Certified Child Life Specialist

About the role

Join our team as a Daytime, Full-Time, Certified Child Life Specialist at INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, OK. Provides direct patient care utilizing developmentally appropriate preparation, support, therapeutic interventions, medical play, advocacy, and emotional support to promote positive coping during health care experiences, reducing stress and anxiety and minimizing the negative impact of trauma, hospitalization, and illness. Enhances quality of patient care through participation, documentation, and communication with other members of the health care team as it relates to the developmental and psychosocial needs of children and families in the hospital setting. Adheres to National Patient Safety Goals as appropriate based on the level of patient contact this position requires. INTEGRIS Health, Oklahoma’s largest not-for-profit health system, is seeking a dedicated caregiver to join us in our mission to partner with people to live healthier lives.

Responsibilities

• Provides developmentally appropriate education to patients and families regarding healthcare experiences.
• Provides developmentally appropriate procedural preparation and support to patients and families.
• Provides developmentally appropriate therapeutic and medical play interventions to patients and families to assist in coping with illness and hospitalization.
• Provides developmentally appropriate therapeutic interventions that are goal-oriented and individualized to the patient and family.
• Provides play-based interventions using medical puppets/dolls to provide developmentally appropriate education to patients and families.
• Supports patients and families experiencing grief and bereavement.
• Normalizes the environment to support developmental milestones and promote positive coping.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team in identifying and managing patients' and families' emotional safety and developmental needs.
• Documents and maintains updated patient information pertaining to services provided by child life.
• Dog Handler Responsibilities: Utilize the Facility Dog to increase positive coping and promote an environment conducive to meeting therapeutic needs and medical goals for patients and families during hospitalization.
• Collaborate with clinical staff to identify therapeutic or medical goals for patient care to be achieved by the Child Life Specialist Dog Handler and the Facility Dog.
• Assess the patient and family appropriateness and willingness to participate in Facility Dog interactions based on the patient’s treatment goals.
• Document all Facility Dog interactions and program validity accurately in the patient’s medical chart.
• Facilitate animal care and activities in a manner that adheres to cleanliness and infection prevention policies and procedures.
• Assess the needs of the Facility Dog throughout the work shift to provide adequate rest and down time.
• Maintain all requirements for dog handling set out by the placement facility dog organization and INTEGRIS Health policies regarding weight management, vet care, home environment, grooming, recurrent teaching and reporting.
• Reports to the Child Life Manager.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree; graduation from an ACLP-endorsed child life academic program or with completion of the ACLP required coursework.
• License/Certifications