Child Life Fellow,
Child Life Department – BC Children’s Hospital

Temporary Full time – October 2009 to October 2010
Vancouver, BC

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Representing and communicating the role of child life as part of an interdisciplinary team, you will assess patients' psychosocial and developmental needs during hospitalization and develop and implement a plan for the facilitation of therapeutic intervention during a twelve-month fellowship program. You will provide ongoing opportunities for play, diversional activities, self-expression and socialization. As an effective selfstarter and communicator, you will provide psychosocial support and opportunities for continued coping mastery, normal growth and development, and continued coping with the health care experience to patients and families. Parents/caregivers will look to you for information regarding developmental needs and interventions for their child. You will participate in continuing educational opportunities as both presenter and as a participant, and report information back to the department and the health care team. As well, you will complete an evidence-based project in collaboration with the Child Life Fellow at the IWK Health Centre (Halifax Children’s Hospital) to be completed and presented to the Child Life departments at both BCCH and IWK prior to the completion of the fellowship.

You have either a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree with an educational emphasis on human growth and development, education, psychology, or a related field of study. As well, you have completed an internship in child life under the direct supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS). Your previous work experience with infants, children and adolescents in a health care setting enable you to assess and interact with patients and families while applying theories of human growth and development, family systems and cultural diversity. The ideal candidate has a professional Certified Child Life Specialist designation.

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Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
For more information on all that the PHSA has to offer, please visit: http://careers.phsa.ca

For more information about the Agency that you are interested in, please visit the website at:
www.bcchildrens.ca

The PHSA is committed to employment equity and hires on the basis of merit. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities.

IWK Health Centre

Location: Halifax

Employees of the IWK Health Centre and members of the public are eligible to apply for this position. Primary consideration will be given to current members of the IWK Health Centre’s NSGEU-HC bargaining unit.

Child Life Fellow
Temporary Full-Time (1.0 FTE) for 1 Year
Children’s Health Program

Position Summary: The Child Life Fellow strives to reduce the impact of stressful or traumatic life events and situations, which effect the development, health and well being of infants, children, youth, and families. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: Utilizes the Child Life Assessment Intervention Plan to determine the patient and family’s vulnerability to stress from their health care experience; Identifies and educates patients and/or families regarding coping strategies to use during stressful events, medical procedures; Collaborates with the multi-disciplinary team and child life workers to share patient goals and child life plan of care in helping children and families cope with hospitalization; Initiates therapeutic interventions consequent to assessment of individual patients and families designed to address their social, emotional, and developmental needs; Establishes and maintains a supportive, helpful and trusting relationship with patients and families, students, volunteers and the health centre’s administration. Acts as an advocate for individual patients’/families’ concerns, special needs and rights, make appropriate referrals within the hospital and community; Completes administrative tasks (i.e. Workload Measurement). The Child Life Fellow works with supervision with the Certified Child Life Specialist in order to develop clinical assessment and intervention skills.

Qualifications:

· Minimum of Baccalaureate Degree with a minimum of ten courses in Child Life, Child & Youth Studies, Child Development and/or education required.

· Experience preparing children for and assisting children during medical procedures through education, rehearsal, and coping skill development providing is required.

· Demonstrated ability to work with individuals and groups of children.

· Demonstrated understanding with the following: growth and development; developmental screening; family dynamics; play and therapeutic interventions; interpersonal communication; the learning process; group process; the reactions of children and their families to illness and health care encounters; interventions to support coping; collaboration with other health care professionals; basic understanding of children’s illness; knowledge of research and medical terminology and supervisory skills.

· Demonstrated competency in interactive play techniques, individualized preparation techniques and teaching developmentally appropriate coping skills.

· Competencies in other languages considered an asset; French, preferable.

· Professional Child life Specialist Certification is considered an asset.

Salary: $17.00 /hr
Union Status: NSGEU-HC
Closing Date: September 23, 2009
Competition #: J5502-CB
Start Date: October 26, 2009

Interested parties are asked to submit a current resume including month and year of employment in past positions and a cover letter outlining their qualifications for the role. Please include the competition number, and if you are an employee of the IWK Health Centre, in the subject line of your email or within your cover letter and send to:

Email: Human.Resources@iwk.nshealth.ca (Preferred Method)
IWK Health Centre, Human Resources
5850/5980 University Avenue, PO Box 9700
Halifax, NS B3K 6R8
Fax: (902) 470-6612
Ph: (902) 470-8012

We thank all candidates for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted