What are the responsibilities and job description for the Child Life Specialist position at UNC Health?
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Summary :
UNC Health Care is recruiting a full time Certified Child Life Specialist to join our UNC Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Program in Chapel Hill, NC as the AYA clinical coordinator.
As a top-tier academic medical center, UNC upholds a four-tiered mission to "CARE," aligning clinical care, advocacy, research, and education to deliver world-class, family-centered care - always regardless of a family's ability to pay. UNC Cancer's clinical homes, N.C. Children's Hospital and the NC Basnight Cancer Hospital, are major referral centers for adolescents and young adults with cancer and are consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report on its annual list of top hospitals.
We are seeking a dynamic, motivated, and team-oriented Child Life Specialist with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with multidisciplinary providers and teammates in effective, collaborative practice for the position of AYA clinical coordinator.
The AYA clinical coordinator is part of the interdisciplinary cancer care team and reports to the Mary Anne Long Patient and Family Resource Center. They draw on specialized knowledge of supportive care resources for AYA patients (e.g., clinical services; psychosocial / mental health support; educational programs; financial assistance; survivorship) offered within and outside of UNC, considering the unique developmental needs of this population. They consult and collaborate with oncologists, nurses, mental health clinicians, and other cancer-related clinicians, researchers, and staff members.
The AYA clinical coordinator fulfills a critical role in the care of teenagers and young adults treated for cancer at the University of North Carolina and across the UNC Cancer Network. The principal responsibilities of the AYA clinical coordinator are to provide developmentally appropriate cancer care coordination, health education, and connection to support services for patients between the ages of 13 and 39. The AYA clinical coordinator leads a clinical consult service in collaboration with a nurse practitioner, fertility preservation coordinator, and mental health clinicians. The AYA clinical coordinator will receive inpatient and outpatient consults from various oncology teams and assess patient needs, in turn, developing a supportive care plan unique to each patient. They will meet with patients virtually and in person (inpatient and outpatient settings) and may also participate in joint visits with oncologists and other members of the care team.
In addition to meeting the day-to-day coping and adjustment needs of adolescent and young adult patients and their families, the AYA clinical coordinator serves as a resource and an advocate on development, family-centered care, multicultural awareness, and the impact of various health care experiences that AYA patients and families experience.
Responsibilities :
1. Initial needs assessment and evaluation of adolescents and young adults undergoing treatment for cancer at UNC. As part of this, the AYA clinical coordinator : 1) Individually assesses / evaluates patients, 2) formulates clinical impressions and recommendations for treatment, 3) provides referrals for other services or provision for no service based upon the analysis of assessment data, and 4) reports assessment findings to appropriate individuals in compliance with departmental performance expectations.
2. Evaluates patient progress towards treatment goals and responses to treatment interventions, adapts as necessary in compliance with departmental performance expectations.
3. Providing education to AYAs and their caregivers about their diagnosis, the unique aspects of undergoing cancer treatment as an AYA, and available treatment options, including the opportunity to participate in clinical trials.
4. Enhancing AYAs' health literacy, self-advocacy, and ability to navigate complex health care.
5. Encouraging effective communication with AYAs' clinical care team, family, friends, community, and others in their support network.
6. Improving AYAs' adherence to treatment through developmentally appropriate strategies and addressing barriers to care (e.g., referral to outpatient social work for transportation assistance).
7. Supporting AYAs' emotional adjustment to illness and coping, and connects to peer support and other AYA-focused wellness resources.
8. Planning : Interprets assessment data accurately, determines appropriate treatment goals in conjunction with the overall treatment plan, and designs treatment plans and individualized treatment interventions for assigned patient population to meet their treatment needs.
9. Outreach : Develops and facilitates patient and caregiver programs that promote the health and wellbeing of AYAs in accordance with departmental performance expectations.
10. Plans for all needed resources, coordinates program scheduling and plans and facilitates group and individual treatment interventions with co-workers and other disciplines in compliance with departmental performance expectations.
11. Program development : Develops new or revises existing programs & interventions to reflect current patients' needs, interests, and abilities and to promote safety in compliance with departmental performance expectations.
Other Information
Other information :
Education Requirements :
- Bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation, Child Life or a related field that meets the Child Life Council's recommendation for coursework concentration in Child Life.
Licensure / Certification Requirements :
Professional Experience Requirements :
Knowledge / Skills / and Abilities Requirements :
Preferred skills :
Job Details
Legal Employer : STATE
Entity : UNC Medical Center
Organization Unit : UNCH Oncology Pt & Fam Rsc Ctr
Work Type : Part Time
Standard Hours Per Week : 24.00
Salary Range : $21.40 - $30.76 per hour (Hiring Range)
Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity
Work Assignment Type : Hybrid
Work Schedule : Day Job
Location of Job : US : NC : Chapel Hill
Exempt From Overtime : Exempt : No
This is a State position employed by UNC Health Care System with UNC Health benefits. If, however, you are presently an employee of another North Carolina agency and currently participate in TSERS or the ORP, you will be eligible to continue participating in those plans at UNC Health.
Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
UNC Health makes reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as applicants and employees with disabilities. All interested applicants are invited to apply for career opportunities. Please email applicant.accommodations@unchealth.unc.edu if you need a reasonable accommodation to search and / or to apply for a career opportunity.
Salary : $21 - $31
