Therapy Extender - 32 Hours, Days

Qualifications

• Required: Associates degree in a health-related field or 3 years' work experience with individuals with disabilities in a healthcare setting.
• Required: Clear and appropriate interpersonal and communication skills.
• Required: Ability to read, write and understand instructions in English.
• Required: Ability to work independently.
• Required: Ability to lift and assist with patient transfers.
• Valid Driver's License.
• Required: Demonstrated proficiency with computers and system management.

Job Summary

The Therapy Extender plans, develops and implements individual and group non-skilled interventions to improve the functioning of patients diagnosed with a variety of physical, cognitive, communication, social emotional and developmental needs. The Therapy Extender performs a variety of departmental and interdepartmental tasks in order to ensure the successful provision of rehabilitation services related to mobility, communication, leisure, technology and health and wellness.

Physical Demands

• Ability to tolerate up to four hours of consecutive work.
• Endurance for up to one and one-half hour periods of constant sitting and one-hour periods of independent mobility.
• Ability to safely transfer patients and provide contact guarding or hands-on assistance.
• Ability to lift or carry objects up to 10 pounds continuously, to 20 pounds frequently, to 40 pounds frequently for patient transfer.
• Ability to push/pull up to 50 pounds frequently throughout the day for patient transport and mobility activities.
• Frequent need to initiate body positional changes to access equipment from high and low areas and while providing treatment interventions.
• Functional fine and gross motor skills and upper extremity sensation needed.
• Intact vision needed for observation of patient's non-verbal responses and skin assessment. Must be able to initiate and interpret communication with patient and others.
• Ability to tolerate submersion in up to shoulder-depth water from 1-3 hours.

Cognitive Demands

• Job requires the application of previously acquired knowledge. It also requires flexibility of thought, reasoning, organizational skills and the ability to act in some new or unfamiliar situations. Selective attention and concentration are necessary to complete tasks.
• Ability to report patient response, reaction and behavior through written and oral communication.
• Independent organization of schedule and ability to prioritize tasks.
• Must be able to initiate and interpret communication with patient and others.
• Job requires an ability to comprehend lengthy messages or paragraphs and to follow multistage and three step commands.

Work Demands

• Job requires working primarily indoors, only occasionally needing to be outdoors.
• Job requires working around and with others on a continuous basis.
• Task fluctuation on schedule is frequent and often unpredictable due to census and patient specific needs. Work is frequently carried out in a noisy and somewhat crowded setting.
• There is exposure to body fluids, contagious disease and blood borne pathogens.
• There is occasional exposure to particles, chemicals, electromagnetic, electrical, ultrasonic, and/or thermal agents that could cause eye, nose or skin irritation - such as those utilized for casting/splinting, patient treatment, equipment fabrication or cleaning.