Child Life Specialist

Nemours is dedicated to providing treatment and curative services to acutely and chronically ill children.
Caring for more than 225,000 children each year during more than 870,000 patient visits, Nemours is one of the nation's largest pediatric subspecialty group practices. This is in addition to many ongoing research and education programs conducted at Nemours.
Nemours owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE, as well as four major Children's specialty centers in Wilmington, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Pensacola.


DESCRIPTION
Provides Child Life Therapy assessment and intervention independently to assigned patient population within the guidelines designated by department and hospital policy and procedures.

Direct Patient Care Responsibilities

·Provides family/child education regarding diagnosis, treatment and the impact of hospitalization to increase understanding and minimize trauma and disruption in normal growth and development.
·Utilizes stress reduction techniques to facilitate adaptive coping during procedures and throughout hospital experience.
·Uses developmentally appropriate and medically accurate information to prepare children and families for diagnostic and treatment procedures, as defined in the Child Life preparation protocol. Psychological preparation will be provided in such a way that knowledge is increased and emotional needs are supported.
·Provides medical play to allow children to explore, express, cope and gain a sense of mastery and control over their hospitalization and related fears, fantasies and concerns.
·Assesses patients need for therapeutic, developmental and social/recreational play and provide as appropriate.
·Works as a member of the healthcare team to address developmental, emotional, psychosocial and individual needs of patients to promote coping and adjustment to hospitalization.
·Extends support to family members with respect to their needs, cultural values and beliefs.
·Demonstrates proficiency in the care of pediatrics, adolescents and young adults.
·Demonstrates proficiency in the care of neonates as required by assignment.
·Provides information/effective treatment strategies and support to families while considering the lifelong implications for various diagnoses of patients seen within the department.
·Completes timely documentation as required by Therapeutic Services department policy, JCAHO and CARF standards.
·Attends meetings related to patient treatment and contributes to discussion as an interdisciplinary team member.
·Attends inservices/continuing education; provides updates in the form of inservices to the department.
·Participates in meeting goals of the department.
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