Child Life Specialist - Atrium Health Adult Intensive Care Unit Charlotte PT

Overview

**Must have successfully completed a Child Life Internship and either have Child Life Specilalist Certification in place or elligible/pending completion.**

Certified Child Life Specialists working in the adult hospital setting seek to help the children of adult patients understand their loved ones' medical experiences by providing developmentally appropriate support and education. Preferred 1 year clinical experience working as a Certified Child Life Specialist.

Job Summary

Provides information, education, support and guidance to parents, siblings and other family members. Promotes effective coping and play, preparation, education and self-expression activities. Provides emotional support for families and encourages optimum development of children facing a broad range of challenging experiences, particularly those related to healthcare and hospitalization.

Essential Functions

• Plans, implements, and evaluates short and long term goals to support the psychosocial and developmental needs of the pediatric and neonatal patients.
• Works with the multidisciplinary team to provide education to patients and families and to formulate and implement a plan of care.
• Collaborates with appropriate departments when planning and implementing special activities and events that assist the patient and family with normalizing their hospital experience.
• Serves as a patient and family advocate through the philosophy of family centered care.
• Assists with planning, presenting and evaluating in-service education.
• Works with the Child Life Assistants and Volunteer Services to on-board and evaluate volunteers as needed.
• Provides education and supervision of student interns for the Child Life Department.
• Assists with on-boarding and mentoring of new teammates and Child Life interns.

Physical Requirements
Work requires walking, standing, silting, lifting, stooping, bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling. Must be able to lift and support 51 pounds of weight in handling patients, medical equipment, and supplies.

Education, Experience and Certifications

Bachelor's Degree in Human Growth and Development, Education, Psychology or a related field of study. Experience with completion of student placement/internship in a Child Life Program in a healthcare setting required. Current Child Life Certification required. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required. Good organization and time management skills are required.