The Certified 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. 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.
Child Life Specialist Intermediate: With limited support from advanced child life staff, the Child Life Specialist Intermediate demonstrates enhanced job performance and clinical skills, contributes to the advancement of the CFL department and Michigan Medicine mission and goals, and serves as a role model for peers and other staff.
Child Life Specialist Senior: The Child Life Specialist Senior provides interdisciplinary education related to the psychosocial and developmental needs of patients and families, is considered an integral part of the multidisciplinary team, and represents the CFL Department on hospital wide committees, initiatives, and donor partnerships. The Child Life Specialist Senior demonstrates advanced clinical skills, contributes to the advancement of the CFL department and Michigan Medicine mission and goals, serves as a peer mentor, and assists in the process to validate clinical competency among CFL staff.
Child Life Specialist Intermediate:
- Demonstrate proficiency in all Child Life Specialist Associate role responsibilities.
- Act as a change agent and advance care through the development and introduction of new clinical information, ideas and technology.
- Improve processes and advance child life services through active participation and advocating in interdisciplinary team meetings and committees.
- Develop resources and/or programs to support clinical unit or patient population.
- Serve as a formal supervisor for child life practicum students or interns as outlined in departmental and ACLP guidelines. Orient to ACLP internship modules.
- Serve as a chair or co-chair for departmental committee (i.e., Professional Development, Recognition & Self Care; Education, MiChart) or clinical team within department rotation.
- Develop and facilitate onsite and/or offsite clinical education.
- Serve as department representative at one or more donor or community events.
- Serve as departmental champion for Michigan Medicine initiatives (i.e., MHealthy, employee engagement, CW safety huddle, NAPPI).
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Child Life Specialist Senior:
- Demonstrate proficiency in all Child Life Specialist Intermediate role responsibilities.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge in a specific clinical area of focus (including but not limited to; advanced assessment, treatment planning, interventions, multidisciplinary collaboration, and clinical documentation for patients and families).
- Facilitate training for a minimum of one CFL staff competency. Continue to refine and add new evidence to this competency.
- Participate in research, quality improvement, evidence-based practice project, or pilot initiative.
- Serve as formal internship supervisor.
- Participate in student supervisor mentorship program rotation.
- Provide formal education on Child Life Services to multidisciplinary team members and students.
- Serve as a chair or co-chair for departmental (i.e., Steering, CQI), unit, of hospital wide committee.
- Actively participate in regional/national associations (i.e., GLACLP, ACLP, PX).
- Participate in a minimum of two donor/community events over the course of a year.
- Serve as a formal mentor for new staff through the CFL Mentorship Program rotation.
- Develop, review, and communicate daily CFL coverage plan.
- Coordinate quarterly team meetings (date/time, location, agenda, etc.)
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Child Life Specialist Intermediate:
One of the following three educational requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Child Life meets the Child Life Certification Commission?s academic eligibility requirements allowing for credentialing as a Certified Child Life Specialist.
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study (i.e., child development, family studies, psychology) and 10 college/university courses that meet the Child Life Certification Commission?s academic eligibility requirements allowing for credentialing as a Certified Child Life Specialist.
- Bachelor's degree in any field of study and 10 college/university courses that meet the Child Life Certification Commission's academic eligibility requirements allowing for credentialing as a Certified Child Life Specialist.
Additional requirements:
- Certification from the Association of Child Life Professionals as a Certified Child Life Specialist.
- Three or more years of professional child life experience.
Child Life Specialist Senior:
One of the following three educational requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Child Life meets the Child Life Certification Commission?s academic eligibility requirements allowing for credentialing as a Certified Child Life Specialist.
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study (i.e., child development, family studies, psychology) and 10 college/university courses that meet the Child Life Certification Commission?s academic eligibility requirements allowing for credentialing as a Certified Child Life Specialist.
- Bachelor's degree in any field of study and 10 college/university courses that meet the Child Life Certification Commission's academic eligibility requirements allowing for credentialing as a Certified Child Life Specialist.
Additional requirements:
- Certification from the Association of Child Life Professionals as a Certified Child Life Specialist.
- Five or more years of professional child life experience.
- Demonstrated experience in supervisory role and demonstration of leadership skills.
- ACLP and Great Lakes Association of Child Life Professionals (GLACLP) membership.
Primary Work Location: CES
Schedule (3 positions available):
Thursday/Friday & every other Wednesday or Saturday/Sunday, 12p-10:30p
Wednesday/Thursday/Friday & every other Saturday, 8p-6:30a
Sunday/Monday/Tuesday & every other Saturday, 8p-6:30a
Some holidays required.
*This position is eligible for shift premium.
This position may be underfilled at a lower classification depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.
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 ad
