Child Life Specialist
Hamilton Health Sciences
Location
Hamilton, Ontario
Quick overview
The specialist supports the developmental and psychological needs of children and families during hospitalization through clinical coverage and technology-based programming. They collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to minimize trauma and maximize adjustment in high-stress healthcare environments.
Requirements summary
Candidates must hold a postgraduate diploma in Child Life Studies and obtain certification upon hire or within one year. Proficiency with technology and experience interacting with pediatric patients in fast-paced environments are required.
Job description
As a member of the healthcare team, the child life specialist enables children, adolescents and their families to maintain optimum development, realize normal living patterns, minimize psychological trauma and maximize adjustment as they adapt to changes in health, hospitalization and life situations.
This child life specialist role includes
- Providing patients with opportunities for learning and maintaining normal development, for self-expression, for family involvement and for peer interaction via the planning and coordination of technology-based programming in the lounge and at the bedside
- Providing regular clinical coverage support of inpatient areas including oncology, surgical, medical and PICU
- Collaborating to support events, volunteers, centralized programming and projects
- Maintaining and organizing technology equipment and initiatives as well as the ongoing support and training of child life specialists across the hospital
- Note: Significant technological expertise is not required but rather a willingness to learn, troubleshoot and organize
- 1.
- Postgraduate diploma in Child life Studies, preference given to graduates of the McMaster Child Life Studies program.
- 2.
- Child Life Certification upon hire, or within a year.
- 3.
- Preference given to those with experience in the last 4 years, as a Child Life Specialist.
- 4.
- Knowledge, skills and abilities required to interact with infants, children, adolescents and their families in a high stress environment.
- 5.
- Excellent communication and planning skills, and the ability to work within an interdisciplinary team and the public for event planning.
- 6.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, changing environment.
- 7.
- Proficiency with technology (ipads, lap tops, video games, and CL interventions incorporating technology).
