Child Life Assistant
Entry rate based on experience. Located at Primary Children’s Hospital - Lehi Campus. Scheduled weekly hours: 40.
About the role
The Child Life Assistant interacts directly with pediatric patients, families, and other healthcare team members to facilitate age-appropriate activities that make the healthcare experience easier for patients and families. Under the direction of a child life specialist, this role provides activities in a play setting to reduce patient and family distress, increase effective coping, foster patient independence, and promote optimum development. This position supports the in-patient playroom and teen room, overseeing playroom programming, events, and volunteers alongside a certified child life specialist. This role is designed as a career path toward other child development roles, with most Child Life Assistants working towards child life certification through the Association of Child Life Professionals while earning a degree and certifications.
Schedule
- Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (8:00 AM – 6:30 PM)
- 10-hour shifts
- Availability to pick up holidays
Responsibilities
- Accurately assess and prioritize developmental needs of pediatric patients and families; update child life specialist when patient needs are outside scope of practice.
- Develop, implement, advertise, and evaluate developmentally appropriate play/recreational activities.
- Direct parents, students, and volunteers in providing developmentally appropriate toys to patients and families in play spaces.
- Screen and transport patients to play areas, complete appropriate check-in guidelines and policies to ensure child safety.
- Assist in coordinating special events, holidays, and special visitors.
- Maintain a clean, safe environment in accordance with infection prevention and safety standards.
- Monitor and provide a supportive, child-friendly environment in play spaces; supervise, orient, and train students and volunteers as needed.
- Assist with ordering, receiving, organizing, and distributing supplies.
- Supervise and independently lead the facility “Kids Clubhouse,” coordinating the work of volunteers in those spaces.
Requirements
- Demonstrated experience working with healthy children or children in a medical or hospital setting.
- Knowledge of child development.
- Computer experience in word processing, spreadsheets, and databases or similar applications.
- Able to work independently and be organized.
- Ability to work in a stressful environment related to patient needs, including acute, chronic, and complex disease, and grief and bereavement.
- Maintain appropriate boundaries with patients and families.
Preferred Qualifications
- Associate or bachelor’s degree.
- Working towards child life certification through the Association of Child Life Professionals.
- Work experience as a child life assistant.
- Completion of child life pre-internship/practicum.
- Completion of a 600-hour child life internship.
- Spanish speaking.
Skills
- Relationship building
- Supervision
- Teamwork
- Critical thinking
- Communication
- Interpersonal skills
- Patience
- Decisiveness
- Emotional intelligence
- Creativity
Physical Requirements
- Frequent interactions requiring verbal communication, hearing, and understanding spoken information, alarms, and needs, particularly during emergency situations.
- Ongoing need to see and read information, documents, monitors, identify equipment and supplies, and assess customer needs.
- Manual dexterity for manipulating complex and delicate equipment, including frequent computer use.
- Expected to lift and utilize full range of movement to transfer patients; bend to retrieve, lift, and carry supplies and equipment, including heavy items.
Pay
Hourly rate: $21.02 - $29.72, dependent upon experience.
Benefits
Comprehensive benefits package covering programs to foster wellness, including mind, body, and spirit. Benefits include living healthy, happy, secure, connected, and engaged initiatives. Learn More About Our Comprehensive Benefits Package.