Child Life Specialist at Childrens Hospital of The King's Daughters – Norfolk, Virginia

The Child Life Specialist provides emotional, educational, diversionary and developmental support to children to minimize the stress of illness and hospitalization. Promotes optimal growth and development and enhances quality of life. Interventions include medical play, procedural preparation, coping techniques, new diagnosis and body image education, non-pharmacological pain management, distraction, sibling/family support, legacy building, bereavement support, and hospital re-visit tours. Reports to department leadership.

Provides emotional, educational, diversionary and developmental support to children to minimize the stress of illness and hospitalization.

Plans and implements services in collaboration with Child Life Assistant to address the individual needs of the patient and family.

Supervises Child Life interns.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Must be certified or obtain certification in Child Life within one year of hire and certification must be maintained.

CPR Training required and/or must be obtained within 45 days of hire.

Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree in Child Life or related field with successful completion of 600 hour pediatric Child Life internship.

Minimum of one year experience in a pediatric healthcare setting preferred.

Normal patient care environment with little exposure to excessive noise, dust, temperature and the like. Frequent exposure to communicable disease and moderately adverse working condition due to performance of certain patient care activities.

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