Child Life Specialist

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago provides superior pediatric care in a setting that offers the latest benefits and innovations in medical technology, research and family-friendly design. As the largest pediatric provider in the region with a 140-year legacy of excellence, kids and their families are at the center of all we do. Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is ranked in all 10 specialties by the U.S. News & World Report.

Day (United States of America)

Location

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Job Description

Check out our Team:

Delivery of Clinical Services

• Collaborates to coordinate service delivery with families and appropriate team members across the continuum. Makes necessary referrals to other team members and/or community resources.
• Identifies, assesses, and responds to child/family needs; includes in this process age-specific developmental needs for patients, infants to adolescents, seen in a medical service.
• Supervises and facilitates group activity sessions and special events.
• Works in collaboration with Volunteer Resources staff to assess volunteer coverage in child life programs. Develops and implements volunteer services for patients based on identified needs.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates systems and materials for the general training of volunteers working in Child Life programs.
• Collaborates with Family Services and Volunteer Resources staff to develop new initiatives involving volunteers.
• Provides orientation, supervision, and feedback to assigned volunteers.
• Works with volunteers and Volunteer Resources staff members to resolve conflict proactively and collaboratively at the point of service.
• May prepare patients for surgery, procedures, or other related events.
• Develops relationships with families that are caring, trusting, reliable, and beneficial.
• May provide a psychosocial assessment of patient's ability to cope with hospitalization and develop strategies to enhance the patient's abilities.
• Provides timely and effective interventions for families in emergency/crisis situations.
• Educates parents and staff to provide preparation, assessment and developmental support services for children and families.
• Represents child life and manages activities of child life on evenings, weekends or holidays, as assigned.
• Documents in a thorough and timely manner in accordance with professional standards.
• Uses evidence-based practice to direct clinical choices.
• Recognizes that response to the customer and the changing environment may involve going beyond the confines of the traditional job description.

Team Membership

• Communicates with members of the health care team, through formal and informal means of transmitting information, in order to provide optimal care of patients and families. Communicates through both conveying and responding to pertinent information• Advocates for and addresses the psychosocial/spiritual/developmental/cultural needs of the child and family throughout the continuum of care.
• Participates in the team's group problem solving and program planning.
• Handles difficult situations pro-actively and collaboratively at the point of service.
• Develops new programs or projects to meet the needs of service area.
• Actively participates in department or hospital committees.

Professional Skills and Identity

• Establishes annual goals and effectively works to meet these goals.
• Assumes responsibility for professional development through participation in seminars, course work, and/or hospital educational programs.
• Develops and implements plan for necessary professional credentials, and maintenance of such credentials.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Administrative and project management duties, as assigned.
• Maintains appropriate records and statistics.
• Orders and maintains materials for service and program needs.
• Performs job functions adhering to service principles with customer service focus of innovation, service excellence and teamwork to provide the highest quality care and service to our patients, families, co-workers and others
• Represents Lurie Children's, Family Services, and Child Life in community-based activities such as donor events when needed.
• Performs job functions adhering to service principles with customer service focus of innovation, service excellence and teamwork to provide the highest quality care and service to our patients, families, co-workers and others.

Minimum Requirements:

• Requires knowledge of child and adolescent development normally acquired through the completion of a baccalaureate degree in child development, child and family development or related field of study.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience in child life setting or equivalent position.
• Ability to think pro-actively, act creatively and take initiative appropriately.
• Ability to communicate effectively, work as a member of a team and adapt to the changing health care environment essential.
• Spanish language abilities strongly preferred.

Education
Bachelor's Degree: Child Development (Required)

Pay Range
$46,280.00-$75,670.40 Salary

At Lurie Children's, we are committed to competitive and fair compensation aligned with market rates and internal equity, reflecting individual contributions, experience, and expertise. The pay range for this job indicates minimum and maximum targets for the position. Ranges are regularly reviewed to stay aligned with market conditions. In addition to base salary, Lurie Children's offer a comprehensive rewards package that may include differentials for some hourly employees, leadership incentives for select roles, health and retirement benefits, and wellbeing programs. For more details on other compensation, consult your recruiter or click the following link to learn more about our benefits.

Benefit Statement

For full time and part time employees who work 20 or more hours per week we offer a generous benefits package that includes:

Medical, dental and vision insurance

Employer paid group term life and disability

Employer contribution toward Health Savings Account

Flexible Spending Accounts

Paid Time Off (PTO), Paid Holidays and Paid Parental Leave

403(b) with a 5% employer match

Various voluntary benefits:

• Supplemental Life, AD&D and Disability
• Critical Illness, Accident and Hospital Indemnity coverage
• Tuition assistance
• Student loan servicing and support
• Adoption benefits
• Backup Childcare and Eldercare
• Employee Assistance Program, and other specialized behavioral health services and resources for employees and family members
• Discount on services at Lurie Children's facilities
• Discount purchasing program

There's a Place for You with Us

At Lurie Children's, we embrace and celebrate building a team with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and viewpoints - recognizing that different life experiences strengthen our workplace and the care we provide to the Chicago community and beyond. We treat everyone fairly, appreciate differences, and make meaningful connections that foster belonging. This is a place where you can be your best, so we can give our best to the patients and families who trust us with their care.


Lurie Children's and its affiliates are equal employment opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, pregnancy, protected veteran status, order of protection status, protected genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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