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Job Description: Certified Child Life Specialist

• Prepares children and families for healthcare experiences through providing developmentally appropriate explanations and facilitating support through medical events.

• Collaborates with higher-level team members to review comprehensive information related to patient care assignments and interventions.

• Assesses coping responses and needs of children and families to healthcare experience.

• Reviews comprehensive information related to all assigned patients daily.

• Develops plans to address the assessed needs of the child and family.

• Continually evaluates the effectiveness of interventions.

• Documents assessment, plans, interventions, and evaluations in the medical record and verbally as appropriate.

• Provides psychosocial and developmental care to meet the child's needs.

• Provides essential life experiences through play opportunities and other experiences that foster continued growth and development.

• Provides opportunities that encourage expression of feelings and promote a sense of mastery and understanding of health care experience.

• Advocates for comprehensive school services in the hospital when appropriate.

• Supports the child’s relationship with parents and other family members by involving parents in child life plan and providing individualized support for siblings and peers that is cognizant of cultural needs.

• Communicates effectively with other members of the healthcare team in sharing observations, assessments, and recommendations for care.

• Monitors and maintains use and condition of supplies, equipment, and materials within policies and guidelines necessary to provide child life services.

• Participates in child life program activities, team meetings and orientation to the department infrastructure, policies, protocols, and workflow.

• Participates in continuing education opportunities

• Adheres to all hospital and department policies and procedures as well as standards for the team.

Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong communication (both written and verbal), interpersonal, organizational, and time management skills required

• Ability to collaborate with team members and families required

• Ability to potentially work Weekends/Evenings based on practice need required

MINIMUM EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in an area related to Child Growth and Development and 2 years of relevant experience required

• Or equivalent combination of education and experience

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Eligible to sit for the Child Life Professional Certification exam upon hire required

• CCLS - Certified Child Life Specialist within 1 year required

About UR Medicine Golisano Children's Hospital

At the UR Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital (GCH), we continually strive for better: better access to and delivery of world-class pediatric care, improved research investment, and expanded training programs that advance pediatrics throughout upstate New York and across the country.Golisano Children’s Hospital is a place where faculty and physician leaders are called to do everything in their power to help each child reach their full potential. As an organization, we do everything possible to support you in reaching your full potential as a clinician, researcher, educator, and individual.

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