Child Life Specialist, Child Life, Per Diem

Major Responsibilities

• Affirms and interacts with patients and families using theories of human growth and development, family systems, and cultural background.
• Creates a therapeutic, safe environment for individual patients or small groups on inpatient units, playrooms, clinic and emergency waiting areas, and in treatment rooms.
• Facilitates the child/adolescent mastery of and coping with the healthcare experience through a variety of interventions, to include: divisional and recreational play, medical play, developmental/skill retention support and seasonal celebrations.
• Provides emotional and educational support to patient and family coping with life-threatening, terminal illness or death.
• In collaboration with the health care team on the various units served or through physician/R.N. consultation, creates individualized pre-procedure and pre-surgery preparation which is developmentally appropriate and best meets the child/adolescent learning style and emotional state.
• Creates coping strategy with child/family and accompanies family to procedure/surgery.
• Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary health care team, relaying pertinent patient assessments through direct report, charting, family care conferences and team meetings.
• Provides consultation and direct teaching on variety of Child Life issues for parents, medical and nursing staff and students, including: normal growth and development, health care impact on coping and stress, and ameliorative interventions.
• Facilitates acquisition of hospital or homebound tutor for child/adolescent experiencing extended school absence due to accident or chronic illness.
• Participates in a variety of Children’s Medical Center, fundraising events and outreach programs.
• Follows all safety and infections control guidelines in each setting, monitoring toys and materials for age-appropriateness and wear.
• Maintains adequate level of toys and materials through review of inventory and timely acquisition of new items to ensure a safe, developmentally appropriate, and family-friendly environment.

Position Qualifications

• Licenses/Certifications/Educations Required: Bachelor of Science in Child Life, Child Development or related field. Must have current Child Life Certification or pass Child Life Certification Exam within one year of employment.
• Experience/Skills Required: Incumbent must be enthusiastic and dedicated to providing quality Child Life services to children and families in a variety of health care settings. Ability to demonstrate positive and effective interpersonal and communication skills required. Must be a self-starter, flexible, and possess ability to work well independently.

Physical Demands And Environmental Conditions

• Work is considered sedentary. Position requires work indoors in a patient care environment.

Additional Job Description

Position Summary: Creates a welcoming, stress reducing environment in a variety of pediatric settings by helping to reduce the pain associated with needle sticks and facilitate positive coping skills for pediatric patients. The Certified Child Life Specialist will assist in the implementation of UMMHC Kid’s Comfort Promise (KCP) programming and principles for pediatric patients ages birth-21 years. Through advocacy, education, creation of materials and direct patient care, this staff member will advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration and family centered care.

Major Responsibilities

• Affirms and develops individualized procedural support plans and supports patients during procedures such as blood draws, IV starts, immunizations, port accesses, etc.
• Advocates, educates, and helps facilitate KCP principles such as comfort positioning, use of treatment room, numbing, distraction, and sucrose/breastfeeding.
• Serves as an active member of the Kid’s Comfort Promise Initiative team attending all committee meetings and trainings.

Required Addition

• Must be comfortable with public speaking and advocating for Kids Comfort Promise principles.

Department-Specific Competencies

• Age-Specific Competencies and their Measurements will be developed and maintained in the individual departments.

Standards of Respect

• Acknowledge
• Listen
• Communicate
• Be Responsive
• Be a Team Player
• Be Kind

EEO Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law. If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentacquisition@umassmemorial.org. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.