Recreational Therapist
- BLS
How this pay compares
This posting does not state an hourly rate. Recreational therapists employed in Louisiana earn a median of $24.59 an hour (source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025) (source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics).
Recreational therapists in Louisiana: pay by town and employer
Workplace injuries
University Medical Center in New Orleans reported 72 work injuries and illnesses to OSHA for 2025 over 4,880,922 hours worked: 3.0 per 100 full-time workers, against 5.1 per 100 full-time workers at general hospitalsnationwide. 5 of them describe violence by a patient, resident or client in the case's own words. This is the employer's own report. Workplace injuries by employer.
Physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy jobs in our research
- How long these jobs stay listed: Still listed at 7 days 87.1%
- Applicant demand per open job on this site (1.00x is the average job): Index 0.21x · Clicks 25
- How often these jobs state their pay: Jobs stating any pay 52.9% · Stating an hourly rate 32.3%
From every open job we read and every apply click on this site, as of 11 Nov 2026. Every figure for Physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy jobs
About the job
Your job is more than a job.
Why a Great Place to Work At LCMC Health we help you to lean into your calling by leaning in with you, ensuring you have the resources to do your job as only you can. And that begins with receiving the support you need to thrive and grow, which looks different for each person. Living out our commitment to inclusion requires providing benefits that are as diverse and unique as our workforce. It’s a responsibility we take seriously. Because we don’t just serve the New Orleans community - we’re at the beating heart of it. Whether by offering community health services or making medical innovations more accessible, LCMC Health is bringing a culture of wellness to the communities that matter to you. When you know you’re making an authentic impact, you give a little extra to every day - as a person, with your team, in your community - and that’s one of the reasons why you’ll be a perfect fit at LCMC Health, where giving a little something extra is at the heart of everything we do.
GENERAL DUTIES
- Completes recreational assessment, develops plans and carries out interventions for patients identified to have psychosocial risk factors. Conducts assessment of patient’s social needs through interviewing of patient and family members, conferring with interdisciplinary team, and reviewing medical record. Evaluates coping skills, cognitive and intellectual functioning, support systems, resources, and other factors that could affect responses to illness, treatment and discharge plan. Identifies barriers and plans for intervention to overcome or lessen barriers to achieve outcome as evidenced by treatment plan. Communicates findings and plan to interdisciplinary team. Documents assessment, plan and interventions in medical record. Conducts reassessment based on patient need and plan of care. Facilitates and participates in therapeutic group therapy for patients on assigned unit.
- Maintains clean, organized recreational therapy room conducive to a therapeutic group environment. Room will be free of clutter, contraband items, and ligature risks. Will make rounds before each group to ensure room is safe for patient activities.
- Crisis intervention: Effectively provides short term supportive counseling for individuals to help patients develop healthy relationships and lifestyles. Refers patients/families to appropriate community agencies for further intervention or recreational services as needed. Facilitates interactions between staff and other agencies. Documents all pertinent information in the medical record. Communicates with the interdisciplinary team to facilitate the progression of care.
- Active team member in the discharge planning process: Primary responsibility for identifying complicating social and interpersonal factors and barriers to appropriate discharge. Assures that patient is referred to appropriate social resources post discharge in order to transition patient efficiently and achieve the desired outcome. Reviews caseload daily with Treatment team to share findings, needs, barriers and progress to discharge. Collaborates with the Treatment team to implement discharge planning activities for complex patients in order to ensure a timely discharge. Communicates and coordinates findings and care recommendations effectively and collaboratively between disciplines to achieve targeted outcomes. Documents relevant information in the medical record according to department standards. Maintains a working knowledge of available community resources.
EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
1 year experience in behavioral health care hospital.
Preferred:
3 years recreational therapist in behavioral health care hospital.
EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
BS in rehabilitation, recreation therapy, physical education, music therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, horticultural therapy or psychology.
