Child Life Internship
The Division of Child Life and Integrative Care at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center offers an internship in child life that has been accredited by the Association of Child Life Professionals and is open to those pursuing a career in the child life field. This internship features experiential learning, and participating students can expect to gain knowledge in core child life competencies. The internship is offered in the winter / spring, summer and fall, unless otherwise specified.
Inclusion Scholarship
We strongly encourage students of diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply to the internship program. By applying for the internship, all applicants are eligible for our Inclusion Scholarship. For more information about this scholarship opportunity, please click here: Inclusion Scholarship.
Program
The program includes an intensive orientation to our medical center campus and the Division of Child Life and Integrative Care. The remaining weeks are divided into rotations giving students experience with all ages in various hospital units.
Interns have the opportunity to spend time (1) assessing psychosocial needs of patients and families, (2) planning developmentally appropriate and therapeutic play interventions for hospitalized children and their siblings, (3) providing one-on-one interventions, (4) providing preparation for and support during procedures and treatments, and (5) conducting medical play sessions, all under the supervision of Certified Child Life Specialists.
Rotations
Possible Intern Rotations may include:
- Emergency Department
- GI / Colorectal Unit
- Inpatient Psychiatry
- Medical-Surgical Units
- Intensive Care Unit
- Newborn Intensive Care Unit
- Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
- Hematology / Oncology
- Transplant and Complex Surgical Inpatient Unit
- Pediatric & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Neurology / Neurosurgery
- Same Day Surgery
- Outpatient Clinics (Hematology / Oncology, Orthopaedics, Allergy, Ambulatory Care, etc.)
Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
The Division of Child Life has responsibilities for patient care 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. As a result, intern schedules at Cincinnati Children's will vary and often require intermittent Saturday and / or Sunday as well as evening commitments.
Program Components
Educational Components:
- Participation in staff led in-services on topics related to Child Life Competencies.
- Weekly meetings with internship coordinator
- Weekly written assignments on topics that facilitate translation of theory to clinical practice
- Formal written case study
- Internship project
- Evidenced Based Practice (EBP) components will be part of both the case study and internship project and include formal EBP appraisal as guided by an EBP mentor
- Final presentation to Division of Child Life & Integrative Care
Clinical Practice Components:
- Individual therapeutic interventions.
- Daily journal of experiences.
- Clinical skills development focused on the following core competencies:
- Developmental Theories & Application
- Formal Assessment
- Informal Assessment
- Play
- Therapeutic Play
- Medical Play
- Group Play
- Patient & Family Centered Care
- Documentation
- Grief & Bereavement
- Coping Interventions
- Psychosocial Care Planning & Implementation
- Facilitation of a Therapeutic Space
- Therapeutic Relationships
- Rapport Building
- Empathetic Engagement
- Post Event Processing
- Teaching and Preparation
- Procedural Support
- Cultural Competence
- Advocacy
- Professional Representation
- Professional Collaboration
- Evidenced-Based Practice
- Administration
- Policies
- Safety
- Infection Control
- Resource Allocation
- Volunteer Supervision
- Professionalism
- Time Management
- Professional Presentation of Self
- Self-Evaluation
- Initiative
- Professional Boundaries
- Conflict Resolution
Additional Information
For additional information or clarification, please contact the Child Life Education Specialist at CLICEducation@CCHMC.org.
