The Child Life Department at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics offers both practicum and internship programs. 

Child Life Practicum Program

The Child Life Department at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics offers an eight-week practicum experience. Our department is committed to providing a quality learning and training experience for future Child Life Specialists. Through the practicum experience, students are given opportunities to observe and become familiar with the field of Child Life and the hospital setting. This experience, along with others, provide the student with a knowledge base to continue pursuing a career in Child Life.

Involvement of students with the Child Life Department promotes professional growth for the student, the department, the Child Life profession and the health care community.

Children's Mercy South offers a 100-hour practicum, scheduled during eight weeks. Our department accepts a minimum of one but not more than three students each semester. Included in the practicum are educational in-services and direct patient and family care. Students will have the opportunity to become familiar with:

• Medical play
• Pre-operative and pre-procedural preparation
• Coping facilitation
• Planning and supervising developmentally appropriate activities
• Working with individuals and groups.

The practicum is designed to facilitate the student's growth as a professional by participating as a member of an interdisciplinary health care team. Our department has varied responsibilities for patient care. The practicum schedule may require some evening and weekend commitments. 

Upon acceptance into the program, a non-refundable $50 practicum fee is required.

To find out more information, please contact Dawn Nolte, Child Life Supervisor, at (913) 696-8000, ext. 88161 or dnolte@cmh.edu.

Child Life Internship Program

The Child Life Department at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics offers a 14-week internship experience at the undergraduate and graduate level. Our department is committed to providing a quality learning and training experience for future Child Life Specialists. Through the internship experience, students are given opportunities to develop skills in assessment, intervention, and play for the hospitalized child, and professionals skills with interdisciplinary staff. These skills, along with others, will provide the Child Life Intern with a solid base from which to begin a career in Child Life.

The internship consists of 40 scheduled hours per week. Our department accepts a minimum of one intern each semester (spring and fall). Included in each internship will be:

• Educational workshops
• Clinical projects
• Case studies,
• Charting experience
• Direct patient-family care contact

Interns will have the opportunity to develop skills in:

• Health care play
• Pre-operative and pre-procedural preparation
• Charting
• Planning and supervising developmentally appropriate activities
• Working with individuals and groups
• Interacting with parents
• Prioritizing needs
• Supervising volunteers

The internship is designed to facilitate the student's growth as a professional by participating as a member of an interdisciplinary health care team. Our department has varied responsibilities for patient care. The internship schedule may require some evening and weekend commitments.

In order to ensure an optimal internship experience, it is required that the applicant be competent in his or her knowledge of life-span development, age-appropriate play, family dynamics and the hospitalized child (refer to Coursework Requirements and Suggestions). In addition, applicants should have an ample amount of supervised experience with children, (i.e., work experience, practicums, or volunteer experience).

Upon acceptance into the program, a non-refundable $100 internship fee will be required.

To find out more information, please contact Carolyn McIntire at (816) 234-3000 ext. 52146 or crmcintire@cmh.edu.