Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical CenterDepartment: Social ServicesPosition is located: Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical CenterWork Type: Full TimeHours Per Week: 36.00Work Schedule: No Hours AssignedSummary:Provides basic age appropriate situation-based assessments to foster positive coping with outpatient care activities through implementation of person and family centric intervention plans. Provides developmentally appropriate procedural education. Provides active preparation and support for interventional activities such as venipunctures / central access device access / initiation of IV therapy / bone marrow procedures / blood factor administration. Provides age appropriate educational materials to promote understanding of disease/treatment on part of patient/parent/siblings/extended family members. Works actively as a member of patient/family professional support team in a family centric manner. Works with hospital-based Child Life Specialists to assure positive continuity of care - may involve occasional visits during inpatient stays. Participates in daily patient care huddles, weekly team/care meetings, child/family care meetings, school visits, home visits, Bleeding Disorder Clinic, Survivorship Clinic and Camp Hope. Serves as a liaison with Northern Light Health Foundation in advancing support for patient/family activities/material needs. Occasional evening and weekend program-based activities may require flexing of scheduled hours.Responsibilities:
When necessary adapts schedule to meet program needs
Adheres to work approach "We're all in this together for the good of the patient."
Recognizes and acts on importance of helping out when asked; asks for assistance when needed
Works to meet role and unit expectations in pursuit of best patient care
Minimizes interpersonal conflict; attempts to resolve conflict quickly and directly; avoids engaging in gossip / demeaning communication; engages supervisor's assistance when necessary
Maintains positive cordial working relationships with providers; referring staff; community resource leads.
Works to streamline access to services at the center
Identifies new approaches to work to enhance delivery of service; maximize customer satisfaction
Identifies gaps in service delivery; helps to build programs to meet identified gaps
Serves as community resource regarding psychosocial issues of those affected by cancer and chronic blood conditions (i.e. completes school visits, participates in community education forums)
Participates actively in clinical case review - discussions - identifies case challenges, helps build solutions / accepts feedback openly / provides feedback respectfully
Participates actively in on-boarding new staff - providing education on appropriate age based approaches in care delivery
Participates actively in new oncology provider & staff orientation to help them make use of Child Life Specialist resource for best patient care
Participates/takes lead in child life student intern/placement supervision
Child Life Specialist Service - Initiation - Routinely introduces role to each parent / child receiving care at the Center at time of first visit. For referrals - contacts potential client/family in a timely and appropriate manner based on requests/identified needs/referral concerns. For any urgent / high priority request, contact is made at same day appointment / next available appointment / by phone. Phone calls regarding potential service needs are returned at minimum within 2 business days.
Child Life Specialist Service - Assessments - Assessments are accurate, thorough and appropriate to the service request or reason for referral; Assessments for a solid base for client work towards identified goals / address reason for referral; Assessments are useful to health care team in understanding clients' capacities, limitations, supports, needs and opportunities.
Child Life Specialist Service - Interventions - Interventions are age appropriate, make good use of client strengths and are effective in helping client reach identified goals / successfully manage environment - develop sense of mastery / addressing referral concerns; Relationship is sufficient to foster engagement and work towards goals. Interventions make good use of client/family, provider, staff and worker's time. Referrals for service are appropriate and made in a manner that permits client to engage needed resource.
Child Life Specialist Service - Team Work - Highlights age based capacity for understanding; highlights developmental needs of child; informs of best approaches to learning and pacing for care routines. Develops protocols / approaches to interventional care useful to all team members to optimize child capacity to manage required care activities as effectively as possible.
Child Life Specialist Service - Continuing Care - Referrals for additional service are well timed; appropriate to the situation; effective in enabling client to make appropriate connection with alternate / adjunctive resource. Care is concluded in a manner that is clear to client based on recognition of goal completion, referring provider/care team.
Child Life Specialist Service - Advocacy - Advocacy efforts are appropriate to the situation; client needs and setting; are effective.
Child Life Specialist Service - Continuing Care Transitions- conversations surrounding changing needs are seen as useful by client/family in context of provider's next step in care recommendations.
Child Life Specialist Service - Groups - May serve as an adjunct to OSW facilitation for school age peer group activity designed to enhance coping with chronic disease; participates actively in camp experience - both in education role for staff and activity facilitation in the camp setting.
Child Life Specialist Service - Communication - documentation is timely (appropriate to clinical issues ("need to know" - at time of service; ongoing follow up - range (weekly to at minimum monthly)), clear and concise; collaborative efforts are effectively and timely. Works in a manner which preserves client right to privacy; shares relevant information on a need to know basis; maintains document security; follows release of information protocols.
Child Life Specialist Service - Coverage - collaborates with team to cover planned absences - alerting to client needs requiring attention during absence.
Child Life Specialist Service - Professionalism - conducts self in professional manner; maintains certification; utilizes clinical consultation; participates as active health care team member representing the child life perspective; participates actively with the team to enhance the quality of service delivery. Works to assure maintenance of professional boundaries.
Notifies appropriate supervisor of gaps/need for assistance in a timely manner
Self-identifies errors, reviews with supervisor and/or learns from mistakes; takes corrective action to limit re-occurrence
Offers to assist others with work completion as needed / requested; works from value - "I can help", does not state / act in a manner that communicates "not my job".
