Certified Child Life Specialist

Primary City/State:

Glendale, Arizona

Department Name:

Child Life Specialists-Hosp

Work Shift:

Day

Job Category:

Clinical Care

Make Every Visit Matter – Child Life Specialist, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

Join a team where compassion meets purpose every single day. As a Child Life Specialist with our Pediatric Hematology and Oncology program at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, you'll have the profound opportunity to transform some of the most challenging moments in a child's life into experiences of hope, comfort, and resilience. This isn't just a job—it's a calling to be the steady, caring presence that children and families need during their cancer journey.

Your expertise will shine as you provide procedural support through age-appropriate explanations, therapeutic medical play, and visual aids for procedures including port accessing, lumbar punctures, bone marrow biopsies, imaging, and radiation therapy. You'll also deliver vital education and family support while collaborating closely with oncology patient navigators, social workers, providers, and foundations to ensure comprehensive, holistic care. When needed, you'll support other child life specialists across departments, bringing your specialized skills wherever they're needed most.

Your schedule will be Monday through Friday, 8AM to 4:30PM. If you're ready to use your skills to make a lasting difference in the lives of children facing cancer, we'd be honored to have you join our team. Apply today and become part of something truly extraordinary.

Banner Health’s premier West Valley Level I Trauma for adults and Tertiary Care destination for all ages. Banner Thunderbird Medical Center (BTMC) and Banner Children’s Hospital at Thunderbird provide a preferred destination for surgical, oncological, cardiovascular, neuroscience, orthopedic, pediatric, and women and infant services achieved through best-in-class 5-star CMS rating to provide patients with high quality, safe care for the best possible experience. Our campus is one of the largest campuses in the Banner network with over 3000 employees. BTMC was voted Best of the Best in 2023 by Banner Health out of 30 hospitals. This is the most prestigious award one of our largest hospitals can receive for consistently meeting our annual targets. If you would like to contribute to truly leading edge caring, we invite you to bring your experience and skills to Banner Thunderbird.

POSITION SUMMARY
This position addresses the unique developmental needs of children from birth to 18 years of age, and their families, to reduce the stress accompanying hospitalization by providing child-friendly, family-centered care.

CORE FUNCTIONS
1. Provides opportunities for and facilitates a variety of play and activity forms, which promote self-healing, self-expression, understanding and mastery. Uses developmentally appropriate methods in preparing children and families for diagnostic and treatment procedures.

2. Extends support and offers counsel to family members, with respect to their own stress and needs. Supports family bonds and utilizes family strengths in the care of the child. Offers counsel specific to the impact of health care experience.

3. Provides consultation on the impact of environmental factors on the child’s adaptation to hospitalization and treatment. Utilizes stress reduction techniques to facilitate adaptive coping. Provides emotional support during identified stress points.

4. Provides child health care education. Provides or cooperates with programs, which assure continuity in the child’s normal life experience, e.g. school programs, personal and holiday celebrations.

5. Provides inter-disciplinary in-service on child development and the impact of illness, injury, and hospitalization on children and families.

6. Provides consultation to the health care team regarding the developmental status and individual needs of children to promote adaptation to treatment. Documents Child Life services in the patient’s care record, as well as program service statistics.

7. Although based in Pediatrics, incumbent may be assigned to serve in the Emergency Department, the Perioperative Areas, or the Outpatient Treatment Center, in addition to general Pediatrics and Pediatric Intensive Care. Incumbent may also be called to consult in any area of the hospital where there are children. The position will serve one facility, but will consult with other facilities at any time in keeping with the purpose of the position. The internal customers served by this position are the patients and their families, as well as volunteers. The external customers are individuals and groups in the community who contact the department with requests, or offers of assistance.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

This position requires a Bachelor’s degree in Child Life or related field, and a completed Child Life internship supervised by a CCLS. As of January 1, 2019, the clinical internship requirement = 600 hours.

Requires Professional Child Life Certification, or eligibility for Certification. Those without current Child Life Certification will be required to obtain Certification within one year of hire. BSS applicants must present a current Child Life Certification to be eligible for a BSS position.

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is a requirement of the job.

The incumbent must possess strong skills in the following areas: growth and development, play and activities, the learning process, coping, assessment, interventions to prevent emotional trauma, collaboration with other health professionals, and a basic understanding of children’s illnesses and medical terminology.

Must be proficient with commonly used office software.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Additional related education and/or experience preferred.

EEO Statement:

EEO/Disabled/Veterans

Our organization supports a drug-free work environment.

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