Locations: Mobile, Alabama
Categories: Professional
Position Type: Regular Full-Time
Hours Per Week: 40
Req ID: 22728
USA Health is Transforming Medicine along the Gulf Coast to care for the unique needs of our community. USA Health is changing how medical care, education, and research impact the health of people who live in Mobile and the surrounding area. Our team of doctors, advanced care providers, nurses, therapists, and researchers provides the region's most advanced medicine at multiple facilities, campuses, clinics, and classrooms. We offer patients convenient access to innovative treatments and advancements that improve the health and overall well-being of our community.
Abides by and enforces all compliance requirements and policies and performs these responsibilities in an ethical manner consistent with the organization's values.
Adheres to hospital policies including confidentiality.
Assists with the orientation of new employees.
Provides therapeutic and recreational activities.
Provides orientation and conveys Child Life philosophy for new employees, physicians, volunteers and students.
Requires minimal supervision to safely perform patient care and essential functions.
Utilizes proper body mechanics when moving equipment and/or supplies that are necessary to perform essential functions.
Reports broken or malfunctioning equipment to supervisor or department head.
Provide clinical interventions in the pediatric departments, emergency department and other areas where pediatric patients receive care.
Identifies high risk and high interaction patients and implements a therapeutic plan to facilitate recovery as they cope with hospitalization, illness, injury, disability, treatment , bereavement or grief.
Identifies the developmental and psychosocial needs of the pediatric patient and provides activities that are developmentally appropriate to satisfy those needs.
Therapeutic Play: Specialists use play as a primary tool to help children express feelings, learn about their bodies, and meet developmental milestones while hospitalized.
Procedural support: Provide alternative focus and coping strategies during painful or frightening procedures.
Family Support: They educate parents and siblings on how to support the sick child and provide bereavement support for families facing loss.
Collaborates and coordinates with physicians and other disciplines regarding individualized patient treatment and care plans.
Provides consultation to the health care team regarding the developmental status and individual needs of the patient and family in order to promote optimal care during hospitalization and treatment.
Advocacy: Champion the psychosocial needs of the child and family within the healthcare team.
Assists with the coordination of community activities and visits to the Treehouse and Class Act programs.
Assists with the coordination and supervision of hospital volunteers, student interns and clinical observers assigned to the Treehouse and Class Act programs.
Performs other duties as required.
Communicates and uses appropriate customer relation skills with physicians, patients, families, healthcare team and staffing, in person and via telephone.
Education & Preparation: Offer age-appropriate explanations for medical procedures, diagnoses, and treatments using tools like medical play.
Maintains accurate and complete records by: Medical Record Entry: Maintain accurate and timely documentation in Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems, including initial assessments, progress notes, and discharge summaries. Documenting Child Life plans of care, assessments, interventions, interactions and responses for designated patient populations. Documenting teaching of therapy recommendations given to patients, parents, family.
Accepts and completes all duties positively and without conflict.
Cooperates, helps others and improves the performance of the unit.
Completes all mandatory unit, educational and hospital requirements.
Utilizes cost effective practices in performing all aspects of the job.
Adheres to current Infection Control and Safety Standards.
Demonstrates the ability to provide competent patient care to the following patient populations: Neonate, Infant-Toddler/Preschool, School age/Adolescent, Reproductive Age.
Participates on committees as assigned.
Participates in Performance Improvement activities and professional development opportunities, as required.
Completes all mandatory department, educational and hospital requirements
Adheres to current Infection Control and Safety Standards
Regular and prompt attendance
Ability to work schedule as defined and overtime as required
Related duties as assigned
Employees must be in a regular position, working 20 hours or more per week (.50 FTE or greater) to qualify for benefits.
Bachelor's Degree in Child Life, Childhood Development, or a related field from an accredited institution and completion of a 600-hour clinical internship under the supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist. Required
CCLS - Certified Child Life Specialist within 1 Year Required
Comparable combination of education and experience may substitute for the above requirements.
The University of South Alabama is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status or any other applicable legally protected basis. EO Employer – minorities/females/veterans/disabilities/sexual orientation/gender identity.
USA Health is changing how medical care, education and research impact the health of people who live in Mobile and the surrounding area. Our team of doctors, advanced care providers, nurses, therapists and researchers provide the region's most advanced medicine at multiple facilities, campuses, clinics and classrooms. We offer patients convenient access to innovative treatments and advancements that improve the health and overall wellbeing of our community.
Our network includes USA Health University Hospital, USA Health Children's & Women's Hospital, USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute, USA Physicians Group and the USA College of Medicine. Each year, our team of 180 physicians, 240 residents and fellows, 70 mid-level providers and 800 nurses handle some 185,000 clinic visits and 350,000 outpatient procedures. The USA Health System delivers 2,800 babies a year, more than any other regional hospital, and treats patients through some 60,000 emergency room visits annually.
In addition to advanced and innovative patient care offered at University hospitals and clinics, USA's medical education programs provide first-class training experiences for the next generation of physicians and scientists.
