Child Life Specialist Facility Dog Handler
Temple, TX
$5000 Sign on Bonus!
Relocation Assistance
JOB SUMMARY
The Child Life Specialist 2 will use advanced knowledge to work with pediatric patients and family members to provide emotional, social and developmental support, and to add to the quality of care throughout the challenges of illness or injury, including end of life and bereavement. The Child Life Specialist 2 will provide a leadership role in development of best practices, procedures, and processes for the Child Life team.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE ROLE
- Meets with parent and/or other involved adults to assess psychosocial needs of children and their families, prior to implementation of therapeutic interventions
- Works as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide psychosocial care and advocate for pediatric patients to ensure they are receiving medical care under the most optimal and positive circumstances
- Understands and provides age developmentally appropriate explanations and preparation of key aspects of serious illness or injury to children, their parents or other involved adults including diagnosis teaching, anticipatory grief, healthy coping strategies, grief and bereavement.
- Provides opportunities for therapeutic and medical play opportunities to facilitate understanding, provide normalization and encourage expression of feelings in a safe and supportive environment
- Provides education for parent and/or other involved adults including typical vs. atypical coping, common concerns of children, common behavioral changes, as well as information and resources for additional community and professional support services.
- Educates medical staff on Child Life services and on identifying patients and families who may benefit from those services and areas to grow the program.
- Provides leadership role in development of best practices, procedures, and processes for the Child Life team. Leads team growth and assists with mentoring and helping other Child Life Specialists.
- Assists with ordering and inventory of supplies for the department.
- Responds to special visitor requests, conducts community group tours, and partners with Foundation or media relations to assist in philanthropic endeavors.
KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
- Three years of experience as a child life specialist required.
- Master's degree preferred.
- Possesses expansive knowledge of child development, child life theory and evidence-based practice, as well as childhood trauma and grief and therapeutic interventions
- Demonstrates exceptional verbal and non-verbal communication skills including developmentally appropriate verbiage, facial expressions, active listening, emotional regulation, empathy, social awareness, relationship management, self-awareness, affective matching and presentation skills.
- Possesses effective time-management and prioritization skills for all child life tasks and responsibilities, as well as comfort and confidence, often while working independently or with minimal supervision.
- Displays cultural competence and is respectful of adult patients, families, and medical staff with diverse spiritual, ethnic, language, educational and socio-economic differences.
- Proactively seeks out opportunities to provide education to medical staff about Child Life services, and children's unique responses to a serious illness medical condition and hospitalization, end-of-life, and grief responses.
- Advocates for psychosocial well-being of children by promoting open and honest communication, educating medical staff about the need for and importance of allowing siblings and other involved children to make bedside visits on all units, providing opportunities for children to say goodbye, and inclusion in memorializing the patient.
- Manages the intense emotional stress inherent when working with children and families experiencing serious illness or injury, end-of-life, death, and bereavement.
- Possesses excellent documentation skills with appropriate verbiage, punctuation, spelling and professional tone.
- Ability to wear PPE (personal protective equipment) including head cover, mask, gown, gloves, shoe covers and any other specified covering.
BENEFITS
Our competitive benefits package includes the following
- Immediate eligibility for health and welfare benefits
- 401(k) savings plan with dollar-for-dollar match up to 5%
- Tuition Reimbursement
- PTO accrual beginning Day 1
Note: Benefits may vary based upon position type and/or level
QUALIFICATIONS
- EDUCATION - Bachelor's
- EXPERIENCE - 3 Years of Experience
CERTIFICATION/LICENSE/REGISTRATION
- Cert Child Life Specialist (CCLS)
- Basic Life Support (BLS): BLS or BLS within 30 days of hire or transfer.