Child Life Specialist - Resident Dog Handler, Miami Cancer Institute, FT, 8A-4:30P

Baptist Health South Florida•Miami, FL

40d•Onsite

About The Position

The Child Life Specialist, Resident Dog Handler is a vital member of the healthcare team, dedicated to supporting the emotional and developmental needs of pediatric patients and their families. Through play, education, preparation, and therapeutic interventions, the specialist helps reduce fear and anxiety while promoting coping and resilience. In this unique dual role, the specialist also serves as the primary handler of a resident facility dog, integrating animal-assisted therapy into daily patient care and maintaining the dog's well-being 24/7, year-round. The Child Life Specialist is to assess the emotional, developmental, educational, and diversionary needs of pediatric patients and coordinates therapeutic interventions to address the various medical experiences of patients and families. Acts as the child and caregiver advocate while promoting concepts of family-centered care with the resident dog as a primary source of intervention and support. Utilize the faculty dog to provide developmentally appropriate psychosocial support to pediatric patients and families. This includes, but it not limited to therapeutic play, coping strategies, and education to normalize the hospital experience. Prepare children for medical procedures using age-appropriate language and tools. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to advocate for patient needs. Document interventions and patient interactions in the medical record. Incorporate the resident dog into therapeutic interventions to reduce stress and foster emotional connection. Maintain all requirements for dog handling set out by the placement facility dog organization regarding weight management, vet care, home environment, grooming, recurrent teaching and reporting. Coordinates with other departments, such as marketing, public relations, and Foundation in the planning and implementation of special events and programming that involve the facility dog. Facilitate animal care and activities in a manner that ensures cleanliness and prevention of infection for patients and caregivers which also is to include maintaining cleanliness of toys and equipment used by the resident dog or pediatric patients. Communicates observations, assessments, and recommendations for care related to psychosocial needs of patients and families in the form of documentation in medical records, verbal reports, and multi-disciplinary rounds with the dog to effectively deliver care according to the care plan. Provides education and/or in-services to other staff members on child life and family-centered care topics and serves as a resource for staff regarding child and adolescent development and appropriate stress responses in the healthcare environment among children and adolescents. Provides and/or facilitates therapeutic play opportunities and other experiences with the resident dog that encourage expression of feelings, promote a sense of mastery over medical experiences, and aid in the development of healthy coping skills. Provides developmentally appropriate, psychological preparation and/or education to patients, siblings, peers, and family members concerning various aspects of the child's medical experience(s). This includes, but is not limited to, child development theory, the healthcare environment and routine, sequence of and reason of procedure(s), coping skills, non-pharmacological pain management techniques, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and death or grief reactions.

Requirements

Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential from the Association of Child Life Professionals must be obtained within 12 months of hire/job entry date and maintained thereafter.
Proof of completion of 600 hours clinical child life internship to be provided upon hire.
Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Family Sciences, Child Development, Education, or a related field required.
Must have knowledge of principles and practices of child development.
Knowledge of the dynamics of family relationships and family systems.
Knowledge of children's reactions and coping mechanisms in healthcare environment and illness.
Minimum required experience: 1 year
Will be required to attend a week long Canine Assistants training program in Atlanta, GA.

Nice To Haves

Resident dog handler experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

assess the emotional, developmental, educational, and diversionary needs of pediatric patients
coordinates therapeutic interventions
Utilize the faculty dog to provide developmentally appropriate psychosocial support to pediatric patients and families
Prepare children for medical procedures using age-appropriate language and tools
Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to advocate for patient needs
Document interventions and patient interactions in the medical record
Incorporate the resident dog into therapeutic interventions to reduce stress and foster emotional connection
Maintain all requirements for dog handling set out by the placement facility dog organization regarding weight management, vet care, home environment, grooming, recurrent teaching and reporting
Coordinates with other departments, such as marketing, public relations, and Foundation in the planning and implementation of special events and programming that involve the facility dog
Facilitate animal care and activities in a manner that ensures cleanliness and prevention of infection for patients and caregivers which also is to include maintaining cleanliness of toys and equipment used by the resident dog or pediatric patients
Communicates observations, assessments, and recommendations for care related to psychosocial needs of patients and families in the form of documentation in medical records, verbal reports, and multi-disciplinary rounds with the dog to effectively deliver care according to the care plan
Provides education and/or in-services to other staff members on child life and family-centered care topics and serves as a resource for staff regarding child and adolescent development and appropriate stress responses in the healthcare environment among children and adolescents
Provides and/or facilitates therapeutic play opportunities and other experiences with the resident dog that encourage expression of feelings, promote a sense of mastery over medical experiences, and aid in the development of healthy coping skills
Provides developmentally appropriate, psychological preparation and/or education to patients, siblings, peers, and family members concerning various aspects of the child's medical experience(s)