The recreation therapist versus the certified activity director: Which professional receives fewer deficiencies in long-term care facilities?

Authors

  • Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CNHA, GNP-BC, FACHCA
  • Sharon A. Nazarchuk, PhD, MHA, RN
  • Deborah Adelman, PhD, RN, CNS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/ajrt.2010.0001

Keywords:

activity professional, long-term care, nursing home, CMS

Abstract

The literature reports no studies that sought to determine which professional group (certified therapeutic recreation therapist versus certified activity director) achieves fewer survey deficiencies in the skilled nursing facility. This article will examine the scant and dated literature that is available to demonstrate which of these activity professionals has superior outcomes specific to the OBRA ’87 requirements. The article concludes with an articulation of the need for the discipline of recreation therapy to involve itself in outcomes research specific to which of the two disciplines better achieves the objectives of OBRA ’87.

Author Biographies

Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CNHA, GNP-BC, FACHCA

Instructor, School of Nursing, Kaplan University, Chicago, Illinois.

Sharon A. Nazarchuk, PhD, MHA, RN

Professor and Chair, Social Sciences Department, Lackawanna College, Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Deborah Adelman, PhD, RN, CNS

Associate Professor, State University of New York at Delhi, Delhi, New York.

References

Turnham H: OBRA ’87. National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center. Available at http://www.ltcombudsman.org/ombpublic/49_346_1023.cfm. Accessed June 16, 2008.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: State Operations Manual, Appendix PP—Guidance to surveyors for long term care facilities. Available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/downloads/som107ap_pp_guidelines_ltcf.pdf. Accessed February 28, 2010.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: State Operations Manual Appendix P—Survey protocol for long term care facilities, Part 1 (Revision 42). Available at http://www.gerberconsulting.com/New%200-06/Survey%20Forms/som107ap_p_ltcf_4-24-09.pdf. Accessed February 28, 2010.S

Buettner L, Martin SL: Therapeutic Recreation in the Nursing Home. State College, PA: Venture Publishing, Inc, 1995.

Benjamin K: Outcomes research and the allied health professional. J Allied Health. 1995; 24(1): 3-12.

Lee RH, Gajewski BJ, Thompson S: Reliability of the nursing home survey process: A simultaneous survey approach. Gerontologist. 2006; 46(6): 772-779.

Soper D: Statistics calculator. Available at http://www.danielsoper.com/statcalc/calc01.aspx. Accessed September 29, 2009.

American Health Care Association: Report of findings 2007 AHCA survey nursing staff vacancy and turnover in nursing facilities. Available at http://www.ahcancal.org/research_data/staffing/Documents/Vacancy_Turnover_Survey2007.pdf. Accessed March 1, 2010.

Published

01/01/2010

How to Cite

Legg, PhD, CNHA, GNP-BC, FACHCA, T. J., Nazarchuk, PhD, MHA, RN, S. A., & Adelman, PhD, RN, CNS, D. (2010). The recreation therapist versus the certified activity director: Which professional receives fewer deficiencies in long-term care facilities?. American Journal of Recreation Therapy, 9(1), 9–14. https://doi.org/10.5055/ajrt.2010.0001

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Section

Articles

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