Under the general supervision of the Child Life Supervisor, the Child Life Zone Coordinator works as part of the child life team to oversee daily operations and management of the Teammates for Kids Child Life Zone. The Zone Coordinator is responsible for the development, facilitation, and oversight of therapeutic programming, providing patients and their families with opportunities to participate in recreation, normalization activities, and medical play. The Child Life Zone Coordinator is also responsible for oversight of special events for the children’s tower, including those that take place in the Zone and those that extend Zone services to patients on the floor.

Essential Job Statements

Performance Expectations: Daily Operations and Zone Maintenance

The Child Life Zone Coordinator oversees the daily operations of the Zone ensuring it is open and functioning for patient and family use.

• Ensures Zone is properly stocked for daily operations. Works with child life supervisor to procure supplies in accordance with Zone budget and department resources.
• Requests for repairs through internal service response and Zone Network support as appropriate.
• Ensures that Child Life Zone remains in compliance with institutional infection control policy.
• Provides regular staffing of Zone on conjunction with other Zone staff and volunteers.

Performance Expectation: Development and Implementation of Therapeutic Programming

The Child Life Zone Coordinator facilitates programming to benefit patients and families in the Child Life Zone.

• Assess needs and interests related to programming for patients and siblings through internal and external resources.
• Develop, coordinate, and provide therapeutic programming in collaboration with child life team and other related disciplines (i.e. music therapy).
• Creation and distribution of daily, weekly, and monthly calendar of events to hospital staff.
• Documents patient and family interactions in medical record as appropriate.

Performance Expectations: Staffing and Administrative Oversight of the Child Life Zone

The Child Life Zone Coordinator ensures that the Zone is appropriately staffed and keeps statistics/documentation regarding its usage.

• Creates and maintains schedule of Zone coverage. Works with Child Life Scheduling committee to ensure employees schedules are appropriately inputted into API.
• Maintains productivity statistics of Zone use, prepares reports, and communicates data with both Child Life Supervisor and individuals related to Teammates for Kids
• Primary responsibility of onboarding, training, and oversight of daily operations within the child life zone.

Performance Expectation: Special Events

Assists child life team in organizing hospital and unit wide special events.

• Works with individuals in the child life team, volunteer services, and the Children’s Hospital Foundation to identify appropriate special events opportunities for patients and families.
• Coordinates with outside groups to ensure CHOR visitation, safety, and confidentiality policies are adhered to during special events, including hosting and monitoring visitors.
• Assists with facilitating special events in the Zone, Performance Space, and inpatient areas.

Performance Expectation: Maintain relationships with Teammates For Kids Child Life Zone Network and advocates within the surrounding community

• Maintain regular communication with Child Life Zone Network including networking and education opportunities.
• Promote, advertise, and speak about child life zone services with patients, families, staff, and community members.
• Occasional travel to Zone Network events may be required with advance notice.

Performance Expectation: Child Life Department Responsibility

• Assist child life team in providing holiday celebrations on units to promote normalization of the hospital environment.
• Assist child life team with the acquisition and distribution of donations.
• Participation in assigned committee work and departmental projects.
• Participates in continuing education and leadership trainings.
• Grant writing and other proposal work as appropriate for position.

Performance Expectation: Miscellaneous Responsibilities

• Performs other duties as assigned and/or participates in special projects in order to support the mission of VCUHS and the assigned areas.
• Provides assistance to team members.
• Accepts alternate assignments, as required, graciously.

Independent action(s) required:

• Independent management of day-to-day interactions with patients and families and facilitation of Zone activities.
• Independent management of Zone supplies and playroom (with input from child life supervisor).
• Proactively support the child life department and child life specialists as needed, with or without direct instruction.

Additional position requirements:
Occasional evening, weekend, and holiday hours may be required with advance notice.

Age Specific groups served:
All patients admitted to a pediatric service, with services also provided to their families.

Patient Population

Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of the patients served on their assigned unit.  

Demonstrates knowledge and related competencies of the principles of growth and development of the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to  their age, specific needs and to provide the equitable care needed as described in departmental policies and procedures.

Neonates (0-4 weeks)

Infant (1-12 months)

Pediatrics (1-12 years)

Adolescents (13-17 years)

Adults (18-64 years).

Geriatrics (65 years and older)

Employment Qualifications

Required Education:

Bachelors degree in Child Development, Early Childhood/elementary education, or a related field of study.

Preferred Education:

Child Life Masters Degree

Licensing/ Certification

Licensure/Certification Required:

Achieve CPR certification within 90 days of hire.

Licensure/Certification Preferred:

Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) or Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS)

Minimum Qualifications

Years and Type of Required Experience

MINIMUM:

One year of experience (paid or volunteer) with children in a group setting.

Previous experience with therapeutic use of play materials/activities.

Previous experience with volunteer supervision and management.

One year of experience with children in a heath care setting or with complex medical/developmental needs.

PREFERRED: At least two years experience with children in a hospitalized or healthcare setting.

Documented experience with event planning and program development.

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

Knowledge of growth and development across the lifespan, patient/family relations to hospitalization and coping skills.

Effective communication and interpersonal skills

Ability to problem solve, be creative, take initiative and work independently.

Working Conditions

Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur.

General office environment.

May be exposed to physical altercations and verbal abuse.

May be required to use physical restraints.

May be exposed to high noise levels and bright lights.

May be exposed to limited hazardous substances or body fluids. *

May be exposed to human blood and other potentially infectious materials. * 

May have periods of constant interruptions.

Prolonged periods of working alone.

Physical Requirements

Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs.)

Push/ Pull (0-50 lbs.)

Push/ Pull (50-100 lbs.)

Stoop, Kneel, Squat

Balance

Bending

Work Position

Sitting

Walking

Standing

Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards

Physical Requirements

Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination)

Perform shift work

Maneuver weight of patients

Hear alarms/telephone/tape recorder

Reach above shoulder

Repetitive arm/hand movements

Finger Dexterity

Color Vision

Acuity – far

Acuity – near

Hazards

Exposure to toxic/caustic/chemicals/detergents

Mental/Sensory – Emotional  

Mental / Sensory

Strong Recall

Reasoning

Problem Solving

Hearing

Speak Clearly

Write Legibly

Reading

Logical Thinking

Other

Emotional

Fast pace environment

Steady Pace

Able to Handle Multiple Priorities

Frequent and Intense Customer Interactions

Noisy Environment

Able to Adapt to Frequent Change

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran/41 CFR 60-1.4.