Child Life Specialist jobs in Colorado Springs, CO

Here, it's different. Come join us.

Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs is a top-ranked hospital located in a top-ranked city.

With a regional team of more than 1,000 team members, Children's Colorado has been present in southern Colorado since 2001 and now has team members at five locations providing outpatient specialty care, emergency care, inpatient care and therapy care. Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs is the first pediatric-only hospital in the region and includes the region's only emergency department and operating rooms built just for kids and served by pediatric experts who have dedicated their lives to treating kids - and only kids - and who are directly linked to one of the country's leading pediatric academic medical centers.

Here, we know it takes all of us, every role, to deliver the best possible care to each child and family we treat.

That's why we build our teams toward a foundation of equity in access, advancement, and opportunity. We know teams of individuals with different identities and backgrounds can nurture creativity and innovation. We know we can see, treat, and heal children better when our team reflects the diversity of our patient population. We strive to attract and retain diverse talent because we know a truly inclusive and equitable workforce will help us one day realize our most basic calling: to heal every child who comes through our doors.

A career at Children's Colorado will challenge you, inspire you and motivate you to make a difference in the life of a child.

Learn about Children's Colorado and our culture:

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The Child Life (CL) Specialist, Entry works in health care and community settings to address the psychosocial, emotional and family concerns that accompany the illness and injury of children, adolescents and young adults. This position utilizes developmentally appropriate information, procedure support, emotional processing, play, self-expression and empowerment to improve the coping and adjustment of patients and families. This role collaborates with the multidisciplinary healthcare team to advocate for/ensure that developmentally appropriate, emotionally safe, family-centered care is being provided to patients and families. In addition, this position assists in developing and maintaining resources, planning and facilitating special events.

The Child Life team in Colorado Springs is an exceptional group of tenured CCLS who are looking to expand the team and scope of coverage. We are looking for child life specialists who desire a great team culture, are willing to develop programming, and want to grow their skills.

The team is looking for new grads and those with experience to contribute to the growth in Colorado Springs. We care for children with a variety of medical conditions, are a level 2 trauma center and provide outstanding emotional care to the whole family unit.

What is a Child Life Specialist? Click here to learn more:

How do I apply for a Child Life Internship? Click here to learn more:

Department Name: CSH Child Life

Job Status: Full time. 40 hours, Monday-Friday (Assigned holidays/weekends as needed)

We have two openings at this time:

• Outpatient (Briargate and Telstar). Child Life Specialist Outpatient Clinic team members are expected to work Monday-Friday and be available 8:00-4:30 to support clinic operations and patient support needs. Team member will also be assigned a yearly department Holiday rotation with assigned holidays for coverage.
• Emergency Department. This position will be 4-ten hour shifts per week -covering evenings and weekends (1:00pm-11:00pm). Child Life Specialist Emergency Department team members provide 7 day a week coverage between two full time CLS staff. Weekly schedule may rotate every 6mo and will include a split weekend (We, Th, Fr, Sa) or (Su, Mo, Tu, We) Team member will also be assigned a yearly department Holiday rotation with assigned holidays for coverage.

• EDUCATION - Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Development, Counseling Psychology, Social Work, Education, or related fields.
• EXPERIENCE - Child Life Internship experience required.
• CERTIFICATION(S) - Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) must be obtained within one (1) year of hire.

POPULATION SPECIFIC CARE

• Neonate - <30 days
• Infancy - >30 days to 1yr
• Toddlers - >1yr to 3yrs
• Pre-Schoolers - >3yrs to 5yrs
• School age - >5yrs to 13yrs
• Adolescent - >13yrs to 18yrs
• Adult - >18yrs to 65yrs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the following essential functions. These examples do not include all of the functions which the employee may be expected to perform.

• Under direct supervision, provides, develops, and implements child life services that provide basic support for end of life, new diagnosis, and traumatic experiences for patients and families.
• Helps patients, families and communities cope with the social, emotional and psychological impact of illness, injury and medical care.
• Provides effective and timely clinical services including, but not limited to, assessing the psychosocial risk level of patients.
• Consistently meets departmental productivity requirements.
• Assesses coping responses and the needs of children/adolescents and families related to healthcare experiences.
• Communicates appropriate information to members of the healthcare team to promote an understanding of the unique psychosocial/emotional needs of the child/adolescent and coordinate plan of care under direct supervision.
• Creates opportunities which strengthen the patient's self-esteem, independence, and understanding of the medical care and diagnosis.
• Demonstrates beginning skills in facilitates basic interventions which allow children/adolescents to express feelings, process difficult events, and explore positive coping skills.
• Practices and promotes patient/family-centered care.
• Utilizes up-to-date and appropriate resources for patients, families and the community.
• Utilizes best practice and/or evidenced-based practice to ensure high level of care.
• Under direct supervision, provides education to healthcare staff, patients and families regarding the scope of child life services, the impact of health care on development, providing developmentally appropriate and emotionally safe medical care, and professional boundaries.
• Provides psychological preparation and procedure support to children/adolescents undergoing medical procedures or surgeries to improve coping and understanding.
• Participates in departmental committees and projects as assigned.

SCOPE AND LEVEL

Guidelines: Trains in the field and assists higher level personnel to acquire learning through practical experience.

Complexity: Performs routine and/or basic tasks common to the field. Procedures, methods, and techniques to be used are well established with options to be considered well defined. Tools, work aids, and materials to be used are specified.

Decision Making: Duties assigned are primarily routine, repetitive, and restricted in intricacy with little or no discretion in how they are carried out.

Communications: Contacts with team members, clients or the public where factual information relative to the organization or its functions are received, relayed, or a service rendered according to established procedures or instructions.

Supervision Received: Under close supervision, the employee receives training to develop skills and abilities in a specific line of work or general occupational area. Work product is subject to close, continuous inspection.

Ability to Perform Essential Functions of the Job

• Audio-Visual: Depth Perception: Good
• Audio-Visual: Hearing: Good
• Audio-Visual: Near Vision: Good

Work Environment

• Exposure: Exposure to blood/body fluid: Regular/Frequent.
• Exposure: Exposure to cold/heat: Occasional.
• Exposure: Exposure to infectious diseases: Occasional.
• Exposure: Exposure to dampness: Occasional.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Makes decisions under pressure.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Manages stress appropriately.
• Mental and Emotional Requirements: Works with others effectively.

It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or any other status protected by law or regulation. Be aware that none of the questions are intended to imply illegal preferences or discrimination based on non-job-related information.

Here, you matter. As a Children's Hospital Colorado team member, you will receive a competitive pay and benefits package designed to take care of your needs that includes base pay, incentives, paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, company provided life and disability insurance, paid parental leave, 403b employer match (retirement savings), a robust wellness program, and access to professional development tools, including an education benefit to help you advance your career.

As part of our Total Rewards package, Children's Colorado offers an annual employee bonus program that rewards eligible team members based on organizational performance. If organizational goals are met for the year, the bonus is paid out the following April.

Children's Colorado delivers annual base pay increases to eligible team members based on their performance over the previous year.