Child Life Specialist

Child Life Specialist

The Child Life Specialist functions as a key member of the healthcare team, communicating all relevant developmental and psychosocial information to other team members via charting, participation in rounds and team meetings, etc.

Responsibilities:

• Upholds professional code of ethics including the establishment of therapeutic relationships with patients and families that are clear, caring and boundaried.
• Consistently follows infection control guidelines to prevent cross contamination in the playroom, at bedside and during group activities.
• Assess patients' development, temperament, coping style and adjustment utilizing knowledge of child development and behavior, injury/disease, treatment, cultural and family systems to develop individualized treatment plan.
• Utilizes knowledge and resources to assess, plan, prioritize appropriate child life interventions. Assess patient and families to determine developmental level, emotional state, and individual needs.
• Provides education regarding illness/diagnosis, treatment, and coping techniques to patients, parents/caregivers and siblings.
• Provides preparation for patients and families for surgical, medical and diagnostic procedures using developmentally appropriate and medically accurate teaching tools and techniques with a goal of decreasing anxiety, increasing knowledge and coping.
• Provides a safe and therapeutic environment that encourages opportunities for and facilitates a variety of group and/or individual play and activities that promote normalization, development, learning, self-expression, and coping.
• Demonstrates, explains and provides stress reduction techniques before, during and/or after stressful experiences to facilitate adaptive coping. Encourages emotional expression in order to promote understanding, mastery and coping.
• Facilitates positive relationships with family members, using knowledge and resources to accommodate cultural needs and to bridge differences.
• Coordinates activities and special events in a manner that is collaborative with other departments and services. Creates and implements activities to assure continuity of normal life experiences such as birthdays and holidays.
• Provides support and information regarding bereavement and/or legacy building. Collaborates with interdisciplinary team in pain management and palliative care.
• Provides ongoing management, training, supervision and evaluation of child life interns to maintain ACLP clinical internship accreditation.
• Provides ongoing volunteer management, training, supervision and evaluation to best meet patient/family and unit needs.
• Participates in ongoing professional development.

Qualifications/Requirements:

Experience: Completion of a 600 Child Life internship under the supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist.

Education: A Bachelor's degree, required; Master's degree in Child Life, recreation, psychology, early childhood education or a closely related field, preferred.

Licenses / Certifications: At the time of hire, the candidate will need to either be certified or eligible for certification as documented by the ACLP and registered for the exam within a certain time period.

Other: Special Requirements:

Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, a member of the WMCHealth Network