NZTRA Standards for Practice

The following standards of practice were developed by the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) in 1991.Permission has been sought and granted by ATRA for the endorsement and use of these Standards of Practice by the New Zealand Therapeutic Recreation Association (NZTRA). The standards reflect levels of service provision for therapeutic recreation professionals to implement in a variety of settings. The standards will assist the therapeutic recreation professional in assuring systematic provision of quality therapeutic recreation services.

Standard 1: The therapeutic recreation specialist conducts an individualised assessment to collect systematic, comprehensive and accurate data necessary to determine a course of action and subsequent individualised treatment plan.

Standard 2: The therapeutic recreation specialist plans and develops the individualised treatment plan that identifies goals, objectives and treatment intervention strategies.

Standard 3: The therapeutic recreation specialists’ implements the individualised treatment plan using appropriate intervention strategies, to restore, remediate or rehabilitate, in order to improve functioning and independence, as well as, reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability. Implementation of the treatment plan by the therapeutic recreation specialist is consistent with the overall patient/client treatment programme

Standard 4: The therapeutic recreation specialist systematically evaluates and compares the client’s response to the individualised treatment plan. The treatment plan is revised based upon changes in the intervention, diagnosis and patient/client responses.

Standard 5: The therapeutic recreation specialist develops a discharge plan in collaboration with the patient/client, family/whanau, and other treatment team members in order to continue treatment as appropriate.

Standard 6: Recreation opportunities are available to patients/clients to promote or improve their general health and wellbeing.

Standard 7: The therapeutic recreation specialist adheres to the NZTRA Code of Ethics,( which is based upon the ATRA Code of Ethics).

Standard 8: The therapeutic recreation department is governed by a written plan of operation that is based upon NZTRA Standards for Practice of therapeutic recreation( which is based upon the ATRA Standards of Practice) and standards of other accrediting/regulatory agencies, as appropriate.

Standard 9: The therapeutic recreation department has established provisions for assuring that therapeutic recreation staff maintain appropriate credentials and have opportunities for professional development.

Standard 10: Within the therapeutic recreation department, there exists an objective and systematic quality improvement programme for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating the quality and appropriateness of care, and to identify and resolve problems in order to improve therapeutic recreation services.

Standard 11: Therapeutic recreation services are provided in an effective and efficient manner that reflects the reasonable and appropriate use of resources.

Standard 12: The therapeutic recreation department engages in routine, systematic programme evaluation and research for the purpose of determining appropriateness and efficacy.

April 2005