Child Life Specialist I

Job Responsibilities:

• Implements a comprehensive Child Life Program for assigned clinical population assessing the emotional developmental, educational, and diversionary needs of hospitalized children to address the medical, procedural, surgical, diagnostic, and prognostic experiences of patients and families. Prepares and executes an individualized therapeutic care plan for the developmental and psychosocial well-being of the child to promote healthy coping. Applies child life interventions (e.g. legacy building, needle play, medical play, diagnostic teaching, treatment compliance, death and bereavement) aimed towards mastery of medical experiences. Makes developmentally-appropriate preparations for medical experiences of patients and families to encourage the expression of feelings, healthy adaptation, and coping mechanism development. May accompany child to procedure and surgery experiences to incorporate pre-planned coping strategies as well as diversionary and guided imagery techniques. Selects therapeutic activities, materials, and equipment that foster intellectual, physical, social and emotional growth. Develops therapeutic plans that encourage the child to maintain self-esteem and independence. Creates, oversees, and facilitates playroom programming; identifies ways to enhance expressive opportunities and optimize peer relationships within established limits. Examines behaviors and modifies care plan in response to behavior, development, and limitations utilizing approved methods of discipline. Coordinates normalization activities for patients (holiday celebrations, entertainment, visiting groups and community recreational activities). Coordinates and provides oversight for special events that include scheduling holiday activities, planning and execution.
• Provides leadership for child life projects and programming. Participates to ensure overall success of assigned department and institutional projects and events including communication and evaluation. Engages in all phases of project management, including development, design, establishing timelines, testing, process re-design, integration with other functional areas, implementation and post-implementation follow up. Makes presentations as needed to internal audiences. Participates in the development of formal presentations for larger internal groups and external audiences. Provides guidance and instruction to interns, volunteers and shadowing opportunities. Oversees and provides educational in-services for child life practicum students.
• Promotes family-centered care through involvement of parents, siblings, and other family members. Assesses the needs of the patient and family members for education on the impact of illness, visitation, support and development. Provides emotional support to family members. Provides education about the disease to the patient and family. Involves and communicates with the patient and family to support the goals of the health care team and match with the expectations and values of the family. Advocates for opportunities for parents to maintain their parenting role. Assists with the identification and utilization of resources to accommodate cultural, environmental, and language needs. Demonstrates sensitivity to parent's concerns and uses the parents as resources. Individualizes the therapeutic plans by making adjustments to meet the child's and family's needs. Incorporates the child and family in the teaching and therapeutic plan.
• Functions as an integral member of interdisciplinary health care team. Participates in daily rounds, patient care conferences and hospital committee meetings. Provides consultation to and collaborates with medical/patient care team. Makes recommendations regarding developmental comprehension and psychosocial needs of patients and families. Represents Child Life on institutional committees and projects. Identifies the need for additional support from other services and makes appropriate internal and external referrals. Provides in-services to hospital staff regarding Child Life principles and works with other departments to coordinate institutional events and clinical presentations. Coordinates the therapeutic plan with the healthcare team through communication and documentation.
• Contributes to educational and public relations mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Collaborates with ALSAC/hospital Public Relations department to co-facilitate patient interactions. Provides assistance as requested to ALSAC/hospital Public Relations department. Tours and meets with guests in preparation for interaction with patients and families. Serves as a resource for affiliates, other institutions, and educational programs. Assists with the receipt, acknowledgment, and distribution of donations.
• Participates in the quality and performance improvement process. Collects statistical data. Evaluates departmental activities and makes recommendations for improvement. Maintains program expenditures within the budgetary limits.
• Pursues professional development opportunities and maintains professional competencies. Maintains affiliation and networks with the Child Life professional organization and other related organizations. Participates in and provides in-service training throughout the institution relative to practice area. Attends department staff meetings and adheres to the department staff development guidelines. Participates in program activities to promote efficient operations, including scheduling, flexing of hours and assignments, attendance at unit-based meetings, and using peer collaboration.
• Performs other related duties as assigned to meet the goals and objectives of the department and the institution.
• Maintains regular and predictable attendance.

Minimum Education and/or Training:

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

Minimum Experience:

• Completion of a child life professional internship with one year of experience working with children required
• Professional child life experience in a hospital environment strongly preferred
• Basic Life Support (BLS) required within 30 days of employment.

Licensure, Registration and/or Certification Required by Law:

• None

Licensure, Registration and/or Certification Required by SJCRH Only:

• Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential from the Child Life Council preferred

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; kneel, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to infectious agents, body fluids, secretions, blood products, and cytotoxic agents
• Occasional exposure to radiation and waste anesthetic gases
• Ability to work in covert stressful conditions
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
• An essential function of the job is to be able to comply with all applicable federal, state and local safety and health regulations that would apply to this job
• The employee must move about the work space to access work surface and shelves, cabinets, drawers, and equipment that are at, below or above the work surface.
• Nothing in this job description limits management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time as business needs dictate. This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; it does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. The information contained herein is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor is it intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job.

Compensation

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has a diverse, global patient population and workforce, built on the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our founder Danny Thomas envisioned a hospital that would treat children of the world-regardless of race, religion or a family's ability to pay. Learn more about our history and commitment.

Today, we continue the mission to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. As we accelerate this progress globally, we believe our legacy of diversity, equity and inclusion is foundational to success. With the commitment of leaders at all levels of the organization, we strive to ensure the St. Jude culture, leadership approaches and talent processes are equitable and culturally responsive. View our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report to learn about the hospital's roots in diversity, equity and inclusion, where we are today and our aspirations for an even better future.

No Search Firms

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