Tara Hudson
8269 Kalamazoo Ave SE,MI
Summary
Accomplished Child Life Specialist with expertise in therapeutic play and psychosocial assessment, honed at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. Excelled in developing individualized care plans and enhancing coping skills, achieving a 95% satisfaction rate. Skilled in family-centered care and collaboration, fostering a supportive environment for pediatric patients and their families.
Child life professional prepared to support children and families through healthcare challenges. Proven ability to provide emotional support and therapeutic activities, fostering positive experiences. Known for collaborative work style and adaptability to changing needs. Skilled in child development and family-centered care.
Qualified Desired Position with background in child development and therapeutic activities. Successfully supported children and families through emotional and challenging healthcare experiences. Demonstrated effective communication and empathy in high-stress environments.
Experienced with providing emotional and therapeutic support to children and families. Utilizes child development knowledge to create supportive environments. Track record of effective communication and empathy in healthcare settings.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Certified Child Life Specialist
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
Saint Petersburg, FL
03.2022 - 09.2025
- Developed and implemented therapeutic interventions to support children coping with hospitalization.
- Collaborated with healthcare teams to create individualized care plans for patients and families.
- Educated families on child development and coping strategies during medical experiences.
- Assessed emotional and psychosocial needs of pediatric patients, providing appropriate resources.
- Facilitated play therapy sessions to promote emotional expression and healing in young patients.
- Trained new staff on best practices for pediatric patient interactions and emotional support techniques.
Certified Child Life Specialist
Golisano Children's Hospital
Fort Myers, FL
02.2019 - 02.2021
- Led workshops for healthcare professionals on the importance of child life services in patient care.
- Evaluated program effectiveness, making recommendations for process improvements based on feedback.
- Prepared and supported patients through invasive procedures to minimize psychological trauma.
- Supported families during hospitalization by providing emotional and educational resources tailored to their needs.
- Facilitated group sessions among peers facing similar medical challenges to promote social support and shared experiences among participants.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary team to achieve patient care goals.
- Developed individualized care plans to promote normalization and reduce stress in hospitalized children.
- Documented assessments and interventions in patients' electronic medical records.
- Promoted positive coping strategies through therapeutic activities, enabling better adjustment to the hospital environment.
- Coordinated special events such as holiday parties or support groups, creating a sense of community among patients and families.
- Established partnerships with community organizations for donations of toys, supplies, or volunteers to enhance the pediatric patient experience.
- Prepared children for medical procedures by providing clear explanations using age-appropriate language and teaching aids.
- Enhanced children''s coping skills by implementing therapeutic play and developmentally appropriate interventions.
- Evaluated program effectiveness through ongoing data collection and analysis, implementing improvements as needed for optimal service delivery.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Child Development
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL12.2018
Skills
Family-centered care
Stress reduction techniques
Documentation and record keeping
Medical terminology
Child development expertise
Psychosocial assessment
Individualized care planning
Grief and loss support
Behavior management strategies
Adaptive play materials
Age-appropriate interventions
Therapeutic play techniques
Pediatric healthcare experience
Volunteer work
To better prepare myself for my degree in child development, I volunteered at many different nonprofit organizations throughout my time at South Florida University. These included working with school aged children at the Bardmoore YMCA summer camp program in St. Petersburg, Florida, helping support children and survivors of domestic abuse at a women’s shelter in St. Petersburg, working with school aged children with developmental and mental disabilities at a therapeutic horse riding program in Largo, Florida, and volunteering at Johns Hopkins all Children’s Hospital in the hematology and oncology unit providing therapeutic play activities twice a week for two years.
Timeline
Certified Child Life Specialist
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
03.2022 - 09.2025
Certified Child Life Specialist
Golisano Children's Hospital
02.2019 - 02.2021
Bachelor of Science - Child Development
University of South Florida