Child Family Life Specialist - Fairview Health Services

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit/Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit Child Family Life Specialist provides services to pediatric patients and their families to support coping and adaptation to the health care environment, utilizing play as a therapeutic modality.  Provides clinical psychosocial services throughout the hospital system based on the competencies of a certified child life specialist(CCLS).  The Child Family Life Specialist will function as an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team, applying a knowledge of child development and family systems to their practice. Minimum of a BA/BS in child life, therapeutic recreation, family or child development, counseling, child psychology, education, social work, nursing or related fields.  Completion of a child life internship with a minimum of 600 hours. CCLS certification through the ACLP required, or ability to sit for the exam within 6 months of hire. 

• Ability to assess patient and family psychosocial needs and implement therapeutic coping plans.  

• Describe and apply formal and informal techniques to assess developmental and emotional state 

• Identify factors that impact a child and family’s vulnerability to stress and trauma and how children and families interpret and make meaning of health, illness, and loss 

• Describe and apply the cyclical process of assessment, plan, intervention, and evaluation of child life services 

• Ability to integrate clinical evidence and fundamental child life knowledge into professional decision making. 

• Identify therapeutic approaches that facilitate open-ended, developmentally-supportive play andexpressive arts 

• Utilize play as an assessment tool that encourages patients to express their anxieties, misconceptions, and perceptions of hospital experiences.   

• Ability to provide developmentally appropriate preparation, teaching, and education regarding patients’ diagnosis, plan of care, and independent coping skills. 

• Identify basic terminology,processes, and expected plan of care for the population served. 

• Articulate learning styles and needs of individuals with various developmental levels, emotional states,and of diverse backgrounds and experiences. 

• Describe common fears, misconceptions and concerns of individuals in each developmentalstage. 

• Determine realistic goals and objectives for learning in collaboration with family members andother healthcare professionals andidentify an action plan to achieve these goals. 

• Use accurate and developmentally appropriate teaching aids and techniques to increase knowledge andsupport emotional needs. 

• Ability to facilitate positive coping experiences and provide developmentally appropriate procedural support during stressful, painful, and traumatic healthcare experiences. 

• Identify types of stressful events affecting children and families, including medical procedures, pain,traumatic life events, loss, end of life, and grief work. 

• Describe immediate and long-term coping styles and techniques, as well as their effect onadjustment and behavior. 

• Articulate and apply effective non-pharmacological pain management techniques. 

• Describe sensory, cognitive, and behavioral coping strategies specific to developmental stages andpopulations. 

• Implement a team plan for coping support during medical procedures, including parental presence withguidance, comfort positions, role responsibilities, and distraction techniques to help children refocustheir attention. 

• Facilitate planning, rehearsal, implementation, and evaluation of coping strategies. 

• Ability to provide opportunities for play for infants, children, youth, and families 

• Articulate and implement theories of human growth and development, play, and family systems 

• Demonstrate the ability to assess individual play needs and incorporate play into daily practice. 

• Facilitate opportunities for play to decrease distress, provide enjoyment and comfort, enhance mastery,and promote healing. 

• Plan and implement appropriate play activities and materials for children and families of diversecultures, varying developmental needs, and physical abilities. 

• Establish safe and engaging play spaces that promote cross cultural connections, facility group play, and encourage children to choose and explore at their own pace. 

• Ability to provide psychosocial support to patients, siblings, and family systems. 

• Identify types of stressful events affecting children and families, including medical procedures, pain,traumatic life events, loss, end of life, and grief work. 

• Understand the role of communication, particularly active listening and empathic responding, inbuilding relationships with families undergoing stress. 

• Understand the role of self-reflection in aiding patients and families in the process of mourning. 

• Establish and maintain a therapeutic, healing and family-centered environment. 

• Promoting family connections and togetherness during times of separation due to hospitalization or illness. 

• Ability to practice within the scope of professional and personal knowledge and skill base including the supervision of students.  

• Take action to ensure personal responsibilities and professional competencies are maintained and do notfall below a level considered acceptable in the field of practice. 

• Communicate concisely with other healthcare professionals, integrating theory and evidence-based practice toobtain and share pertinentinformation. 

• Consult with other health professionals to initiate collaboration, offer direction, share insight, and coordinate interventions. 

• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries to preserve the therapeutic relationship as defined by the organization and the ACLP. 

• Incorporate evidence-based practice and research into child life practice through continuing education. 

• Other Professional responsibilities, as assigned. 

• Work as an integral part of the Patient and Family Support Services team in supporting other disciplines in providing patient and family centered care. 

• Utilize and supervise volunteers for child life programming or patient care needs. 
  

Required 

Education 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Child Life, Family or Child Development, Counseling, Child Psychology, Education, Social Work, Nursing, or related field. 

Experience 

• Completion of child life internship as recognized by the ACLP 

License/Certification/Registration 

• Ability to sit for and pass CCLS certification exam within 6 months of hire 
• BLS required

Preferred 

Education 

• Bachelors or masters in child life or closely related field 

Experience 

• Three to fiveyears experience as a CCLS 

License/Certification/Registration 

• Current CCLS certification