Child Life Specialist

Job Overview

The Child Life Specialist (CLS) works in health care and community settings to address the psychosocial, emotional, and family concerns that accompany the illness and injury of infants, children, adolescents, and youth. The CLS utilizes developmentally appropriate information, procedure support, emotional processing, play, self-expression and empowerment to improve the coping and adjustment of patients and families. As a member of the psychosocial team, the CLS collaborates with the multidisciplinary healthcare teams to ensure that emotionally safe, family-centered care is being provided to patients and families.

In addition, the CLS takes an active role in developing and maintaining resources, planning, and facilitating special events and providing educational opportunities throughout Children s Hospital Colorado (CHCO) and the community. This position will support Radiology.

Department Name:
Child Life - Radiology
Job Status: 40hrs FT
Shift: M-F 8:30a-5p

• Education:
  
  Bachelor s degree in Child Life, Child Development, Counseling Psychology, Social Work, Education, or related fields.
• Experience:
  
  Successful completion of 600 hours of child life internship under the direct supervision of a certified child life specialist.
• Certification(s):
  Current Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS).

Will also consider a Child Life Intern who has completed their internship at entry level:

• Education:
  
  Bachelor s degree in Child Life, Child Development, Counseling Psychology, Social Work, Education, or related fields.
• Experience:
  
  Successful completion of 600 hours of child life internship under the direct supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist.
• Certification(s):
  Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) must be obtained within one year of hire.

POPULATION SPECIFIC CARE

• Neonate - < 30 days
• Infancy - >30 days to 1 yr
• Toddlers - >1 yr to 3 yrs
• Pre-Schoolers - >3 yrs to 5 yrs
• School age - >5 yrs to 13 yrs
• Adolescent - >13 yrs to 18 yrs
• Adult - >18 yrs to 65 yrs

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides, develops, and implements child life services that provide basic support for end of life, new diagnosis, and traumatic experiences for patients and families.
• Helps patients, families and communities cope with the social, emotional and psychological impact of illness, injury and medical care.
• Provides effective and timely clinical services including, but not limited to, assessing the psychosocial risk level of patients.
• Consistently meets departmental productivity requirements.
• Assesses coping responses and the needs of children/adolescents and families related to healthcare experiences.
• Communicates appropriate information to members of the healthcare team to promote an understanding of the unique psychosocial/emotional needs of the child/adolescent and to advise on the plan of care.
• Creates opportunities which strengthen the patient s self-esteem, independence, and understanding of the medical care and diagnosis.
• Facilitates basic interventions which allow children/adolescents to express feelings, process difficult events, and explore positive coping skills.
• Practices and promotes patient/family-centered care.
• Utilizes up-to-date and appropriate resources for patients, families and the community.
• Utilizes best practice and/or evidence-based practice to ensure high level of care.
• Provides education to healthcare staff, patients and families regarding the scope of child life services, the impact of health care on development, providing developmentally appropriate and emotionally safe medical care, and professional boundaries.
• Provides psychological preparation and procedure support to children/adolescents undergoing medical procedures or surgeries to improve coping and understanding.
• Participates in departmental committees and projects as assigned.

SCOPE AND LEVEL

Guidelines are generally numerous, well established, and directly applicable to the work assignment. Work assignment and desired results are explained by general oral or written instructions.

Complexity:
Duties assigned are generally repetitive and restricted in scope but may be of substantial intricacy. Employee primarily applies…