Service Initiation - Assessment (initiates; responds to identified needs); Referral (solicits and responds to referral for service from providers and staff); Group (supports OSW in recruitment and facilitation); Inquiries (responds to request for information regarding service offering - community at large, individuals/family members receiving care at facility); Adult Care (works with OSW team to meet school age children's needs when parents/custodial grandparents are undergoing cancer treatment and/or transitioning to hospice); follows established protocols for documenting service initiation and related activity.
Assessment - Performs age and situation appropriate assessments through chart review, discussion with referral source and "interview" with child and family ("FULL" assessment is not required when responding to "simple" requests for information.) Assessments are holistic in nature and consistently address the child's physical condition, psychosocial, emotional and mental health, capacity for play, learning and engagement, and support systems, financial resources and other environmental issues related to maximizing client/family ability to manage and follow care recommendations.
Intervention - Considers the unique needs of the individual/family (cultural, religious, age-specific, etc.) when planning Child Life Specialist interventions. Works to help "normalize" medical environment for child/family. Develops plan in conjunction with client/family. Collaborates with health care team to implement Child Life Specialist Plan of Care as necessary. Evaluates progress, adjusts interventions as needed, shares observation of progress with client, and reports progress to health care team as appropriate. Assists in transition in care discussions. Reinforces use of age appropriate language on part of care team in child-based communication. Engages in advocacy on behalf of and with client permission as indicated.
Advocacy - Represents the client/family's interest / age appropriate needs when collaborating with members of the health care team; works collaboratively with team members to create an atmosphere in the department that fosters positive coping for children of all ages and family members; assists in maintaining / enhancing physical environment to meet needs of children of all ages and reasons for utilizing the clinic environment; participates in multidisciplinary meetings with families and clients when requested or initiates when the goals of the health care team members and the patient/family are not mutually acceptable. Maintains knowledge of State Regulation regarding child and adult abuse, when appropriate makes necessary contacts / referrals. When appropriate, refers appropriately to domestic abuse advocate. Refers clients and family to Patient Relations when appropriate. Represents client/family needs when necessary to external agencies, including schools.
Group Service - identifies in collaboration with OSW staff need for group service; participates in group facilitation. Participates in development of CAMP program; participates in CAMP week; participates in CAMP evaluation.
Communication - Advises clients / families of availability and contact information. Advises clients of right to privacy and appropriate limitations (i.e. risk of harm, abuse). Follows HIPPA guidelines - obtaining patient permission to contact outside mental/behavioral health providers. Documents assessment in medical record. Documents Child Life Specialist plan of care, interventions, ongoing progress towards goals and conclusion of care in medical record. Communicates directly with provider, nursing, social work, patient advocate and treatment staff to maximize effectiveness of intervention / collaboration. Communicates with resource referral (including school personnel and transplant team) following permission of client providing information on a need to know basis. Documentation is via Cerner EMR - through "Messaging - Phone Call", request for additional service order through "Messaging - Provider Order"; through use of Child Life Specialist note in EMR. Advises Practice Manager of system-based issues identified needing attention / response.
Coverage - Arranges for client care coverage; provides client care coverage for colleagues; communicates coverage arrangements to client, providers and staff (as needed); maintains continuity of care during hospitalizations as clinically indicated - works in collaboration with INPATIENT BASED Child Life Specialist Staff.
Scope of Practice - All activity (i.e. assessments, interventions, referrals) are within scope of practice as defined by certification; assessments and interventions are consistent with work in host setting - medical practice, all activity is consistent with demonstrated knowledge base of Child Life Specialist staff member. Documents Child Life Specialist Plan of Care including planned interventions ongoing progress towards goals and conclusion of care.
Uses work time in a professional and responsible manner.
Assures work completion to minimize missed calls/appointments; need to cancel/re-schedule appointments
Routinely meets activity-based productivity standard
Tracks client care activity by completing required statistics in a timely manner (i.e. daily/weekly to assure up to date information available at close of month)
As appropriate encourages planned giving/directed donations to Northern Light Health Cancer Care through Northern Light Health Foundation
Works with Organization Foundation team on community events aimed at generating funds to support Northern Light Health Raish Peavey Haskell Children's Cancer and Treatment Center related activities/patient services
Other Information:Competencies and Skills
Behaves with Integrity and Builds Trust: Acts consistently in line with the core values, commitments and rules of conduct. Leads by example and tells the truth. Does what they say they will, when and how they say they will, or communicates an alternate plan.
Cultivates Respect: Treats others fairly, embraces and values differences, and contributes to a culture of diversity, inclusion, empowerment and cooperation.
Fosters Accountability: Creates and participates in a work environment where people hold themselves and others accountable for processes, results and behaviors. Takes appropriate ownership not only of successes but also mistakes and works to correct them in a timely manner. Demonstrates understanding that we all work as a team and the quality and timeliness of work impacts everyone involved.
Practices Compassion: Exhibits genuine care for people and is available and ready to help; displays a deep awareness of and strong willingness to relieve the suffering of others.
Education
Required Bachelor's Degree
Working Conditions
Lifting, moving and loading less than 20 pounds.
Prolonged periods of sitting.
Prolonged periods of standing.
Prolonged periods of walking.
Position Child Life SpecialistLocation Req ID null