Child Life Specialist

Unit Summary

Step into a job that opens countless doors. As one of Canada’s largest and most diverse hospitals, we’re providing advanced care to people of all ages from across the province.

You can explore advancement opportunities, take professional development courses, and stretch yourself as a leader, all at HHS.

We are the largest employer in the greater Hamilton region, and play a vital role in training the next generation of health professionals in collaboration with our academic partners, including McMaster University and Mohawk College.

Hamilton Health Sciences is a hospital system of 18,000 staff, physicians, researchers and volunteers that proudly serves south central Ontario residents.

We also provide specialized, advanced care to people from across the province.

The McMaster University Medical Centre site of Hamilton Health Sciences is home to McMaster Children's Hospital. Since 2011, a specialized Pediatric Emergency Department provides care for infants, children, and youth 17 years of age and under.

Our dedicated team of health professionals provides family-centered emergency care that embraces teaching, research and health promotion.

Position Summary

The Child Life Specialist in the Pediatric Emergency Department focuses on care of children with a wide range of illnesses, conditions and injuries as well as children of acutely ill adults.

In consultation with the health care team the Child Life Specialist enables children, adolescents and their families to maintain optimum development, realize normal living patterns, minimize psychological trauma and maximize adjustment as they adapt to changes in health, hospitalization and life situations.

Through developmentally appropriate preparation, education, therapeutic play, and other intervention strategies, the pediatric population is provided with opportunities for increased understanding of medical experiences, learning coping strategies, opportunities for emotional expression, for family / sibling involvement and for peer interaction.

Schedule Work Hours

Days, evenings, weekends and holidays

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Child Life Studies or Masters in Child Life Pediatric and Psychosocial care
• Child Life Certification upon hire or obtained within one year of hire
• Minimum of one (1) year experience, within the last three (3) years, as a Child Life Specialist in an acute, tertiary care setting
• Demonstrated clinical expertise in assessments, planning and interventions for children, adolescents and their families
• Demonstrated flexibility and the ability to provide interventions on an urgent basis
• Demonstrated organization, problem-solving and conflict management skills
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work within an interdisciplinary team
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced changing environment
• Demonstrated ability to provide formal and informal education to health care team regarding the Child Life role, the psychosocial needs of children / adolescents related to care management
• Demonstrated understanding the role of community supports for the child / adolescent and family
• Participates in ongoing professional development

Hamilton Health Sciences fosters a culture of patient and staff safety, whereby all employees are guided by our Mission, Vision, Values, and Values Based Code of Conduct.

Hamilton Health Sciences is a teaching hospital and all staff and physicians are expected to support students and other learners.

To be considered for this opportunity applicants must apply during the posting period. All internal and external applicants may ONLY apply via the Careers website.

Hamilton Health Sciences is an equal opportunity employer and we will accommodate any needs under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Hiring processes will be modified to remove barriers to accommodate those with disabilities, if requested. Should any applicant require accommodation through the application processes, please contact HR Operations at 905-521-2100, Ext.

46947 for assistance. If the applicant requires a specific accommodation because of a disability during an interview, the applicant will need to advise the hiring manager when scheduling the interview and the appropriate accommodations can be made.

This competition is open to all qualified applicants, however, qualified internal applicants will be considered first. Past performance will be considered as part of the selection process.

If you are a previous employee of Hamilton Health Sciences, please note : the circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.

Proficiency in both Official Languages, French and English, is considered an asset