Child Life Specialist

Tucson Medical Center; Tucson (AZ); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

Tuition Reimbursement

Health and Wellness Coaching

Extensive Onsite Gym

Job summary

Tucson Medical Center (TMC) is seeking a Child Life Specialist I to support pediatric patients and families. This full-time position emphasizes developmental care, family education, and collaboration with a multidisciplinary team across inpatient pediatrics, PICU, ED, and radiology.

The role includes a $5,000 sign-on bonus with two years of experience and a focus on reducing stress during medical experiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, human development, or related field is required.
• 600-hour clinical child life internship or equivalent required.
• Eligible for Child Life Specialist Certification within 1 year of hire; current BLS certification.

Responsibilities

• Perform psychosocial assessments of patients and families and tailor interventions.
• Explain procedures to children in age-appropriate terms and provide therapeutic play.
• Provide emotional support during procedures using distraction and comfort techniques.
• Collaborate with nurses, physicians, and social work to plan care and discharge goals.
• Supervise practicum students and pediatric volunteers.
• Document assessments and outcomes in the EMR and participate in rounds.

Skills

Excellent communication

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Ability to explain medical procedures

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology / Human Development and Family Studies

Job description

Child Life Specialist I

Job Category: Allied Health

Schedule: Full time

Shift: 2 - Mid Shift

Child Life Specialist

$5,000 Sign-on bonus offered with 2 years of experience!

Tucson Medical Center (TMC) is Tucson's only non-profit community owned hospital. Employees choose to work at TMC because of our of integrity, community, dedication, and compassion which we show through the exceptional care we provide to our patients and our community. Our passion for caring for the Tucson community has expanded over the last to include community partnerships, new medical specialties, and medical clinics to further provide the care our community deserves.

Why Join Tucson Medical Center?

We don’t only care for our patients, we care for our TMC family too. As a member of our family you can expect to enjoy a wide variety of benefits. In addition to all the benefits you would expect from a leading medical facility (medical, dental, vision, 401K with match) we also provide:

• Family Style Atmosphere with a Supportive Team
• Competitive Pay
• Career Growth Opportunities
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Health and Wellness Coaching
• Extensive Onsite Gym for $12.00 a Month

Unit Information:

Our team of highly experienced Child Life Specialists provides support across four primary service areas: inpatient pediatrics and PICU, the Pediatric Emergency Department, Surgery, and Radiology/Diagnostic Imaging/GI Lab. Our child life specialists known for being approachable, collaborative, and passionate advocates for creating the best possible experiences for children and families throughout their healthcare journey. As a community hospital, our team also leads the inpatient volunteer and pet therapy programs and actively participates in community outreach and special events that extend our impact beyond the hospital walls.

SUMMARY

Provides expert psychosocial, emotional, developmental, and educational support to pediatric patients and their families. Prepares patients for medical experiences and develops individualized treatment plans to reduce the stress and trauma associated with illness, injury, diagnosis, and hospitalization. Promotes coping, resilience, and wellbeing, and helps normalize the hospital environment to support growth and development. Collaborates with members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, and orients and supervises pediatric volunteers and child life interns.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Performs thorough assessments of patient and family psychosocial, developmental, and educational needs; considers cultural, family systems, and developmental backgrounds.
• Explains medical procedures and treatments in developmentally appropriate ways; educates children/families on new diagnoses (e.g., chronic illnesses) using appropriate teaching materials. Engages children in therapeutic medical play.
• Provides support during medical procedures using distraction techniques, comfort positioning, emotional support, and breathing/relaxation techniques.
• Facilitates a variety of activities to promote developmental growth. Uses behavior modification to support compliance with meeting discharge goals. Assists in maintaining daily/weekly routines for long-term patients.
• Promotes emotional support, education, and guidance to families atend of life to help children understand the dying process and cope with loss.
• Participates in interdisciplinary rounds, and collaborates with nursing, physicians, social work, etc.; advocates for child/family needs; may represent child life services in a hospital committee.
• Coordinates or facilitates special events and special visitors to support normal traditions and enhance a sense of control and wellbeing in pediatric patients.
• Orients, trains, supervise, and evaluates child life practicum students and pediatric volunteers.
• Documents assessments, interventions and outcomes; evaluates effectiveness of interventions and adjusts plans of care as needed. Records in the electronic medical record.
• Provides in-service training to assigned unit about child life, child development, and/or coping strategies. Maintains therapeutic resources specific to assigned unit.
• Participates in community or hospital programs to promote child life and emotional safety of pediatric patients. Represents TMCH in community as a positive and professional team member.
• Adheres to and supports team members in exhibiting TMCH values of integrity, community, compassion, and dedication.
• Adheres to TMCH organizational and department-specific safety and confidentiality policies andstandards.
• Provides coverage for other child life staff as needed, and performs related duties as assigned.
• Adheres to TMCH organizational and department-specific safety and confidentiality policies and standards.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from four-year College or University required, preferably in one of the following fields of study: Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, child life studies.

EXPERIENCE: 600-hour clinical child life internship under the supervision of a certified child life specialist required.

LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION: Must be eligible for Child Life Specialist Certification and must obtain Child Life Specialist Certification within one (1) year of hire. Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and listening skills; ability to explain complex medical/treatment information in an age-appropriate manner.
• Strong organization, planning, and problem-solving skills; ability to manage multiple patients or tasks simultaneously.
• Emotional resilience and ability to handle the stress of working with children and families in crisis, illness, and death.
• Ability to adapt interventions to developmental level, family systems, and cultural considerations.
• Creativity and resourcefulness in designing play, educational materials, and coping interventions.
• Competence with documentation, use of hospital information systems, and ability to evaluate outcomes.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.