Practicum Program Components
Program Schedule / Assignment Locations
The Division of Child Life and Integrative Care has responsibility for patient care 365 days a year with morning, afternoon and evening programs at various buildings and campuses throughout Cincinnati. As a result, schedules and assignment locations of practicum students at Cincinnati Children's will vary.
Practicum Format
Week 1: Orientation
- Students will participate in informational in-services.
Weeks 2-3: Clinical Rotation 1 & Weeks 4-5: Clinic Rotation 2
- Students will be individually assigned to observe a CCLS in the outpatient or inpatient clinical setting.
Additionally:
- 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.
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)
Goals and Objectives
Through completion of assignments, Practicum students will achieve these goals / objectives.
Goals and Objectives of Child Life Practicum
- To become familiar with the child life profession through in-person clinical observation.
- To gain an understanding of the impact of health care on the emotional and developmental needs of children and families.
- To develop skills through patient interactions as guided by a CCLS.
- To recognize creative and flexible programming that meets patients’ and families’ psychosocial needs.
- To begin transition from student to professional, developing professional attitude, growth, maturity and judgment.
- To evaluate oneself under the guidance of experienced professionals.
- To begin to develop a professional mission statement that will drive one’s future education and work.
