Child Life Specialist

Department Overview

The Child Life Specialist will support hospitalized pediatric patients on our Pediatric Acute Care Medical unit (9N). The Pediatric Acute Care Medical Unit (PACM) provides Acute level care for patients 0-18 years of age, across a large spectrum of services to include medicine, pulmonology, gastroenterology, endocrine, family medicine, neurology and behavioral health. Our team approach is family centered with a Multidisciplinary approach. Collaboration with child life, respiratory therapy, social work, schoolteachers, pharmacists, Psych and therapy services, to provide support to our admitted patients and their families.

 

Our facility provides private rooms for patients/families, playrooms, family lounge, classroom and an outside courtyard. This CLS will promote healthy growth and development, reduce anxiety of hospitalization, increase coping and emotional adjustment to medical setting. Play and normalization are also key components of the work on this unit and within the Child Life Specialist role. Hospital events such as Holiday celebrations and programming are included.

Function/Duties of Position

Clinical Responsibilities

• Maintains and supports the philosophy of family centered care by helping the patients and families cope with the hospital experience.
• Assesses and documents the emotional and psychosocial developmental needs, action and follow-up plan written in the patient’s record
• Promotes coping with the hospital experience through expression of feelings in developmentally age appropriate, therapeutic activities. 
• Provides preoperative teaching, post op support and pre-op tours.
• Provides emotional support to patients and family during medical/nursing procedures.
• Provides child development expertise in the development of educational material for patients and families. 
• Participates in care conferences held to assess patient needs and receive suggestions for intervention from other care conference members.
• Identifies needs of all children incorporating developmental level, mobility, chronicity of illness and psychosocial factors to facilitate activities fostering mastery of healthcare experiences.
• Adapt play materials to meet individual needs. 
• Explains at the child’s level of understanding, the sequence, nature, and reason for medical procedures and routines; serves as a supportive non-medical person during medical procedures.
• Promotes positive guest relations with the staff, patients, volunteers and visitors
• Assists in training and supervision of volunteers to promote positive interactions for patients and families with volunteers.
• Provides emotional, intellectual and social support for patients.
• Provides grief support for families

Promotes the Child Life professional and program through education and role modeling.

• Participates in associations related to Child Life and maintains knowledge on current trends in Child Life.
• Shares child development knowledge and communication skills with staff and providers as opportunities arise.
• Orients patient care staff, volunteers and students to the needs of hospitalized children and adolescents.
• Acts as a resource person for staff in identifying patient and family needs under stress and crisis.
• Participates as a member of an organizational, multidisciplinary committee as possible
• Role models professional competence and respectful communications.
• Commits to teamwork in the Child Life Program through positive communication and collaboration.
• Assists in preparation and dissemination of information representing the hospital and Child Life Program to community groups, organizations and the news media.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Maintains necessary medical play supplies and playrooms in good working order.
• Responds to requests and donations of the community, accepts donations brought to DCH.
• Maintains a supply of books/pamphlets for grief support, general information regarding hospitalization of children and other materials as patient needs dictate.
• Processes donations including donor relations, organization, storage and/or distribution of donations. 
• Uses fiscal stewardship in requesting and ordering program materials.
• Maintains accurate pager status, answers calls and emails promptly.
• Supports DCH Foundation special events and requests as requested.
• Coordinates and attends Child Life Program special events and/or entertainment activities for patients and families.

Required Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in a Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Recreational Therapy, Special Education, or a closely related field and

• Completion of a minimum of 480 hours in a Child Life internship. Child Life Specialist within one year of hire date. Preference will be given to applicants with hospital experience or training, Child Life Specialist certification, and proficiency in Spanish.

• Expertise in child Life skills and practices.
• Competent in computer functions, such as e-charting

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in related field
• 1 or more years’ experience as a Child Life Specialist in a pediatric acute hospital
• Successful OHSU Language Service Competency exam: Spanish Language

Additional Details

Standing, sitting for up to 2 hours or more, bending, reaching overhead, stooping, climbing stairs, on hands and knees at times working with ped patients. Able to use a keyboard for an extended amount of time as well as rapid mental/hand/eye coordination

 

Benefits:

• Healthcare Options - Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents, and $25K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from
• Vacation- up to 200 hours per year depending on length of service
• Sick Leave- up to 96 hours per year
• 8 paid holidays per year
• Substantial Tri-met and C-Tran discounts
• Additional Programs including: Tuition Reimbursement and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

All are welcome

Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or [email protected].