Recreational Therapists
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
Plan, direct, or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. Activities include sports, trips, dramatics, social activities, and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $31K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $37K
Median Salary: $47K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $62K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $79K
Demand
Core Tasks
Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients, themselves, to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
Plan, organize, direct, and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community, and prevent further medical problems.
Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests, and objectives of therapy.
Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
Encourage clients with special needs and circumstances to acquire new skills and get involved in health-promoting leisure activities, such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and gardening.
Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.
Develop discharge plans for patients.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Psychology
90%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Therapy and Counseling
84%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Customer and Personal Service
83%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
81%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training
79%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Sociology and Anthropology
70%
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Administration and Management
68%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Clerical
62%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Medicine and Dentistry
60%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Philosophy and Theology
57%
Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Top 10 Skills
Service Orientation
83%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness
83%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination
80%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
75%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Instructing
75%
Teaching others how to do something.
Reading Comprehension
75%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing
73%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving
70%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
83%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
80%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity
80%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Deductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Written Expression
78%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Speech Recognition
75%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension
75%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Information Ordering
70%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Top 10 Work Activities
Assisting and Caring for Others
93%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Documenting/Recording Information
90%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Scheduling Work and Activities
89%
Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
88%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
87%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Getting Information
87%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Thinking Creatively
87%
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
84%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
83%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
80%
Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Detailed Work Activities
Gather medical information from patient histories.
Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.
Treat patients using psychological therapies.
Develop treatment plans that use non-medical therapies.
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Record patient medical histories.
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
Train patients, family members, or caregivers in techniques for managing disabilities or illnesses.
Encourage patients or clients to develop life skills.
Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
Inform medical professionals regarding patient conditions and care.
Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.
Develop medical treatment plans.
Work Context
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Education
Interests
Social
100%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic
67%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Investigative
53%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising
48%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
34%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic
24%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Adaptability/Flexibility
96%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Integrity
95%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Concern for Others
94%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
93%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
93%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Self Control
92%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Social Orientation
92%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Initiative
91%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Innovation
89%
Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Independence
88%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Work Values
Relationships
100%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
60%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
