About this role
St. Luke's is proud of the skills, experience and compassion of its employees. The employees of St. Luke's are our most valuable asset! Individually and together, our employees are dedicated to satisfying the mission of our organization which is an unwavering commitment to excellence as we care for the sick and injured; educate physicians, nurses and other health care providers; and improve access to care in the communities we serve, regardless of a patient's ability to pay for health care.
The Child Life Specialist is responsible for supporting pediatric patients and families in the health care setting by planning, developing and providing developmentally appropriate and therapeutic interventions to optimize growth and development; reduce the pain, fear, and anxiety associated with illness/injury; and promote positive coping with the stress of hospitalization.
JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Conduct developmental assessments and individualize care plans based on the patient’s physical, developmental, and emotional needs
Participate as a clinical member of the patient care team by providing developmentally appropriate education, psychological procedural preparation, coping support, comfort management, and play opportunities to pediatric patients and families
Develop, implement, and evaluate effective pediatric patient and family centered health care plans, including as needed for behavioral support/modification, medication/treatment compliance, and bereavement support
Communicate care plans to interdisciplinary care teams and family members
Provide education to and serve as a resource for Network care teams on developmental care, coping mechanisms, distraction, parental engagement, therapeutic play techniques, etc. in an effort to improve the pediatric care experience
Assist with supervision of students and volunteers in their daily activities with patients
Assist with community outreach and fundraising activities related to the further development of Child Life services
PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:
Sit up to 2 hours per day; 1 hour at a time. Stand for up to 10 hours time; 3 hours at a time. Walk 6 hours per day; 10 minutes at a time. Consistently lift and carry objects up to 10 lbs. Frequently push objects up to 10 lbs. Occasionally lift and carry objects up to 50 lbs. Frequently stoop and bend. Occasionally squat. Frequently reach above shoulder level objects. object through touch. Frequently finger and handle objects. Occasionally firmly grasp, twist and turn and turns objects with hands and fingers. Must be able to hear as it relates to normal conversation. Must be able to see as it relates to general, near, far, color, and visual monotony.
EDUCATION:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in child life, psychology, child development, education, or related field required. Completion of Child life internship under supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist required. Must be eligible to receive Child Life certification from the Association of Child Life Professionals. CCLS Certification required within one year of hire.
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
Prior experience in a hospital-based Child Life program preferred.
Please complete your application using your full legal name and current home address. Be sure to include employment history for the past seven (7) years, including your present employer. Additionally, you are encouraged to upload a current resume, including all work history, education, and/or certifications and licenses, if applicable. It is highly recommended that you create a profile at the conclusion of submitting your first application. Thank you for your interest in St. Luke's!!
St. Luke's University Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Other facts
About St. Luke's University Health Network
Founded in 1872, St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 23,000 employees providing services at 16 campuses and 350+ outpatient sites. With annual net revenue of $4 billion, the Network’s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke’s hospitals operate the largest network of trauma centers in Pennsylvania, with the Bethlehem Campus being home to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. Dedicated to advancing medical education, St. Luke’s is the preeminent teaching hospital in central-eastern Pennsylvania. In partnership with Temple University, the Network established the Lehigh Valley’s first and only four-year medical school campus. It also operates the nation’s longest continuously operating School of Nursing, established in 1884, and over 50 fully accredited graduate medical educational programs with more than 500 residents and fellows. In 2022, St. Luke’s, a member of the Children’s Hospital Association, opened the Lehigh Valley’s first and only free-standing facility dedicated entirely to kids. SLUHN is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare’s five-star ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. It is both a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades Top Hospital and a Newsweek World’s Best Hospital. The Network’s flagship University Hospital has earned the 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation from Premier 13 times total and eleven years in a row, including in 2023 when it was identified as THE #4 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY.
What you'll do
- The Child Life Specialist is responsible for supporting pediatric patients and families by providing developmentally appropriate interventions to optimize growth and reduce anxiety. They also participate in care planning and education for patients and families.
Ready to join St. Luke's University Health Network?
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