Child Life Practice Leader-Stead Family Children's Hospital

University of Iowa•Iowa City, IA

8h•Onsite

About The Position

Within the Division of Children’s and Women’s Services and Patient Care, the Child Life Practice Leader is an expert child life specialist who leads evidence-based, patient- and family-centered clinical care of children and families. The Child Life Practice Leader focuses on improving outcomes for children by leading child life practice and patient care within the Child Life program and throughout CWS and SFCH, including, but not limited to Medical Center University and Medical Center North Liberty campuses, IRL, and UICC pediatric clinics. The CLPL provides leadership based on systematic evaluation, evidence-based practice, and research. This person assures delivery of high quality, safe care based on established and evidence-based standards of care and competency of child life and other health care staff across inpatient and outpatient settings.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Child Life or related field is required.
Current certification as a Child Life Specialist (ACLP) is required.
Considerable clinical experience (3-5 years) in direct patient care as a child life specialist is required.
Demonstrates knowledge and experience with: Staff education and development, Evidence-based practice, Outcomes based practice and quality improvement
Demonstrates strong leadership including: Analytical thinking/problem solving. Self-starter and motivated; takes initiative. Serves as change agent; leads change process including implementation of EBP.
Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills and collaboration with interdisciplinary team. Demonstrates team leadership.
Demonstrates excellent verbal communication skills, including ability to articulate issues professionally, yet assertively and persuasively.
Demonstrates excellent written communication skills.
Role models professional practice and has reputation for clinical and service excellence
Demonstrates knowledge and experience with public speaking, developing and delivering formal presentations to groups – internal and external stakeholders
Proficient in computer software applications

Nice To Haves

Experience as a child life specialist in a children’s hospital/system setting.
Clinical experience (direct patient care) in an academic health care setting
Member/active participation in professional organization(s) (ACLP at a minimum)
Demonstrated experience planning curriculums, teaching in a formal classroom setting (in person and virtual)
Demonstrated experience working with/supervising/mentoring health care undergraduate or graduate students

Responsibilities

Maintains and advances her/his own clinical knowledge and expertise by regularly providing direct patient care throughout all patient care areas as assigned by the Child Life program manager.
Leads/provides advanced health education and development of SFCH health care staff, including child life specialists, child life assistants, nurses, providers, pharmacists, technicians, and other health care team members involved in the care of children.
Assures child life staff competency by leading/coordinating child life staff orientation and onboarding, as well as leading/conducting ongoing competency/training programs.
Collaborates with colleagues on the SFCH health care team (e.g. NPL, CPL, nurse clinicians, practitioners, etc., to develop, assess, and assure competency in caring for children of all ages, developmental levels, and abilities.
Coordinates/leads Child Life internship program.
Coordinates/leads Child Life practicum student experiences as part of the UI Health academic mission.
Communicate detailed, complex medical and technical information to a variety of audiences.
Support the conduct of research and translate findings from evidence-based research into clinical practice.
Lead evaluation and implementation of clinical technologies and other evidence-based strategies within the Child Life program and throughout the SFCH health care team that support patient care.
Assures CL staff compliance with CWS, SFCH, UI Health Care, and University policies.
Provides educations and training to assure CL staff compliance with external regulatory standards (e.g., TJC, IDIA, etc.)
Lead development and implementation of procedures and share responsibility for Quality Improvement (QI) plan with Child Life program manager and other relevant CWS/SFCH leaders.
Use expert knowledge to observe/mentor care delivery by child life staff, interns, practicum students, and nurses (in collaboration with CWS nursing leaders -e.g. NPL, CPL).
Provided evaluative feedback and recommendations regarding staff competency and performance to the Child Life Program manager.
Assures/monitors Child Life staff compliance and qualifications.
Child Life metrics – collate/monitor daily metrics submitted by staff; share with CL manager to inform strategic planning.