Child Life Activity Tech - Days

VCU Health•Richmond, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Child Life Activity Tech expands the scope of service for the Child Life Department under the general supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) and Child Life Manager. Child Life Activity Tech expand the provision of child life services to pediatric patients (birth to adulthood), and families in diversional and recreational manners, allowing Child Life Specialists to focus attention on provision of clinical interventions (e.g. procedural support, diagnosis teaching, medical play). Child Life Activity Tech are able to work independently in a variety of tasks including: direct patient engagement through provision of recreational activities in both group and bedside settings; organization and maintenance of playroom spaces; supervision and training of child life volunteers; and assistance with special events, in-kind donations, and community visitors. Additionally, the Child Life Activity Tech provide administrative support to the Child Life Manager and department. Essential Job Statements Performance Expectation: Provision of Recreational and Therapeutic Activities Engages in non-clinical interventions to enhance the patient family experience. Under direction of child life team, rounds daily on patients and families to assess needs and concerns. Plans, implements, and evaluates activities in playroom environments and at bedside to reduce the emotional stress of hospitalization for both patients and siblings. In collaboration with child life specialists, designs activities that are therapeutic or recreational in nature and appropriate for the psychosocial and developmental needs of the child. Communicates with child life and medical staff through appropriate verbal and written methods. Performance Expectation: Holidays and Special Events Assists child life team in organizing hospital and unit wide special events. Assists Child Life Supervisor in creating policies and procedures related to special events and holidays within the patient environment. Coordinates special events for both inpatient and outpatient settings, including screening external and internal group requests, communicating with volunteers, planning of events, and oversight of activities. Coordinates with Child Life Zone staff for activities in Child Life Zone and Performance Space. Assist child life staff in providing internal holiday celebrations on units to promote normalization of the hospital environment, including planning and implementing events Collaborates with CHOR Marketing team and Children’s Hospital Foundation for planning and promotion of special events. Coordinates with outside groups to ensure CHoR visitation, safety, and confidentiality policies are adhered to during special events, including hosting and monitoring visitors. Performance Expectation: Administrative Support Assists Child Life Manager and child life committees in the departmental administrative tasks. Provides general administrative support to the department (i.e. maintaining department calendars, , checking department voicemail, responding to department emails, checking mail room, updating meeting agendas, and taking staff meeting minute notes). Maintains regular correspondence with Children’s Hospital Foundation and other external groups (e.g. Ronald McDonald House Charities, Connor’s Heroes) on behalf of the department Serves on various department committees as appropriate for role. Assistance with other administrative tasks as needed. Performance Expectation: Supplies/Storage Works with child life staff in overseeing the acquisition and organization of supplies. Communicating supply needs to supervisor and assisting with cataloging and processing department orders upon arrival to institution, including distribution to appropriate units. Maintains department wishlists for in-kind goods. Receiving incoming donations and documenting in-kind gifts to the Children’s Hospital Foundation. Organization and maintenance of off-site storage. Performance Expectation: Volunteers Shared responsibility for management and supervision of hospital volunteers with unit Child Life Specialists. Assist child life team in the selection, orientation, and supervision of child life volunteers. Participates in education of infection control and safety procedures. Meets with volunteers daily to provide patient visitation lists and assigns tasks as necessary. Performance Expectation: Playroom Maintenance/Infection Control Primary responsibility for ensuring that playrooms and child life staffed patient care environments maintain an appropriate and safe environment. Checks playrooms daily and maintains cleaning logs in each space. Works with child life staff to ensure playrooms are appropriately stocked with supplies and toys. Oversees cleaning and distribution of toys to patient rooms, ensuring infection control policies are followed to ensure patient and family safety. Performance Expectation: Miscellaneous Responsibilities Performs other duties as assigned and/or participates in special projects in order to support the mission of VCUHS and the assigned areas. Provides assistance to team members. Accepts alternate assignments, as required, graciously. Independent action(s) required : Independent management of day-to-day interactions with patients and families, including daily rounding, provision of bedside activities, and facilitating playroom groups. Independent management of department supplies and playroom (with input from child life supervisor) Support the child life department and child life specialists as needed, with or without direct instruction Additional position requirements : Some evening, weekend, and holiday hours may be required. Patient Population: Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of the patients served on their assigned unit. Demonstrates knowledge and related competencies of the principles of growth and development of the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age, specific needs and to provide the equitable care needed as described in departmental policies and procedures. Neonates (0-4 weeks), Infant (1-12 months), Pediatrics (1-12 years), Adolescents (13-17 years), Adults (18-64 years), Geriatrics (65 years and older)

