Child Life Specialist

Job Title

Implements a psychosocial program fostering emotional, developmental, intellectual and physical growth of children in the hospital environment and outpatient setting. Orients hospital staff of the psychosocial needs of children and their families and fosters positive hospital community relations.

Job Responsibilities

• Facilitates child life services in assigned area; prioritizes patient care needs on a daily basis and assigns staff, students and volunteers.
• Participates in administrative tasks (i.e. Community Affairs, Internship, Joint Commission, Volunteer program), as directed by management.
• Guides child life specialist I, students and volunteers.
• Sets-up and organizes activity areas, and provides design input for patient areas, to promote use, orientation, and personalization, and provide comfort and security.
• Develops a plan-of-care based on assessment of child's development, temperament, coping style, medical plan and available social support using therapeutic play as a diagnostic and treatment tool.
• Recognizes and addresses the importance of therapeutic play in facilitating child's mastery and coping with the health-care experience (i.e., medical play, creative arts).
• Identifies teaching, materials and techniques for different age groups and learning needs.
• Uses developmentally appropriate play experiences as a primary tool in assessing and meeting the child's psychosocial needs in the health-care setting.
• Allows patient/family to make choices and decisions to maximize feelings of control (i.e., what position is most comfortable, what coping technique to utilize, what toy to hold).
• Performs related duties as required. All responsibilities noted here are considered essential functions of the job under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Duties not mentioned here, but considered related are not essential functions.

Job Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required, or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Current Child Life Specialist Certification required, plus specialized certifications as needed.
• 1-3 years of relevant experience, required.