Please disregard presentation instructions for obtaining CEUs and complete the survey following this presentation to earn the certificate.
Session Description
INTRODUCTION For decades, literature has illustrated how professional organizations - within and outside of healthcare fields - have been identified as foundational to professional status and culture, prominence, political voice, and effectiveness (e.g., Brubaker, 1981; Castle & Fogel, 2002; Hubbard, 2005; Ki, 2018; Matthews, 2012; Wilensky, 1964). Compared to other healthcare fields, the field of recreational therapy (RT), however, has often demonstrated poor membership rolls in both national and state/regional professional organizations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine what CTRSs identify as primary motivators as well as the real and perceived barriers to membership in a professional RT organization on national as well as state levels.
Learning Outcomes
1. Identify at least 3 benefits and 3 barriers that affect a recreation therapist's motivation to join national and/or state/regional professional RT organizations.
2. Identify the differences in professional commitment between members and non-members of national and/or state/regional professional RT organizations.
3. Identify at least 3 strategies to encourage recreation therapists to become members of national and/or state professional RT organizations.