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Heart Saver or Basic Life Support, Required. CPI, Required at or before Orientation.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Excellent communication, conflict management,organizational and planning skills.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
- Does this position formally supervise employees? No
FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS
- Medium: Medium physical requirements- Medium Work - Exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- Sitting - Occasional (0-35% of day)
- Standing - Frequent (36-66% of day)
- Walking - Frequent (36-66% of day)
- Climbing (e.g., stairs or ladders) - Occasional (0-35% of day)
- Lifting Floor to waist level: 20-50lbs - Occasional (0-35% of day)
- Lifting Waist level and above: 10-20lbs - Occasional (0-35% of day)
- Carrying objects - Frequent (36-66% of day)
- Push/pull - Frequent (36-66% of day)
- Twisting - Occasional (0-35% of day)
- Bending - Frequent (36-66% of day)
- Reaching forward - Frequent (36-66% of day)
- Reaching overhead - Frequent (36-66% of day)
- Squat/kneel/crawl - Occasional (0-35% of day)
- Wrist position deviation - Frequent (36-66% of day)
- Pinching/fine motor activities - Frequent (36-66% of day)
- Keyboard use/repetitive motion - Frequent (36-66% of day)
SENSORY REQUIREMENTS
- Near Vision - Accurate 20/40
- Far Vision - Accurate 20/40
- Color Discrimination - Yes
- Depth Perception - Moderate
- Hearing - Accurate
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE RISK POTENTIAL
- Bloodborne pathogens - Reasonably Anticipated
- Chemical - Not Anticipated
- Airborne communicable diseases - Reasonably Anticipated
- Extreme temperatures - Not Anticipated
- Radiation - Reasonably Anticipated
- Uneven surfaces or elevations - Not Anticipated
- Extreme noise levels - Reasonably Anticipated
- Dust/particular matter - Reasonably Anticipated
- Other (List) - Not
- Anticipated
WORK SHIFT
Days (United States of America)
LCMC Health is a community.
Our people make health happen. While our NOLA roots run deep, our branches are the vessels that carry our mission of bringing the best possible care to every person and parish in Louisiana and beyond and put a little more heart and soul into healthcare along the way. Celebrating authenticity, originality, equity, inclusion and a little “come on in” attitude is the foundation of LCMC Health’s culture of everyday extraordinary
Children’s Hospital, at the heart of LCMC Health’s incredible community of care, has been the go-to hospital for expert children’s health, wellness, and one-of-a-kind care in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. Learn more about Children’s Hospital’s 40+ specialties and our national ranking by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Children's Hospital
Your extras
- Deliver healthcare with heart.
- Give people a reason to smile.
- Put a little love in your work.
- Be honest and real, but with compassion.
- Bring some lagniappe into everything you do.
- Forget one-size-fits-all, think one-of-a-kind care.
- See opportunities, not problems – it’s all about perspective.
- Cheerlead ideas, differences, and each other.
- Love what makes you, you - because we do
You are welcome here.
LCMC Health is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The above job summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. LCMC Health reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary.
Simple things make the difference.
- To get started, take your time to fully and accurately complete the application for employment. Incomplete applications get bogged down and are often eliminated due to missing information.
- To ensure quality care and service, we may use information on your application to verify your previous employment and background.
- To keep our career applications up-to-date, applications are inactive after 6 months and, therefore, require a new application for employment to be completed.
- To expedite the hiring process, proof of citizenship or immigration status will be required to verify your lawful right to work in the United States.
From LCMC Health's job posting, checked 13 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.
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About LCMC Health
LCMC Health is a New Orleans-based nonprofit health system with eight hospitals, 15,166 (source: LCMC Health, LCMC Health by the numbers (2025 fact sheet)) employees and 3,487 (source: LCMC Health, LCMC Health by the numbers (2025 fact sheet)) physicians serving the greater New Orleans area and Louisiana. Source: LCMC Health, LCMC Health by the numbers (2025 fact sheet)
Based in New Orleans, LAHires in LouisianaPay on its listings: 0.1% of its open jobs state an hourly rate
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