Child Life Specialist (.7 FTE)

Primary Job Responsibilities

• Conducts assessments of normal growth and development and emotional reactions of children to the healthcare setting.
• Gathers information for interventions.
• Shares information with appropriate team members.
• Documents in patient’s medical chart within 24 hours of intervention.
• Provides appropriate interventions to facilitate adjustment to the healthcare setting.
• Provides developmentally appropriate play, medical play, active listening, advocacy for a non-threatening environment.
• Prepares for procedures, provides support during procedures, and emotional support to patient and families.
• Documents in patient’s medical chart within 24 hours of intervention.
• Serves as a resource to staff by providing information on topics such as normalization, growth & development, reactions to healthcare, coping and therapeutic play.
• Participates in interdisciplinary meetings to communicate information, identifies needs and coordinates service delivery.
• Respects and uses expertise of other team members and accepts fair share of work load.
• Supports the family and patient by providing focused patient/family care.
• Supports the family as having the central role in the child’s life.
• Interacts with families in ways that show sensitivity and respect for diverse family styles, cultural values and belief systems.
• Serves as a resource to families re: topics such as normalization, growth and development, reactions to healthcare, coping and therapeutic play.
• Applies knowledge of growth and development in provision of play resources and in conveying information to staff.
• May also be asked to complete administrative tasks, such as triaging referrals or consults, serving as a team member’s proxy in the EHR, onboarding new employees, responding to departmental phone calls or faxes, or working on efforts toward process or practice improvement.
• If the discipline has a practicum student, intern, or fellow, the employee may be asked to help oversee, supervise, or otherwise contribute toward that individual’s work.

Qualifications

• Required: BS in Child Life, Child Development, Child Psychology or related field.
• Internship (professional) in Child Life Program.
• CL certification or certification eligible within one year of hire.
• Current CPR certification (BLS through American Heart Association) required, or must obtain certification within 90 days of hire.
• Knowledge of child development & children’s coping mechanisms.
• Knowledge of family systems.
• Knowledge of the effects of hospitalization and healthcare at different developmental stages.
• Knowledge of basic medical terminology.
• Knowledge of preparation issues at different developmental levels and techniques to use to prepare and accompany children for procedures and healthcare experiences.
• Experience with children and adolescents at all developmental levels and various abilities.
• Ability to build rapport with children and families.
• Ability to manage resources.