Title

Working Together: Child Life Specialists and Family Life Educators

Author

Elizabeth Jensen, Concordia University, St. Paul

Date of Award

2006

Document Type

Non Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education

Capstone Instructor

Sue Starks

Second Reader

Angele Passe

Keywords

Child Life Specialist, Family Life Educator, hospital stays, pediatric health care, family advocacy

Abstract

Child Life Specialists play an integral role in the medical setting, often serving as the middle person between families and staff. My internship and work experiences as a Child Life Specialist have brought me in contact with families in many environments and situations: inpatient, outpatient, in times of joy, uncertainty, grief, and even end-of-life. Caring for the psychosocial aspects of a patient and family during a hospital stay is not only necessary, but also very rewarding. Child Life Specialists have the opportunity to both teach families (advocacy, empowerment, patience, etc.), and also to learn from them (which can then be passed on to other families).

Incorporating what I have learned in my Family Life Education coursework will benefit my work as a Child Life Specialist. Both a Family Life Educator and a Child Life Specialist work to empower the individuals and families to handle the situations and environments which circumstances have brought to them. Using the knowledge I have acquired in my Family Life Education coursework in my daily work as a Child Life Specialist will greatly benefit the patients and their families immediately and for the long term.

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