Child Life Specialist, Franciscan Hospital for Children, Brighton MA  (January 2015- January 2016)

Created and shaped the Child Life position in the surgical service unit.

Provide age-appropriate explanations of what patients can expect in the operating room using pictures, medical play and anesthesia masks on the day of surgery.

Provide patients and families coping plans and distraction to use during induction of anesthesia or during intravenous to ease fears and provide a positive experience in the operating room.

Conducted Child Life in-services for nurses, anesthesiologists and surgeons on the impact Child Life has on children and families in the outpatient setting.

Created and implanted a video script to help children and families watch online to help understand what to expect and to help lower anxiety. Provided online education for parents to understand how to explain surgery in an age-appropriate way to fit the development needs of their children. 

Created a car seat safety program for the in-patient units by receiving a car seat grant from the state of Massachusetts. This program was in progress when I left and the program will be able to provide car seats for in-patients and provide car seat events for the community of Brighton.

Child Life Assistant, Franciscan Hospital for Children, Brighton MA     (April 2014-December 2014)

Provided age appropriate developmental stimulation and activities for birth through 21 years of age on the Medical and Pulmonary Rehabilitation units.

·  Provided procedural support, distraction and coping techniques.

·  Facilitated playroom and special event groups on a weekly basis. Evaluate and determine appropriate patients for inclusion in Child Life groups. Develop the weekly volunteer patient book for each unit. Supervise and assign volunteers to playrooms and/or patient rooms to visit.

·  Educated parents on the importance of infant massage and car seat education. As well as conducting car seat checks for families.

·  Conducted Neonatal Absence Syndrome in-service for staff providing education on developmental care plans, baby wearing, stress cues and stimulation.

Child Life Specialist, Parkland Health and Hospital Systems, Dallas TX   (July 2012- March 2014)

·  Provided age appropriate developmental stimulation to term and preterm infants in the neonatal hospital setting. Provided daily individual and group setting education to parents of infants.

·  Education topics included infant massage, baby wearing, reading and responding to infant cues, developmental play and car seat safety.

·  Conducted sibling visits at infant’s bedside while providing age appropriate preparations for siblings using medical play, environmental photos and individualized diagnoses teaching.

·  Provided bereavement support to families enduring a fetal demise or death of a neonate. Support included education for caregivers on the appropriate ways to explain death to children along with common age appropriate reactions to death. Also assisted with legacy building activities with children during the grief process and providing community resources for continued grief support.

·  Trained and provided leadership for new volunteers for newborn nursery and neonatal intensive care units.

·  Committees: Developmental Care (Co-Chair), Bereavement and Primary Care committee.

·  Expectations of role included cross coverage of newborn nursery, antepartum unit, and trauma services. Attended/facilitated multidisciplinary rounds and meetings weekly.

Certified Child Life Specialist

Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician & Transporting Special Needs

Certified Educator of Infant Massage

Family Home Visiting Certification

American Red Cross CPR/Fist Aid

Life is Good Playmaker (In Progress)