Requirements

One year of college coursework with at least 2 courses in child development, early childhood/elementary education or a related field
One year of experience (volunteer) with children in a group setting OR at least 100 hours of documented experience in childcare

Nice To Haves

Bachelors degree in a related field.
One year (full-time equivalent) experience with children in a hospitalized or medical setting

Responsibilities

Engages in non-clinical interventions to enhance the patient family experience.
Under direction of child life team, rounds daily on patients and families to assess needs and concerns.
Plans, implements, and evaluates activities in playroom environments and at bedside to reduce the emotional stress of hospitalization for both patients and siblings.
In collaboration with child life specialists, designs activities that are therapeutic or recreational in nature and appropriate for the psychosocial and developmental needs of the child.
Communicates with child life and medical staff through appropriate verbal and written methods.
Assists child life team in organizing hospital and unit wide special events.
Assists Child Life Supervisor in creating policies and procedures related to special events and holidays within the patient environment.
Coordinates special events for both inpatient and outpatient settings, including screening external and internal group requests, communicating with volunteers, planning of events, and oversight of activities.
Coordinates with Child Life Zone staff for activities in Child Life Zone and Performance Space.
Assist child life staff in providing internal holiday celebrations on units to promote normalization of the hospital environment, including planning and implementing events
Collaborates with CHOR Marketing team and Children’s Hospital Foundation for planning and promotion of special events.
Coordinates with outside groups to ensure CHoR visitation, safety, and confidentiality policies are adhered to during special events, including hosting and monitoring visitors.
Assists Child Life Manager and child life committees in the departmental administrative tasks.
Provides general administrative support to the department (i.e. maintaining department calendars, , checking department voicemail, responding to department emails, checking mail room, updating meeting agendas, and taking staff meeting minute notes).
Maintains regular correspondence with Children’s Hospital Foundation and other external groups (e.g. Ronald McDonald House Charities, Connor’s Heroes) on behalf of the department
Serves on various department committees as appropriate for role.
Assistance with other administrative tasks as needed.
Works with child life staff in overseeing the acquisition and organization of supplies.
Communicating supply needs to supervisor and assisting with cataloging and processing department orders upon arrival to institution, including distribution to appropriate units.
Maintains department wishlists for in-kind goods.
Receiving incoming donations and documenting in-kind gifts to the Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Organization and maintenance of off-site storage.
Shared responsibility for management and supervision of hospital volunteers with unit Child Life Specialists.
Assist child life team in the selection, orientation, and supervision of child life volunteers.
Participates in education of infection control and safety procedures.
Meets with volunteers daily to provide patient visitation lists and assigns tasks as necessary.
Primary responsibility for ensuring that playrooms and child life staffed patient care environments maintain an appropriate and safe environment.
Checks playrooms daily and maintains cleaning logs in each space.
Works with child life staff to ensure playrooms are appropriately stocked with supplies and toys.
Oversees cleaning and distribution of toys to patient rooms, ensuring infection control policies are followed to ensure patient and family safety.
Performs other duties as assigned and/or participates in special projects in order to support the mission of VCUHS and the assigned areas.
Provides assistance to team members.
Accepts alternate assignments, as required, graciously.
Independent management of day-to-day interactions with patients and families, including daily rounding, provision of bedside activities, and facilitating playroom groups.
Independent management of department supplies and playroom (with input from child life supervisor)
Support the child life department and child life specialists as needed, with or without direct instruction