I'm told by your nurse that you need child life in your room ASAP. I pull back the curtain to see you're bounding with excitement as you hand me the heart bracelet you spent time crafting for me on your bedside table.
"You are the coolest kind of nurse I've EVER met"
We'd spent a lot of time together so far tonight in the ER, but you clearly still hadn't quite grasped the "child life specialist" concept. I accepted the compliments, but patiently explained again how my job is different from the nurses and doctors. Your reply?
"Oh... well then THAT'S what I'm going to be when I grow up"
I couldn't help but smile at the lack of hesitancy on that one!Later that night, in a different room:"You are such a silly doctor... I LOVE YOU!"
We'd only spent 10 minutes together while we waited for your mom and big brother to come back from a CT scan. I knew you were too young to understand that I wasn't a doctor, and I loved my new title that would hold for all of 5 minutes. For one night, the "Silly doctor" Any child life specialist will tell you two things:1. We spend an extensive amount of our time explaining what we do (both professionally and socially)2. Our job is often ill defined and takes on different shapes depending on the needs of the department. We "wear many hats" at all times.I've been asked many times by families if I enjoy volunteering with the kids at the hospital. I've been asked by other medical professionals what I want to do for a "career" when I'm done with child life. I've been asked if this is my "backup job" while I wait to get in to nursing or medical school. I've been called many different things, by many different people. "The sticker lady", "the fun one", "master bubble blower", "the lady who brings the toys", "mary poppins", "the ipad person", and yes, "the one who gets to play with kids all day long".
And I know these job titles are come from a loving place with good intentions. And it is true: There are many days when I get to spend time playing, laughing, singing and dancing with my patients. And depending on the situation, I really do take on many different roles: coloring book distributor, hot coffee deliverer, hospital tour guide, exam room cleaner, warm blanket carrier, dirty toy sanitizer, toy closet organizer, and yes, I am also the person in charge of the stickers.
But you, friend...you warmed my heart tonight, more than you know. With each appreciative "thank you", with your enthusiasm and willingness to trust me, with your simple and honest statement "I'm just more comfortable when you're in my room".
Because 10,000 frustrating moments when I feel misunderstood or under-valued are worth it for this one second with the girl who understands me and my job so well. Because in addition to the above mentioned roles, I am also a holder of trembling hands, an explainer of medical equipment, a teacher of difficult topics, a master of "attention manipulation", a vibrant cheerleader and coach, a relentless patient and family advocate, a translator of medical jargon, anxiety calmer, unfortunate bearer of beyond tragic news and, on the best days, the one who somehow makes it all better. The one who makes the scared child proud of themselves for getting through a difficult procedure. The "best kind of nurse". The one who makes an ER visit so fun that the patient asks to stay just a little while longer. The "silly doctor". The one who the parents stop to thank on their way out of the hospital for making such an impact on a intensely difficult time in their life.
The one who realizes time and time again driving home in the middle of the night that I am the lucky one.
No matter what I am called, tonight and always I will be proud to be a Child Life Specialist.
