Child Life Specialist - Resident Dog Handler, Miami Cancer Institute, FT, 8A-4:30P

Baptist Health is the region’s largest not-for-profit healthcare organization, with 12 hospitals, over 29,000 employees, 4,500 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. With internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences, Baptist Health is supported by philanthropy and driven by its faith-based mission of medical excellence. For 25 years, we’ve been named one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, and in the 2024-2025 & World Report Best Hospital Rankings, Baptist Health was the most awarded healthcare system in South Florida, earning 45 high-performing honors.

What truly sets us apart is our people. At Baptist Health, we create personal connections with our colleagues that go beyond the workplace, and we form meaningful relationships with patients and their families that extend beyond delivering care. Many of us have walked in our patients’ shoes ourselves and that shared experience fuels out commitment to compassion and quality. Our culture is rooted in purpose, and every team member plays a part in making a positive impact – because when it comes to caring for people, we’re all in.
Everything we do at Baptist Health, we do to the best of ourability. That includes supporting our team with extensive training programs, millions of dollars in tuition assistance, comprehensive benefits and more. Working within our award-winning culture means getting the respect and support you need to do your best work ever. Find out why this is the best place to be your best!

Description

The Child Life Specialist, Resident Dog Handler is a vital member of the healthcare team, dedicated to supporting the emotional and developmental needs of pediatric patients and their families. Through play, education, preparation, and therapeutic interventions, the specialist helps reduce fear and anxiety while promoting coping and resilience. In this unique dual role, the specialist also serves as the primary handler of a resident facility dog, integrating animal-assisted therapy into daily patient care and maintaining the dog’s well-being 24/7, year-round. The Child Life Specialist is to assess the emotional, developmental, educational, and diversionary needs of pediatric patients and coordinates therapeutic interventions to address the various medical experiences of patients and families. Acts as the child and caregiver advocate while promoting concepts of family-centered care with the resident dog as a primary source of intervention and support.

Utilize the faculty dog to provide developmentally appropriate psychosocial support to pediatric patients and families. This includes, but it not limited to therapeutic play, coping strategies, and education to normalize the hospital experience.

Prepare children for medical procedures using age-appropriate language and tools. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to advocate for patient needs. Document interventions and patient interactions in the medical record.

Incorporate the resident dog into therapeutic interventions to reduce stress and foster emotional connection.

Maintain all requirements for dog handling set out by the placement facility dog organization regarding weight management, vet care, home environment, grooming, recurrent teaching and reporting.

Coordinates with other departments, such as marketing, public relations, and Foundation in the planning and implementation of special events and programming that involve the facility dog.

Facilitate animal care and activities in a manner that ensures cleanliness and prevention of infection for patients and caregivers which also is to include maintaining cleanliness of toys and equipment used by the resident dog or pediatric patients.

Communicates observations, assessments, and recommendations for care related to psychosocial needs of patients and families in the form of documentation in medical records, verbal reports, and multi-disciplinary rounds with the dog to effectively deliver care according to the care plan.

Provides education and/or in-services to other staff members on child life and family-centered care topics and serves as a resource for staff regarding child and adolescent development and appropriate stress responses in the healthcare environment among children and adolescents.

Provides and/or facilitates therapeutic play opportunities and other experiences with the resident dog that encourage expression of feelings, promote a sense of mastery over medical experiences, and aid in the development of healthy coping skills.

Provides developmentally appropriate, psychological preparation and/or education to patients, siblings, peers, and family members concerning various aspects of the child’s medical experience(s). This includes, but is not limited to, child development theory, the healthcare environment and routine, sequence of and reason of procedure(s), coping skills, non-pharmacological pain management techniques, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and death or grief reactions.

Qualifications

Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential from the Association of Child Life Professionals must be obtained within 12 months of hire/job entry date and maintained thereafter. Proof of completion of 600 hours clinical child life internship to be provided upon hire. Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Family Sciences, Child Development, Education, or a related field required. Resident dog handler experience is preferred. Must have knowledge of principles and practices of child development. Knowledge of the dynamics of family relationships and family systems. Knowledge of children’s reactions and coping mechanisms in healthcare environment and illness. Minimum required experience: 1 year

Will be required to attend a week long Canine Assistants training program in Atlanta, GA.

Job

Specialist

Primary Location

Miami

Organization

Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health

Schedule

Full-time

Unposting Date

Ongoing

EOE