Overview

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community. Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

The Sr Child Life Specialist utilizes child life interventions to provide a safe and nurturing environment where children and adolescents can enrich coping skills, address psychosocial needs, and increase understanding of issues related to medical experiences. Sr Child Life Specialists maintain the same responsibilities as the Certified Child Life Specialist with additional duties of activities assistant, volunteers, and students. Sr. Child Life Specialist acts as a positive role model for team members.

Responsibilities

A day in the life of a Senior Life Child Specialist at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

Responsible for having full knowledge of roles and responsibilities on assigned units, as well as coverage responsibilities on other designated coverage units throughout the medical center.Daily productivity goal 80% clinical and 20% non clinical responsibilities (volunteers, students, other programming needs). Team members will be responsible for collecting data to support productivity. Data will be forwarded to the leader on a monthly basis for review.Triage consults with the unit team and the Child Life Manager/Supervisor based on census/staffing.Rounding and collaboration with the interdisciplinary team on designated units.Patient/Family assessment to prioritize and create a psychosocial care plan for each patient.Well versed in a variety of play practices including, but not limited to medical, developmental and normalizing play and how these modalities can support goal oriented tasks including maintaining milestones, expression, education, growth and development.Procedure preparation and coping/distraction to reduce risk of stress, anxiety or pain for patient and family members.Therapeutic interventions such as medical art, expression activities, etc, geared toward meeting a specific therapeutic goal.Diagnosis education in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team to ensure developmentally appropriate patient and family understanding of diagnosis and treatment plan.Assessment and interventions for the creation of long/short term goals that support such issues including, but not limited to adjustment, normalization, mastery, expression, family bonding, compliance, growth and development while hospitalizedVast understanding of Family Centered Care practices, both here at the medical center, and those innovations nationally. 12. Putting this knowledge to use in order to encourage family and sibling support for patient services received inpatient and outpatient.Non-clinical responsibilities include participation in program development, continuing education, patient charting, and interdisciplinary team participation as designated. Miscellaneous responsibilities include coordinating for patient milestone events and anything directly impacting patient care, such as maintenance of playrooms/teen lounge and storage units, restocking therapeutic play supplies, etc.Supports Child Life volunteer program in cooperation with Volunteer Services Interview potential volunteersTraining/orienting new volunteersAssignment and scheduling of daily responsibilitiesPrepare letters of verification of volunteer hours as needed for school, associations, etc.Assist with Donations:Screen donors and educate potential donors as to donation policySchedule drop off donations with individual and group donorsOrganize donations and distribute appropriatelyReview applications for special visitors and approve/deny request for visitSchedule approved special visitors and coordinate visitAssist in coordination and performance of Child Life internship programReview applications, interview and assist with selection of candidatesClinical supervision of student/internProvide feedback on written assignments, evaluation of competenciesWrite letters of recommendation at successful completion of programReviews supply requests and submit programming needs to the Child Life Manager.Participate in community events, as deemed appropriate for Child Life representation representing KHCH.Assist with orientation/mentoring for all new hires into the Child Life department at KHCHProvide formal and informal internal education about child life services to team members, medical/nursing students, residents, etc.Other duties as assigned.Adheres to the standards identified in the Medical Center's Organizational Competencies.

Qualifications
Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:Bachelor's Degree in Child Life or a related fieldChild Life Certification, in good standing.Minimum of 3 years of HMHN experience or 5 years of previous experience or Masters degree in child life or related field with 2 years experience and minimum 1 year at HMHN.Knowledge of advance care practicesLicenses and Certifications Required:Certified Child Life Specialist.Contacts:Regular contact with medical personnel and its visitors.

If you feel the above description speaks directly to your strengths and capabilities, then please apply today!

Our Network

Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) is a Mandatory Influenza Vaccination Facility

As a courtesy to assist you in your job search, we would like to send your resume to other areas of our Hackensack Meridian Health network who may have current openings that fit your skills and experience.