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Child Life Specialist (Acute Care) | 36 hours/week | Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital | Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University Medical Center
United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 10 Aug 2026

About the role

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:  Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Child Life Services B

Job Summary:

JOB SUMMARY:

The Child Life Specialist provides direct patient care utilizing developmentally appropriate therapeutic play and education while incorporating child life interventions. Collaborates with other members of the health care team to insure that patients and families receive quality psychosocial care. Provides ongoing education for staff, students, and volunteers as it relates to the developmental and psychosocial needs of hospitalized and ill children.

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POSITION SCHEDULE/SHIFT:

  • 36-hour Inpatient child life position at Monroe Carell

  • 5 days per week | 7.2 hour days | Approx. 8:30am – 3:45pm

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Assesses, implements and evaluates the preparation, coping and educational needs of patients and families.

  • Implements therapeutic programming for assigned population or unit.

  • Orients, trains, and supervises child life interns, practicum students, and volunteers.

  • Contributes to the organization by actively participating in process improvement initiatives and shared decision making.

  • The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.


TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES:

  • Facilitation of Positive Coping Strategies (Intermediate): Demonstrates mastery of facilitation of positive coping strategies in practical applications of a difficult nature. Possesses sufficient knowledge, training, and experience to be capable of successfully delivering facilitation services without requiring support and instruction from others. Able to train and educate by setting the example, giving technical instruction, providing leadership, and generally raising the level of performance of others while on the job.

  • Human Growth & Development (Intermediate): Demonstrates mastery of human growth and development in practical applications of a difficult nature. Possesses sufficient knowledge, training, and experience to be capable of successfully delivering human growth and development services without requiring support and instruction from others. Able to train and educate by setting the example, giving technical instruction, providing leadership, and generally raising the level of performance of others while on the job.

  • Emotional Expression (Intermediate): Demonstrates mastery of emotional expression in practical applications of a difficult nature. Possesses sufficient knowledge, training, and experience to be capable of successfully delivering emotional expression services without requiring support and instruction from others. Able to train and educate by setting the example, giving technical instruction, providing leadership, and generally raising the level of performance of others while on the job.

  • Therapeutic Play (Intermediate): Demonstrates mastery of therapeutic play in practical applications of a difficult nature. Possesses sufficient knowledge, training, and experience to be capable of successfully delivering therapeutic play services without requiring support and instruction from others. Able to train and educate by setting the example, giving technical instruction, providing leadership, and generally raising the level of performance of others while on the job.

Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings.

These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health’s reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid-South.

Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity

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Company

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

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