Description

Department:

35159 Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center - BCH: Child Life

Status:

Full time

Benefits Eligible:

Yes

Hours Per Week:

36

Schedule Details/Additional Information:

3 days, 12 hour shifts

Pay Range
$25.30 - $37.95

Make a meaningful impact every day in a role dedicated to supporting the emotional, developmental, and psychosocial well-being of pediatric patients and their families. As a Child Life Specialist at Advocate Children's Hospital, you will provide compassionate, developmentally appropriate care in both inpatient and outpatient settings. You'll help children and families navigate medical experiences, promote resilience, and ensure an environment where patients can continue to grow, learn, and thrive despite hospitalization.

Essential Responsibilities

• Normalize the hospital experience through therapeutic play, developmentally appropriate activities, and supportive interactions.
• Build trusting, supportive relationships with children, teens, and families, offering guidance on coping, growth, and development.
• Provide preparation, support, and accompaniment during medical procedures using techniques such as medical play, distraction, and emotional support to reduce anxiety and trauma.
• Advocate for comfort measures and pediatric-friendly care approaches; educate staff on developmentally appropriate interactions.
• Deliver support for siblings, families experiencing grief or bereavement, and those facing critical illness.
• Facilitate effective communication among patients, families, and interdisciplinary teams; participate in rounds and care conferences.
• Perform all responsibilities in alignment with established policies, safety standards, and patient-centered best practices.
• Pursue ongoing professional development to maintain certification and enhance clinical skills.
• Coordinate developmental and coping-focused events and activities for patients and families.
• Partner with Public Affairs, Marketing, and Advocate Charitable Foundation to plan donor-supported events and strengthen community relationships.
• Manage and organize all in-kind donations, including storage, distribution, and adherence to donor intent.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Select, orient, and supervise child life student interns and volunteers.
• Provide unit-specific training, ongoing guidance, and performance feedback.
• Collaborate with Internship/Volunteer Coordinators to ensure meaningful learning experiences and effective volunteer engagement.

Required Education, Experience & Certifications

• Certification: Certified Child Life Specialist (must be obtained within 6 months of hire)
  Issued by: Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP)
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Development, or a closely related field.
• Experience: Completion of an ACLP-approved child life internship; experience working with all pediatric age groups in a healthcare setting.
• Knowledge & Skills:
  • Strong understanding of pediatric growth and development from birth through young adulthood (0-21 years).
  • Ability to assess patient needs and tailor interventions accordingly.
  • Experience supporting children with developmental delays, mental health diagnoses, or challenging behaviors.
  • Comfort working with families during critical illness and end-of-life care.
  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, assessment, and organizational skills.
  • Ability to thrive in fast-paced, emotionally demanding environments; flexible and resilient.
  • Strong proficiency with technology and documentation systems.
  • Demonstrated leadership, prioritization, and patient-care coordination skills.
  • Empathy and cultural sensitivity when working with diverse patients and families.

Our Commitment to You:

Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more - so you can live fully at and away from work, including:

Compensation

• Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
• Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job
• Incentive pay for select positions
• Opportunity for annual increases based on performance

Benefits and more

• Paid Time Off programs
• Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
• Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
• Educational Assistance Program

About Advocate Health

Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

Provides comprehensive therapeutic patient care for neonatal, pediatric, and adolescent patients to ensure positive patient outcomes. Plans, organizes, implements, and evaluates child life programming based on an understanding of normal human development and the impact that illness, injury, disability and hospitalization have on this process.