Job Description

The Child & Family Life department at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital is seeking a self-motivated, confident and enthusiastic child life specialist to join our team. Functioning as a member of the health care team, the child life specialist is responsible for supporting pediatric and adult patients and their family members in adjusting to healthcare experiences, illness/injury and loss across critical care, acute and ambulatory health care settings. Assessing developmental, psychosocial, emotional and cultural needs using a strengths-based approach, the child life specialist provides developmentally appropriate education for medical procedures and diagnoses, non-pharmacological pain management, therapeutic play and emotional and bereavement support for the patient and family. With support from advanced child life staff, the child life specialist orients and trains child life students and volunteers, provides interdisciplinary education related to the psychosocial and developmental needs of patients and families, and participates in patient related programming and events. 

• Demonstrate proficiency in all child life clinical competencies and standards of clinical practice as defined by the Child Life Certification Commission, a subsidiary of the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP).
• Assess and prioritize patient and family needs for developmentally appropriate child life intervention.
• Support patients and families in coping with stresses associated with health care experiences through the development of therapeutic and supportive relationships.
• Plan and implement therapeutic interventions and a variety of individual and group play experiences promoting development, self-expression, and mastery.
• Advocate for patient and family-centered care through communication, involvement, partnership with and empowerment of patients and family members.
• Contribute to overall departmental coverage needs through daily coverage plan and float pager coverage.
• Document treatment plans/outcomes for patients within the electronic medical record as required by department guidelines and professional standards.
• Provide a physically and emotionally safe, therapeutic and healing environment for patients, families and staff.
• Provide education regarding illness/condition, treatment, procedures and coping techniques to patients, family members, and the larger community as appropriate.
• Actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, integrating goals and plans to promote optimal patient care that is family-centered, developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, and psychosocially sound. Regularly attends and participates in medical, multidisciplinary, and psychosocial team meetings.
• Co-treat and refer patients and families to multidisciplinary services and resources as needed.
• Maintain and order supplies and equipment as needed. Serve as a financial steward by implementing cost effective programming.
• Orient and supervise volunteers and participate in education for Michigan Medicine and visiting students.
• Facilitate ongoing formal and informal education and orientation for unit and multidisciplinary team on availability and provision of child life service.
• Remain abreast of current developments in the child life profession and participate in professional development to enhance clinical knowledge and skills. Professional involvement with the ACLP is highly encouraged.
• Represent Child and Family Life and manages clinical responsibilities on evenings, weekends, and holidays as assigned.
• Actively participate in monthly clinical team and committee meetings.
• Exemplify Michigan Medicine's values related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
• Adhere to and embrace Child and Family Life team norms.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in Child Life or related field allowing for credentialing as a Certified Child Life Specialist is required.
• Certification through the Child Life Certification Commission as a Certified Child Life Specialist within first year of hire is required.
• Pediatric healthcare experience (minimum of 600-hour child life clinical internship) is required.
• Strong interpersonal communication, teamwork, and listening skills are required.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team is required.
• Ability to problem solve and make clinical decisions with minimal supervision and independently when needed is required.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic medical record is required.
• This position requires frequent standing/walking, as well as lifting, positioning, pushing, and/or transferring of patients.

• ACLP and Great Lakes Association of Child Life Professionals (GLACLP) membership

Primary Work Location: Children's Emergency Services

Schedule: Two positions available

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, every other Saturday (8pm-6:30am)

Monday, Tuesday, every other Wednesday or Saturday/Sunday (12pm-10:30pm) 

Some holidays required.

*This position is eligible for shift differentials given the shift start time.

This position is covered under the collective bargaining agreement between the U-M and the United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals (UMMAP), which contains and settles all matters with respect to wages, benefits, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings.  Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Michigan Medicine improves the health of patients, populations and communities through excellence in education, patient care, community service, research and technology development, and through leadership activities in Michigan, nationally and internationally.  Our mission is guided by our Strategic Principles and has three critical components; patient care, education and research that together enhance our contribution to society.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.

About University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

A great university is made so by its faculty and staff, and Michigan is recognized as one of the best universities to work for in the country. The Michigan culture is known for engaging faculty and staff in all facets of the university to create a workplace that is vibrant and stimulating.For two consecutive years, the Chronicle of Higher Education has placed U-M in its "Great Colleges to Work For" survey. In particular, the university earns high marks for strong relations between faculty and administrators, a collaborative system of governance, strong pay and benefits, and a healthy work/life balance.

Connections working at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Job Tags

Holiday work, Internship, Shift work, Weekend work, Sunday, Saturday, Afternoon shift,

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