments.
• Demonstrate appropriate, affective behaviors and mental attitudes to ensure the emotional, physical, mental and behavioral safety of peers/ patients/clients in compliance with the ethical standards of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association.
• Maintain effective, mature and sensitive relationships with others.
• Acknowledge and respect individual values and opinions to foster harmonious working relationships with colleagues, peers, and patients/clients.
• Examine and modify one's own behavior when it interferes with others or the learning environment.
• Possess attributes that include compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, honesty, responsibility and tolerance.

Examples of learning activities found in the recreation therapy curriculum and related to industry standards:

• Exercise judgment, meet acceptable timeframes for patient/client care delivery (acceptable timeframes are reflected by ability to carry out the usual patient/client care assignment for a particular point in the program within the allotted clinical time), work effectively under stress, and adapt to rapidly changing patient/client care environments.
• Accept accountability for actions that resulted in patient/client care errors. Deal effectively with interpersonal conflict if it arises; maintain effective and harmonious relationships with members of the healthcare team.
• Demonstrate appropriate, affective behaviors and mental attitudes to ensure the emotional, physical, mental and behavioral safety of peers/patients/clients in compliance with the ethical standards of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association.
• Sustain the mental and emotional rigors of a demanding educational program in recreational therapy that includes academic and clinical components that occur within set time constraints, and often concurrently.
• Demonstrate the ability to work as a cooperative team member on group projects

If a student believes that he or she is a qualified student with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation, he or she will register with the UNCW’s Disability Resource Center DePaolo Hall to determine eligibility.

Students who may need an accommodation or who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, should make an appointment with the RTH Coordinator as early as possible, no later than the first week of the semester.

A student who registers with ODS will coordinate and cooperate with ODS to document any impairment and to interact with ODS and the university to determine any reasonable accommodation(s).

Once the student has made a request for accommodation, the University will determine whether the student is qualified and able to perform the essential technical standards with reasonable accommodation, including but not limited to a review of whether the requested accommodations are reasonable, would jeopardize clinician/patient safety, or would fundamentally alter the education process of the student or institution, such as coursework, clinical experiences and internships deemed essential to graduation.

To the extent possible, UNCW encourages a student to continue in a program/course during pregnancy. The university requests that a student inform faculty and/or the recreation therapy coordinator of  pregnancy as soon as possible.

Depending on the circumstances, it may become necessary for the student to obtain a signed statement from the primary health care provider verifying that the student may participate In the program/course, Including meeting relevant technical standards.

Depending on the circumstances, a student who Is less than six weeks post partum may also need to have written documentation from their primary health care provider that states the student can meet the technical standards of the recreation therapy program/course in order to return to clinical practice.