Child Life Internship
This page highlights the 16 week internship I completed in Jacksonville, Florida. It gives you an in depth look at my three different rotations, the types of experiences I had, and what I took out of the experience.
Wolfson Children's Hospital- Jacksonville, Florida
Following the completion of my undergraduate courses, I spent the Spring semester of 2018 completing an internship in Child Life at Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. This 16 week internship consisted of three different rotations, PICU/CVICU, pre-op, and neuroscience. In each of these rotations, I observed the role of my preceptor and transitioned into being independent on the unit. Although I was taking on the role of a Child Life Specialist in my rotations, I had very different experiences in each one. In the PICU and CVICU, I provided a lot of family support. Families in those units are having to watch their children go through some of the most difficult circumstances. I provided a sense of normalization, a familiar face to comfort, and a constant in the midst of chaos. My rotation in pre-op was a much different experience. I provided preparation for numerous kids a day for surgery, assessed how they would transition to the OR, and did my best to make sure that their outpatient experience left a positive outlook on hospitalization. My last rotation was a great combination of the two previous units. In neuroscience, I did a lot of procedural support for procedures such as MRIs, EEGs, IV starts, blood draws, lumbar punctures, and many others. However, I also provided normalization and family support for patients and their families. The rotations I was able to complete during my internship were very different, but each taught me so much and gave me a well-rounded experience of Child Life in the hospital.
My internship not only provided me with excellent clinical experience, but also with opportunities for growth in my presentation and writing skills. Each week, I was required to turn in journals of each day, a form in which I observed a procedure and wrote about how I would prepare a patient for that procedure, a developmental assessment of a patient from the week, a therapeutic activity and evaluation, and create a bedside schedule with activities planned for the following week. In addition, I completed a list of medical terminology at the beginning of each rotation for that unit in child appropriate language. Twice during the semester, I chose a patient and put together a case study in which I presented to the entire department. I also put together a special project that I came up with, a prep book for children who come to visit their sibling in the NICU. Each of these assignments allowed me to practice integrating my knowledge of development into the clinical setting and become more proficient in my writing and presentation skills.
Here is an example of a therapeutic activity I did with a patient. She made a Barbie doll an outfit fully made out of medical supplies to be her "hospital Barbie".
I have learned more than I could have ever hoped for or imagined from my experience at Wolfson Children's Hospital. I have learned just how different every day is and have learned how to be prepared for anything. One day could be really slow and consist mostly of normalization or therapeutic activities, while another could be filled with procedures and preparations. I have also learned how to interact with all types of patients and families as well as the interdisciplinary team, how to prepare kids for procedures at a developmentally appropriate level, and how to assess patients. Each child can present a wide variety of coping styles, so it has been interesting to see these play out and practice thinking on my feet. I have learned just how crucial Child Life is in the hospital setting and my internship has made me even more passionate about this field! This internship will help me in the future because it has allowed me to build the foundational skills I need to be a Child Life Specialist. It has allowed me to practice these skills in a real-life setting and has grown my confidence in myself as well.