CareerGPS

Recreational Therapists
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Recreational Therapists
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
121 145 23 19.11% 5 12 16 $38.94 $80,997 Bachelor's degree
Description: 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 arts and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
  • Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests and objectives of therapy.
  • 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.
  • Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
  • Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
  • Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
  • Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients themselves to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
  • 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.
  • Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.

Knowledge

88%
Psychology - 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.
88%
Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
75%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
74%
Customer and Personal Service - 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.
70%
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
68%
Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
62%
Medicine and Dentistry - 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.

Skills

78%
Active Listening - 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.
78%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
72%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
72%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
69%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
65%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
65%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
62%
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
62%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
62%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
60%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
60%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
56%
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
56%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
56%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
53%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
53%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
50%
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Abilities

81%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
78%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
72%
Problem Sensitivity - 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.
69%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
65%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
65%
Information Ordering - 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).
65%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
65%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
62%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
62%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
60%
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
56%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
53%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
50%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
50%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Work Activities

93%
Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
89%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
88%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
87%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
85%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
84%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
83%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
81%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
72%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
68%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
67%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
67%
Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
66%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
66%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
65%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
63%
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
63%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
62%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
62%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
62%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
62%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
62%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
61%
Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
60%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
59%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
59%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
56%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
53%
Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
51%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Title Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Overall 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.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Job Zone Examples Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.
Education Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Interests

Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic - 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 - 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 - 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.

Work Styles

Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Independence - 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.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Work Values

Relationships - 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 - 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.