CoxHealth

Hospital network with clinics and ERs

Child Life Specialist

Medical, Clinical & VeterinaryConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeSpringfield, MO, USANo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in Child and Family Development or a related field is required.
Completion of a 600-hour child life specialist internship is required before hire.
The candidate must be eligible to sit for the Child Life Certification exam if not already a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS).

Responsibilities

Assume responsibility and accountability for pediatric patients during hospital contact as inpatients or outpatients.
Provide patient care through therapeutic use of self, patient activities, adaptation of the hospital environment, and education of other health care team members about child development and children's reactions to hospital stressors.
Perform assessments and goal-directed plans of care to facilitate patient outcomes.
Evaluate the effectiveness of personal practice and services.
Identify educational goals for patients, families, staff members, the community, and other hospital departments.
Provide a safe, therapeutic, individualized physical and psychosocial environment for patients and their families.

Desired Qualifications

A degree emphasis in Child Life with a professional hospital internship is preferred.
Previous pediatric volunteer experience is preferred.
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) certification is preferred.

Facility:

CoxHealth South: 3801 S National Ave, Springfield, Missouri, United States of America, 65807






Department:

1084 SLC-CH Child Life Services

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

Hours:

6:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Work Shift:

Day Shift (United States of America)

CoxHealth is a leading healthcare system serving 25 counties across southwest Missouri and northern Arkansas. The organization includes six hospitals, 5 ERs, and over 80 clinics. CoxHealth has earned the following honors for workplace excellence:

Named one of Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to work five times.
Named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces, Greatest Workplaces in Healthcare (2025, 2026), Greatest Workplaces for Women (2023, 2024), and Greatest Workplaces for Diversity (2024) by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group.
Acknowledged by Forbes as one of the Best Employers for New Grads.
Healthcare Innovation's Top Companies to Work for in Healthcare (2025).

Benefits

Medical, Vision, Dental, Retirement with Employer Match and more (20+ hrs/week)
For a comprehensive list of benefits, please click here: Benefits | CoxHealth

Job Description:

A caregiver who assumes responsibility and accountability for all pediatric patients, during contact with the hospital either as an inpatient or outpatient. Our Specialists provide care for these patients through therapeutic use of self, patient activities, hospital environment adaptation, and education of other health care team members regarding development and children’s reactions to hospital stressors.Education: ▪ Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Child and Family Development or a related field ▪ Required: Completion of 600 hour child life specialist internship prior to hire ▪ Preferred: Degree emphasis in Child Life with a professional hospital internship Experience: ▪ Preferred: Previous pediatric volunteer experience Skills: ▪ Performs assessments and goal-directed plans of care to facilitate patient outcomes. ▪ Evaluates the effectiveness of self and services ▪ Identifies educational goals for patients, family, staff members, the community, and other hospital departments ▪ Provides a safe, therapeutic, individualized physical and psychosocial environment for patients and their families Licensure/Certification/Registration: ▪ Required: Eligible to set for the Child Life Certification exam, if not a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) ▪ Preferred: Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST)

About the Company

CoxHealth

Hospital network with clinics and ERs

CoxHealth operates as a regional health system with six hospitals, more than 80 clinics, five emergency rooms, and about 13,000 employees across southwest Missouri. It delivers a wide range of medical treatments and services through its network, coordinating primary, specialty, urgent, and hospital-based care to meet patient needs. The system’s care works by connecting hospitals, clinics, and ERs under one network to provide consistent, accessible health services and care pathways for patients. CoxHealth differentiates itself by being the area leader in health care and community involvement, leveraging a large regional footprint and a strong commitment to community health as part of its mission. Its goal is to improve the health of the communities it serves and to be the best for those who need care.

Company size: 1,001-5,000
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Springfield, MO
Founded: 1906

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