Child Life Specialist Outpatient Surgery/Ambulatory clinics - Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health

$4,000 sign-on/retention bonus

The Child Life Program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock is a regional service providing programming throughout central and southern New Hampshire.  Our goal is to help children and families acclimate to the healthcare environment and to understand and manage challenging and stressful situations.  Patients and their families are our number one priority.

The post holder provides and supports the psychosocial development of children who are hospitalized. They provide therapeutic and developmental activities or creates treatment plans compatible with medical and psychosocial needs, interests, and capabilities to assist in the adjustment and coping with the hospital environment or setting.

This is a Full Time M-F 7am-3:30pm benefitted position supporting Outpatient and Ambulatory Clinics at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. Learn more about our benefits package here. As a member of our Child Life team, you will also receive membership to the ACLP and receive departmental funding and support to engage in continued education opportunities. 

Looking to complete a Child Life Internship at Dartmouth Hitchcock? Please see our website for more information.

To be considered for this position, you must have completed a 600-hour child life clinical internship under the supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist.  Completion of the internship is required before you can sit the exam to become certified.  You must be certified or pending certification within 6 months of hire.

*This position includes a competitive sign-on/retention bonus. This is available to external hires only, certain conditions apply.

1. Assesses and interacts with patients and families using theories of human growth and development, family systems, and cultural background.
2. Provides a therapeutic and safe environment for individuals and groups aged 18 and under.
3. Assists patients in coping with the stress of hospitalization, illness, new diagnosis, death and/or loss.
4. Participates in patient and family teaching.
5. Integrates the Child Life Program into the health care team.
6. Represents, communicates, and documents child life and psychosocial issues of pediatric health care to others.
7. Oversees child life interns and volunteers.
8. Develops, implements, documents, and evaluates child life services.
9. Meets with the others on the Child Life Program team to review daily activities and patient care needs.

• Minimum of Bachelor of Science/Arts in the field of Child Life, Human Resources, Child Development or Psychology, with a focus on the hospitalized child.

• Masters in Child Life, Human Resources, Child Development or Psychology, with a focus on the hospitalized child preferred.

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills essential.
• Child Life certification or pending.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills essential.

• Child Life certification or pending preferred.