Child Life Specialist, Pediatric Emergency .60

Child Life Specialist

The Child Life Specialist provides developmentally appropriate psychosocial care, education, and support to pediatric patients and families experiencing acute illness, injury, trauma, and emergency medical interventions within the Pediatric Emergency Department. Using evidence-based child life practices, the Child Life Specialist promotes coping, reduces fear and anxiety, and enhances the patient and family experience throughout the emergency care encounter. The Child Life Specialist collaborates with the multidisciplinary team to support individualized plans of care, procedural success, trauma-informed care, and family-centered practices while adhering to the professional standards of the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP).

Locations: Stanford Health Care

What You Will Do

• Assesses the developmental, emotional, psychosocial, and coping needs of pediatric patients and families presenting to the Pediatric Emergency Department.
• Provides preparation, education, and support for procedures, diagnostic testing, treatments, and emergency interventions.
• Utilizes developmentally appropriate distraction techniques, therapeutic play, medical play, and coping strategies to reduce patient distress and procedural anxiety.
• Supports patients and families during IV insertions, blood draws, imaging studies, sedation procedures, trauma activations, and other emergency department procedures.
• Collaborates with nursing, physician, social work, and multidisciplinary teams to develop individualized care plans that support patient coping and family engagement.
• Provides support and advocacy for patients with developmental differences, autism spectrum disorder, behavioral health needs, sensory sensitivities, or communication barriers.
• Assists with crisis intervention, bereavement support, end-of-life care, and family support during critical events when appropriate.
• Facilitates family presence and participation in care consistent with organizational policies and patient safety considerations.
• Serves as a resource to staff regarding child development, family-centered care, trauma-informed practices, and strategies to improve patient cooperation and procedural success.
• Participates in quality improvement, departmental initiatives, staff education, and program development activities.
• Documents assessments, interventions, patient responses, and outcomes in the electronic medical record according to departmental standards.
• Maintains compliance with organizational policies, safety standards, and ACLP professional standards.

Education Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Development or a directly related required.
• Master's degree preferred.

Experience Qualifications

• Minimum two (2) years of experience as a Certified Child Life Specialist required
• Experience supporting pediatric patients in acute care, emergency, critical care, or procedural settings preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of child growth and development across the pediatric age continuum.
• Knowledge of family-centered care principles and trauma-informed care practices.
• Knowledge of pediatric coping strategies, therapeutic play, procedural preparation, and psychosocial assessment.
• Knowledge of the impact of illness, injury, hospitalization, trauma, and medical procedures on children and families.
• Ability to assess developmental and psychosocial needs and implement appropriate interventions.
• Ability to support children and families during stressful, emergent, and emotionally charged situations.
• Ability to communicate effectively with children, families, and multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
• Ability to establish therapeutic relationships with patients and families from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to utilize distraction techniques, procedural support tools, and evidence-based interventions to improve patient coping and procedural success.
• Proficiency with electronic medical record documentation and standard computer applications.
• Demonstrated ability to provide psychosocial support and developmentally appropriate interventions to pediatric patients and families.
• Ability to function effectively in a fast-paced, high-acuity emergency care environment.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands and respond appropriately during emergencies and critical events.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.

Licenses and Certifications

• CCLS - Certified Child Life Specialist required within 180 Days
• BLS - Basic Life Support required

These principles apply to ALL employees: SHC Commitment to Providing an Exceptional Patient & Family Experience Stanford Health Care sets a high standard for delivering value and an exceptional experience for our patients and families. Candidates for employment and existing employees must adopt and execute C-I-CARE standards for all of patients, families and towards each other. C-I-CARE is the foundation of Stanford's patient-experience and represents a framework for patient-centered interactions. Simply put, we do what it takes to enable and empower patients and families to focus on health, healing and recovery. You will do this by executing against our three experience pillars, from the patient and family's perspective:

• Know Me: Anticipate my needs and status to deliver effective care
• Show Me the Way: Guide and prompt my actions to arrive at better outcomes and better health
• Coordinate for Me: Own the complexity of my care through coordination

Equal Opportunity Employer Stanford Health Care (SHC) strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all of its policies and practices, including the area of employment. Accordingly, SHC does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity and/or expression, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability, or the perception of any of the above. People of all genders, members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants with criminal convictions will be considered after an individualized assessment of the conviction and the job requirements.

Base Pay Scale: Generally starting at $46.50 - $52.37 per hour

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. This pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage.