Child Life Internship Program

The Children’s Hospital of Greenville Health System offers Child Life Internships to individuals who meet internship criteria. Criteria include applications to the program, personal recommendations and review of an official transcript. We encourage students to have completed a Medical Terminology and Anatomy and Physiology Course prior to internship. A personal interview is also required for consideration as an intern.

The goal of the Child Life Program is to work as a member of the health care team to help provide for the total needs of the pediatric patients and their families. The department seeks to minimize the anxiety and stress experienced by hospitalized children, and to encourage adaptive coping skills. Staff works to promote the child’s normal growth and development while in the health care setting.

The Responsibilities of the Program include:

• Providing opportunities for therapeutic play
• Preparing children and parents emotionally for hospitalization, surgery and medical procedures
• Providing emotional support to patients and families
• Providing developmental assessment and interventions
• Advocating the patients’ point of view to other health care staff
• Encouraging an environment that is receptive to children

The primary areas covered by Child Life include Infant, Toddler and Preschool Inpatient Unit, School Age/Adolescent Inpatient Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic, Outpatient Pediatric Clinic, Outpatient Surgery, Children’s Emergency Center, and diagnostic areas. Child Life Interns become members of the health care team, working towards comprehensive care and are expected to uphold the policies of GHS.

We will not be offering an internship during Summer or Fall 2013.  We will be offering practicum experiences during Summer and Fall 2013.  For more information about our practicum, click here.  Click here, for Practicum Application.

Interested in working with other Child Life organizations? Click here to learn more.