Child Life Assistant - Specialty Support - St. Mary

9998 Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana; United States; On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Ochsner Health System seeks an entry-level role to assist in providing developmentally appropriate activities for pediatric patients and families. You will support Child Life Specialists by maintaining playrooms, preparing materials, and facilitating therapeutic and recreational activities under supervision.

The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent, BLS certification, and strong communication and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Preferred coursework in child development, psychology, education, or related field.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification may be required.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Ability to work with patients, families, and healthcare teams.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Maintain patient confidentiality and privacy.
• Flexibility to work varied shifts and travel between facilities.

Responsibilities

• Maintain playroom environments and stock supplies.
• Assist with age-appropriate therapeutic and recreational activities.
• Provide activity support for patients on isolation or bed rest as arranged with clinical staff.
• Prepare materials and environments for therapeutic interventions and group programming.
• Support special events, community groups, and volunteer coordination activities.
• Observe patient responses and communicate relevant information to Child Life Specialist.
• Adapt behavior to the specific patient population, respecting privacy and communication style.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Computers & software

Verbal & written communication

Interpersonal skills

Organization

Time management

Confidentiality

Flexibility

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Coursework in child development/psychology/education

Tools

Computer software

Job description

This job assists in implementing child life services by providing operational and therapeutic activity support to help meet the developmental and psychosocial needs of pediatric patients and families. This role supports Child Life Specialists by maintaining and facilitating developmentally appropriate activities under supervision.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Preferred – Coursework in child development, psychology, education, or related filed

Work Experience

• None required
• Preferred – Experience working with children, healthcare environments, or volunteer programs

Certifications Required

• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Proficiency in using computers, software, and web-based applications
• Effective verbal and written communication skills and ability to present information clearly and professionally to varying levels of individuals throughout the patient care process
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to deal with patients, families, multidisciplinary team members, departmental peers, and community agency personnel effectively and courteously
• Good organizational skills
• Good time management skills
• Ability to maintain patient confidentiality and a professional relationship with patients and families
• Ability to work a flexible schedule (e.g. 24/7, weekend, holiday, on call availability) and travel throughout and between facilities

Job Duties

• Maintain playroom environments, cleans equipment, stock supplies, and upholds safety guidelines
• Assists with age-appropriate therapeutic and recreational activities
• Provide activity support for patients on isolation or bed rest as arranged with clinical staff
• Prepares materials and environments for therapeutic interventions and group programming
• Support special events, community groups, and volunteer coordination activities
• Observes patient responses and communicates relevant information to Child Life Specialist
• Adapts behavior to the specific patient population, demonstrating respect for privacy and communication style
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state, and local laws, accreditation standards or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance with all such laws, regulations, and standards. This employer maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance-related concerns.

Physical and Environmental Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Sedentary Work – Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met. Normal routine involves no exposure to blood, body fluid or tissue and as part of their employment, incumbents are not called upon to perform or assist in emergency care or first aid. There is no occupational risk for exposure to communicable diseases. Because the incumbent works within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste within the environment through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level of exposure may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.

Remote Work Eligibility

Individuals who reside in and will work from the following areas are not eligible for remote work position: Colorado, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.

The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status. Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected class, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

The Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana provides healthcare to more than 140,000 patients across North Louisiana with 600,000 clinic visits annually. There are more than 20 locations, including North Louisiana’s only Level I Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center at its acute care hospital, a newly renovated hospital with women's and children’s services in Shreveport, La. and an acute care hospital in Monroe, La. designated as a Level III Trauma Center. Ochsner LSU Health has more than 4,200 employees that work alongside the Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport Physician Group of 950 physicians and residents in more than 65 specialties and subspecialties.