Job Description

Responsibilities

Direct Patient Care 

• Assess patient’s development, temperment, coping and adjustment using knowledge of child development and behavior, disease/injury, treatment, healthcare stressors, cultural and family systems. 
• Uses knowledge and resources to create developmental plan and implement appropriate child life and interdisciplinary interventions. 
• Provides therapeutic interactions and activities which offer emotional support, opportunities for continued growth and development and diversion from the hospital experience. 
• Provides opportunities for and facilitates a variety of group and/or individual recreational and play activities that promote normalization, development, learning, self expression, and coping. 
• Uses preparation and medical play opportunities to help alleviate misconceptions and increase understanding of hospital procedures
• Provides procedural support to pateints in order to foster increased coping skills and evaluate effectiveness of interventions to better inform and individualize future support. 

Provides education and support to siblings and parents related to hospital visits, effect of hospitalization. procedures, new diagnosies, etc. 

• Participates in the weekday, weekend, and on-call rotation, as assigned. 
• Regularly maintins pateint care documentation in accordance with standards 

Patient Experience 

• Fosters enviortnent for patients and families to feel heard and understood, anticipates pateint and family needs, and ensures needs are met. 
• Collaborates with child life team and members of the MDT to provide activities to paients and families in assigned area and hospital-wide when appropriate. 
• Encourages and coordinates pateint’s and families participation in activities and special events to support normalizatoin and coping. 

Interdisciplinary Collaboration 

• Collaborates with interdisciplinary healthcare team in order to provide optimal care and advocate for developmentally-appropriate patient and family needs.
• Uses formal and informal methods of communication to share assesments, interventions, and evaluations, as appropriate
• Maintinas communication with interdisciplinary team members to coordinate care and engage in consultation regarding patient care

Program Development 

• Facilitates patient interaction for volunteers
• Presents in-services and trainings on role and impact of child life to departments or assigned areas, increasing understanding of role of child life and family & child-centered care 
• Responsibly manages child life resources in assigned area of hospital and ensures consistent supply of resources 

Professional Development 

• Attends and participates in opportunities that complement and enhance professional development
• With Child Life Manager, establishes annual goals and independently works to meet those goals
• Participates as a member of assigned area or department committees as deemed appropriate 
• Develops and maintains professional skills and knowledge by attending seminars, workshops, conferences,etc. 

Maintains a willingness to learn and openness to new ideas and practices

Qualifications

Plan and deliver training and education sessions for department staff, doctors and nurses in the psychosocial care of childrena and families; teaching, peer review, case studies, in-services and clinical presentations.

Completing and maintaining all regulatory requirements including: licensure and certification and other mandatory training within established time frames

Maintaining professional knowledge by attending lectures, seminars or on-line education units