Abstract
Objective: Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) have previously reported experiencing workplace stress and burnout. To date, no studies have focused on early career CCLS’ perspectives on managing professional burnout. Method: Interviews were conducted with 19 currently and formerly practicing CCLS about their experiences entering the field of child life, navigating global and systematic stressors, and their plans for the future. Results: Data analysis yielded five themes: unexpected burnout presentation, the burnout triad, child life culture is immersed in burnout, self-care is effortful, and weighing the decision to stay in child life. Conclusion: These results have implications for hospital administrators, child life supervisors, and CCLS themselves. Disclosure Statement: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). Funding Statement: No funding sources were provided by the author(s).
Publisher
Association of Child Life Professionals
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