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 Child Life Specialist is a member of the healthcare team responsible for providing emotional support to pediatric patients and their family members in the health care setting. The Child Life Specialist is clinically trained to implement developmentally appropriate and therapeutic interventions promoting growth and development while minimizing the stress of a hospital experience. The Child Life Specialist collaborates with the healthcare team to enhance customer service working in a variety of settings including Pediatrics, PICU, Pediatric Day Stay, ED, and Pediatric Surgery.

Responsibilities

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

 

1. Coverage on designated units in addition to units throughout KHCH/JSUMC as appropriate through Child Life consultation and coordination with the team.
2. Daily productivity goal 90% ratio of direct clinical care and 10% non clinical responsibilities (documentation, daily 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.
3. Rounding with the multidisciplinary medical team on designated units.
4. Provides child life services to pediatric patients and family members, including developmentally
appropriate therapeutic play and activities, education, procedural preparation, coping techniques, and
support based on illness or medical treatment.
5. Patient/Family assessment to prioritize and create a psychosocial care plan for each patient.
Documents observations and interventions in EPIC. Participates in team care conferences.
6. Demonstrate outstanding communication skills. Collaboration with patients, families and
interdisciplinary teams to increase patient satisfaction.
7. Follows department policies and procedures.
8. Assist with child life students as defined by ACLP.
9. Assist with volunteers for the child life program.
10. Support the child life team with donations and special events.
11. Miscellaneous responsibilities include coordinating for patient milestone events and anything directly
supporting patient care, such as maintenance of playrooms/teen lounge and storage units, restocking
therapeutic play supplies, etc.
12. Other duties and/or projects as assigned. 
13. Adheres to HMH Organizational competencies and standards of behavior.

Qualifications

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

1. Bachelor's Degree in Child Life, Child Development or closely related field
2. Must have successfully completed Child Life Internship as required by the ACLP

 

Licenses and Certifications Required:

1. AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification.

 

Licenses and Certifications Preferred:

1. Preferred Child Life Certification through the Association of Child Life Professionals. If not certified, must be eligible for certification and obtain within 18 months of hire.

 

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

HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH (HMH) IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, genetic information, refusal to submit to a genetic test or make available to an employer the results of a genetic test, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, national origin, nationality, ancestry, disability, marital status, liability for military service, or status as a protected veteran.

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.