Q: What's a typical workday like for you?
A: I work on an inpatient medical-surgical unit with the cardiology, pulmonary, renal and transplant populations from birth to 18 years old. I help patients and their families understand the diagnosis and the reason for their admission. I do a lot of hands-on teaching with dolls and coping support to help patients through procedures. I advocate for patients and help them and their families cope with their hospital stay. I also help siblings understand what's going on with their brothers and sisters.
Q: How does your role fit into the bigger healthcare picture?
A: Overall, I'm there to allow a kid to learn and grow on their journey, whether it's a chronic or an acute illness. I want to provide the support and care they need to heal and get home.
Q: Who do you interact with during the course of the day?
A: I interact with patients, caregivers and siblings, and work very closely with the interdisciplinary team: nurses; care coordinators; immunotherapy staff; physical and occupational therapists; speech-language pathologists; physicians and surgeons. I work with all the teams to try to coordinate them to best support the patient's and family's needs.
Q: Why did you become a child family life specialist?
A: I've always wanted to work with kids and love the hospital environment. I met a child life specialist during a college course, loved what she did and started in that direction.
