Child Life Specialist NICU

Intermountain Health

6d•$24 - $38•Onsite

About The Position

The Child Life Specialist works with pediatric patients, families, and health team members to facilitate age-appropriate interactions and activities that make health care easier for patients and families. The role reduces distress, supports effective coping, fosters patient independence, and promotes optimal development. This position supports the Level IV, 51-bed Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and is part of a multidisciplinary team providing specialized care for premature and critically ill newborns. The specialist also provides supervision to volunteers, child life pre-internship students, and child life assistants.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution; degree will be verified.
Documentation of a successfully completed 600-hour internship supervised by a child life specialist.
Child Life Certification from the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) is required within 15 months of hire.
Experience with pediatric patients in a medical, hospital, or behavioral health setting.
Experience with Child Life Core Competencies, including establishing supportive relationships; meeting the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of children and family members; providing education and communicating with children, families, and team members; providing coping support and comfort management; guiding children in therapeutic play; and ongoing assessment and written documentation of clinical care.
Computer experience with word processing, spreadsheets, databases, or similar applications.
Skills in pediatrics, training and mentoring, writing documentation, communication, relationship building, initiative, critical thinking, teamwork, growth mindset, and accountability.

Nice To Haves

One year of experience with pediatric patients in a medical, hospital, or behavioral health setting.
Work experience as a child life assistant.
Experience as a child life pre-internship or practicum student.
Experience supervising volunteers while working with children and adolescents.
Spanish speaking.

Responsibilities

Assess, prioritize, and document pediatric patient and family care accurately.
Develop, implement, and evaluate effective, patient- and family-centered health care plans.
Provide developmentally appropriate education, psychological procedural preparation, coping support, comfort management, and play opportunities for pediatric patients and families.
Participate in the selection, supervision, and training of new hires, students, and volunteers.
Provide education for staff, such as in-services and newsletter articles.
Assist with community outreach and Foundation partnerships.
Adhere to the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) Child Life Code of Ethics.
Meet the requirements outlined in child life department expectations.
Supervise volunteers, child life pre-internship students, and child life assistants.