Child Life Specialist

About the Role

This position provides medical and clinical support services to patients, with a focus on Community Health duties including delivering training, facilitating sessions, and educating the community on a variety of clinical topics. As a senior-level individual contributor, this role may direct the work of lower-level professionals or manage processes and programs. Responsibilities include overseeing the design, implementation, or delivery of processes, programs, and policies, working independently with limited supervision, coaching and reviewing the work of lower-level professionals, and resolving complex problems.

This role is integral to providing a program of developmentally appropriate play and activity, preparation, and emotional support designed to help pediatric patients and their families cope with the stress of illness, injury, hospitalization, treatments, and procedures. As part of the healthcare team, this position advocates for the needs of children and families and serves as a resource for other professionals.

Responsibilities

• Provides developmentally appropriate play and activities to support normal growth and development.
• Designs and implements individual interventions based on assessment of a patient’s development, coping style, diagnosis, treatment, and psychosocial supports.
• Uses medical play and developmentally appropriate language and teaching tools to ensure adequate preparation for medical interventions and encourage understanding and mastery of diagnosis, medical care, and experiences.
• Uses therapeutic/diversional techniques to support patients during treatments and procedures.
• Communicates pertinent information concerning patient care at appropriate rounds, case conferences, and in the medical record.
• Offers support to parents and family members; uses developmentally appropriate interventions in supporting siblings.
• Encourages continuity of normal life experiences by preparing birthday and holiday celebrations, arranging for educational tutoring when appropriate, and using resources to accommodate cultural needs and bridge differences.
• Provides training and supervision for Child Life and child development students and volunteers.
• Assists in managing supplies, cleaning and maintaining toys and equipment, and recording census and intervention data.
• Maintains collaborative, team relationships with peers and colleagues to effectively contribute to the working group’s achievement of goals and to foster a positive work environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Child Life, Human Development, or a related field.
• Completion of a 400-hour Child Life Internship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Child Life certification or eligible to apply for certification.

Physical Requirements

• Works in inpatient and/or outpatient pediatric clinical care areas.
• Occasionally lifts and/or moves up to 10-25 lbs.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Requires specific vision abilities including close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.
• Frequently communicates internally and externally; must be able to exchange accurate information via phone, email, and/or in person.
• Continuous exposure to sick patients and bodily substances.
• Occasional exposure to hazardous chemicals.
• Manual dexterity to type information into medical records.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to apply understanding of child growth and development and the impact that medical experiences can have on this process.
• Ability to work with infants, toddlers, preschool and school-age children, and adolescents in developmentally appropriate ways.
• Ability to read, write, and communicate in English with demonstrated empathy and sympathy through spoken and written words.
• Skills and knowledge necessary to provide care to patients throughout the life span, with consideration of aging processes, human development stages, and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.
• Ability to function well in very busy situations.
• Responsible and reliable with good organizational skills.
• Demonstrates knowledge of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process.
• Understands family dynamics and works effectively within various types of family systems.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

Pay

Tufts Medicine offers fair, competitive pay that attracts, retains, and motivates highly talented individuals. The base pay range for this role is $24.65 - $30.82 per hour, with individual offers determined by relevant experience, certifications, education, skills, and internal equity.

Beyond base pay, Tufts Medicine provides a comprehensive Total Rewards package that supports health, financial security, and career growth.