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Child Life Intership Program

Kosair Children’s Hospital’s Child Life/Expressive Therapy Department offers a minimum 480-hour Child Life internship experience to one candidate per semester. (Fall/Spring/Summer) Interns may apply by reviewing the internship requirements and sending in an application, resume and references by the dates noted in the internship packet. Questions regarding internship opportunities should be directed toward the Child Life Internship coordinator: Jessica Wiederholt, M.A., C.C.L.S. or call (502) 629-7598 or (502) 629-7542.

Internship application criteria

Before applying for an internship with the Child Life Program at Kosair Children’s Hospital, please review the following criteria:

  • Students must be working toward a degree in child life, child development, psychology, early childhood education or related field.
  • Students must be in or beyond their senior year in college.

  • Students will have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 and A’s and B’s earned in all relevant child life course work.
  • Students will have a minimum 50 hours experience working/volunteering with hospitalized children.  50 hour pediatric hospital experience must be started before interviewing and completed before internship begins.
  • Students must provide three letters of reference, with at least one from their direct supervisor in a healthcare setting.
  • Students will be working towards child life certification by the child life certifying committee.  Please check the Child  Life Council website at www.childlife.org to review certification guidelines and coursework.
  • Course work related to the hospitalized child is preferred.
  • Three core child life texts must be read before the internship begins. It’s recommended that text books have been read prior to interviewing.  Two of the three texts must be: 1) Child Life in Hospitals: Theory & Practice By: Richard Thompson.   2) Psychosocial Care of Children in Hospitals: A Clinical Practice Manual from the ACCH Child Life Research Project By: Laura Gaynard et al. The third text may be any approved resource listed on the Child Life Council website.

Personal Characteristics:  All applicants must demonstrate sensitivity to children and their families, the ability to work with persons from a variety of cultural backgrounds, flexibility and creativity.

Requirements

  • Intern is required to work 16 weeks (640 hours min.), full-time (M-F  40 days per week) with some Saturdays. No holidays are required.
  • Written goals and objectives for the field experience
  • A complete orientation to the Child Life Services and Kosair Children’s Hospital
  • Observation of all aspects of the Child Life Program
  • Weekly meetings with intern supervisor
  • Selection of a special project for completion during internship
  • Attendance in all in-services
  • Article abstracts to be written on a chosen article from each rotation
  • Participation in a mid-term and final evaluation process
  • Daily journals to be turned in weekly
  • Health screening
  • Off-site visit of another Child Life Program
  • Six completed chart notes turned into the Child Life supervisor
  • Supervision of volunteers
  • Presentation of case study
  • Complete two verbatim and role play assignments
  • Write and present personal philosophy of Child Life
  • Completion of scheduled rotations: Gen Peds, Med/Surg, Hem/Onc/Renal, PICU, Outpatient Medical Observation, Surgery, Emergency, and Radiology & Infants.
  • Assume responsibility for equipment and materials
  • Independent
  • Flexible and creative

CHILD LIFE INTERNSHIP IN-SERVICE TOPICS:
Interviewing/assessment/charting, preparation, procedural support/positioning for comfort, new diagnosis education, medical play, therapeutic play, volunteers/special events, pet therapy, critical care, pain, infants and developmental needs of patients, end-of-life/bereavement, support groups, surgery, radiology, emergency department, child life certification exam, professional boundaries, and transition from student to employee.

Child Life Internship Deadlines

Internship Application Deadline Offer Deadline Acceptance Deadline
 Fall    May 5  June 22  June 28
 Winter/Spring  Sept. 5    Oct. 22  Oct. 28
 Summer  Jan. 5   Feb. 22  Feb. 28

In order to be eligible to sit for the exam, candidates must have completed 480 hours of their clinical experience before the application filing deadlines (March 31 and Aug. 31). These dates are congruent with those set by theChild Life Council.

Application

Print and complete the application form (pdf), return it with a copy of your resume and three professional references to:

Kosair Children’s Hospital
Child Life/Expressive Therapy Department
Attn: Internship Application
231 E. Chestnut,  N-38
Louisville, KY 40202

* A professional resume and three references must be received in conjunction with this application.

A Child Life therapist will contact you for an interview and will notify you with the status of your application after your professional references have been received and your application is complete.

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