About The Position
Under the supervision of a Manager or Director, the Child Life Specialist supports infants, children, youth, and families by providing evidence-based, developmentally appropriate interventions, including therapeutic play, preparation, and education to reduce fear, anxiety, and pain. The role works as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team to promote optimal, family-centered, developmentally appropriate patient care. The Child Life Specialist assesses patients’ developmental levels, emotional states, and psychosocial needs; plans and delivers individualized services; and evaluates outcomes. The position also supports families, contributes to professional development and program improvement, provides education about child life services, and educates or supervises volunteers and practicum students as assigned. This position is described as a mid shift role and includes a $5,000 sign-on bonus with a two-year agreement.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Child Life, Child Development, or a closely related field.
- Completion of child life clinical training requirements, such as an internship, in accordance with Association of Child Life Professionals guidelines.
- Complete the Child Life Professional Certification Examination administered by the Child Life Certification Commission within six months of hire.
- CPR certification.
- Ability to assess and prioritize each patient’s psychosocial acuity and establish a plan of care with the medical team.
- Ability to educate patients and family members about illness or condition, treatment, and coping techniques.
- Ability to support family-centered care through communication and family involvement.
- Ability to educate and assist in the clinical training of child life students as assigned.
- Ability to assist with orientation, scheduling, and supervision of child life volunteers.
Responsibilities
- Assess patients’ developmental levels and emotional states using formal and informal techniques, and maintain current assessments through planning, intervention, and evaluation.
- Prioritize child life services according to patients’ susceptibility to stress and trauma.
- Collaborate with the service team to create plans of care and identify therapeutic approaches, including developmentally supportive play and expressive arts.
- Communicate with and support children and families, using creative approaches to meet individual developmental and emotional needs.
- Recognize the central role of families, build trust and rapport, respect sociocultural diversity, and maintain professional boundaries.
- Apply evidence-based practice to assessment, care, and evaluation decisions, and pursue professional development opportunities.
- Assist the Child Life Coordinator with developing and updating policies and procedures and methods to improve patient outcomes.
- Provide in-services about child life services to hospital departments and provide child life education to external agencies or institutions.
- Educate and supervise child life volunteers and assist with the education and supervision of practicum students.
- Educate patients and family members about illness or condition, treatment, and coping techniques.
- Support family-centered care through communication and involvement of parents and other family members.
- Assist with orientation, scheduling, and supervision of child life volunteers.
- Integrate goals and plans with the interdisciplinary healthcare team to promote optimal patient care.
Benefits
- $5,000 sign-on bonus with a two-year agreement
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
