Child Life Internship and Practicum

Week 1: Orientation

• Students will participate in informational in-services for the first two days and then will engage in observation in specialty clinical areas, including a full-day observing at our Liberty Campus.

Weeks 2-3: Clinical Rotation 1 and Weeks 4-5: Clinic Rotation 2

• Students will be individually assigned a clinical rotation supervisor and will observe in their preceptor’s area of expertise in the outpatient or inpatient clinical setting.

Additionally:

• Lunch and learn in-services will be scheduled to augment the practicum student’s knowledge through relevant informational seminars.
• Students will meet with the practicum coordinator weekly as a group for processing of clinical observations and experiences to deepen their learning.
• Students will have opportunities to observe and practice in an inpatient activity center, as well as experience camp programming.

Practicum Syllabus of Assignments includes:

• Reflective Daily Journal – submitted weekly to practicum coordinator
• Question and Terminology Logs
• List: What belongs in your bag of alternative focus/emotional support tools?
• Patient Support Tracking Log
• Observation Guide of non-clinical patient environments
• Two completed Procedure Observation Forms that evaluate procedures that the student has observed.
• Five Case Reports based on observed patients representing differing developmental stages (infant – adolescent)
• Personal Philosophy of Child Life Statement
• Practicum Program Evaluation
• Weekly Patient Assessment Observations
• Two Diagnosis Reviews relevant to observed patients (One per clinical rotation)

Through completion of assignments, Practicum students will achieve these goals / objectives. 

Goals and Objectives of Child Life Practicum 

1. To become familiar with the child life profession and the Division of Child Life and Integrative Care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
2. To discuss and understand family-centered psychosocial care as the foundation of child life.
3. To gain an understanding of the impact of health care on the emotional and developmental needs of children and families.
4. To observe a variety of clinical experiences in order to develop a foundation of understanding child life’s role in a health care setting.
5. To have the opportunity to interact with patients on a one-to-one basis and in group situations.
6. To recognize creative and flexible programming that meets patients’ and families’ psychosocial needs.
7. To develop an understanding of team effort in affecting positive experiences for children in the medical environment.
8. To practice providing an acceptable, non-judgmental approach to promote healthy interactions between child, staff and family. 
9. To begin transition from student to professional, developing professional attitude, growth, maturity and judgment.
10.  To evaluate oneself under the guidance of experienced professionals.
11.  To begin to develop a professional mission statement that will drive one’s future education and work.

These items must be provided three weeks before the program begins.

• Health requirements: Students will be in good health before beginning a child life practicum at Cincinnati Children's and shall comply with the following standards:
• Each individual shall have a negative two-step tuberculin skin test by the Mantoux method PPD-S US units per test within nine months prior to date of initial clinical experience. Exceptions: 
  • Those individuals having a documented clinical record of tuberculosis and treatment with INH
  • Those individuals supplying a written record from a physician stating that the individual had a severe or markedly positive reaction to prior Mantoux test
    *Individuals with exceptions must have a physician's certification that they do not have communicable tuberculosis infection.
   
• Each individual must have a documented clinical record showing immunity to rubella (either a positive rubella titer or a rubella vaccination).
• Each individual must have a documented clinical record showing immunity to rubeola (measles). Proof of immunity can be shown by having a birth date prior to 1950, a rubeola vaccination after 1980, or with documentation of a physician stating the student has had rubeola.
• Each individual must have a documented clinical record showing immunity to mumps (documentation from a physician stating the student had either mumps or a mumps vaccination).
• Each individual must have a documented clinical record showing immunity to Hepatitis B or having started the series of three doses of Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombivax HB or Engerix - B).
• Required of accepted practicum students participating in program as part of a college / university curriculum:
• A signed contract of agreement for practicum participation with your college / university.
• A copy of the evaluation forms required by your program.
• List of special assignments or project requirements from your school.

• Applicants must have completed at least three additional courses as required by ACLP for certification eligibility. Read more about eligibility requirements. 
• Must have completed an introductory child life course and at least one child development course (as required for certification by ACLP).
• Must have at least 50 hours of experience with children and families in the healthcare setting.
• Must have at least 50 hours of experience with children and families not in a healthcare setting.

To apply for the Child Life Practicum at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, complete and return a completed application packet.

Practicum applications must be RECEIVED by Feb.1.

Application packets must include the following: 

• Practicum Application
• Academic transcript
• One letter of reference
• Resume

We eagerly await the opportunity to train highly motivated and qualified students and invite you to apply.  

Click the link to download a PDF of the Practicum Application.

Applicants selected for further review will be contacted via email to set up a video interview.

Those candidates not invited to proceed with admitting process will be notified by letter by March 1.

Please return application packet to:

Child life Education Specialist

Child Life Department, MLC: 5003

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

3333 Burnet Ave.

Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039

Questions may be addressed Child Life Education Specialist, CLICEDUCATION@cchmc.org