Mentorship Collaborative Series: Conflict in Communication

Summary: Child life specialists communicate with numerous medical team members, psychosocial peers, patients, and families in their daily work. Often, conflict arises in the middle of a busy work day requiring efficient, effective communication strategies to mitigate negative effects and promote the best possible patient care experience. These communication strategies can be challenging to learn in the classroom or internship settings. Through discussion-based education this presentation will provide takeaways aimed at increasing confidence, as well as competence, in this vital professional skill.

Objectives:

Identify personal communication habits in relation to conflict resolution in the workplace

Discuss strategies for promoting open communication and enhancing relationships within teams

Examine practical communication techniques through facilitated discussions

DOMAIN: Professional Responsibility

1 PDU

Katie Beard

Katie Beard graduated from The University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in child life and a minor in business. She has worked in the field of child life for 8 years, with 7 of those years dedicated to the Hematology/Oncology population. During this time, she has gained experience in communicating the importance of honest information in a developmentally appropriate way, advocating for patient and family needs to medical team members, discussing the necessity of psychosocial services for underserved populations, and engaging with community and corporate partners as well as leading hospital and ACLP committees while participating in research. She is passionate about child life specialists finding their voice and having a seat at the table.

Cristie Suzukawa Clancy, MS, CCLS

Cristie holds a BA in child development and an MS in child life. As a child life supervisor at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Cristie leads a team of 10 Certified Child Life Specialists and provides oversight for the department’s education programming, including the child life internship. Cristie is an adjunct faculty member at Nova Southeastern University, and is also working to develop courses for Concordia University Ann Arbor's new child life master's program. Cristie currently serves on the ACLP Focus Review Board and Abstract Review Committee.