More Than Just A Bad Day: How Child Life Specialists Can Maintain Professional Wellbeing And Create A Coping Plan For Burnout

You must log in to register
- Non-member - $60
- Member - $35
- Student - $15
Continue

In general, working in healthcare comes with risk for burnout. Child life specialists are exposed daily to high stress and emotional encounters. It’s no surprise that compassion fatigue, a symptom of burnout, is common in a career centered around having compassion. As experts in coping and emotional safety, how can we learn to utilize the skills we teach? This webinar discusses strategies for building resiliency in an emotionally demanding field.

Suggested Domain: Professional Responsibility

1.0 PDU

Learning Objectives:

1. Define and differentiate between various terms associated with the concept of burnout and identify indications associated with burnout

2. Discuss common contributors to feelings of burnout specific to the work of child life specialists

3. Recognize reversible nature of burnout and identify tangible ways to reduce burnout in their own work

Ashlie Woodburn

MEd, CCLS, CIMI

Ashlie Woodburn, M.Ed., CCLS, CIMI is currently working as a child life specialist in the CVICU at Phoenix Children's and has been practicing as a CCLS for five years. Ashlie has experience implementing a wide range of child life interventions that meet the needs of diverse patients and families across outpatient clinic, inpatient acute and critical care settings. Ashlie is particularly interested in meeting the developmental needs of infants with chronic medical conditions and has worked to implement programs to increase the utilization of child life support during infant procedures and encourage developmentally appropriate sensory support in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. Ashlie is a contributing author for the child life value proposition statement and is passionate about evidence-based practice in child life. Her academic training includes Bachelor of Science degrees in Psychology and Family and Human Development from Arizona State University and a Master of Education degree in Child Studies from Vanderbilt University.

Haley Herdman

BS, CCLS

Haley Herdman, B.S., CCLS is currently working as a child life specialist in the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD) at Phoenix Children’s. Her exposure to hematology and oncology didn’t begin as a child life specialist. Before entering the field, Haley volunteered in the CCBD. She also gained experience working with children with special needs and facilitating support groups for bereaved families. After completing her internship, Haley’s love for the hem/onc population landed her back in the CCBD where she began her career as a child life specialist. She has now been a CCLS for three years and enjoys supporting patients and families as they navigate life altering illnesses such as cancer or chronic blood disorders.