A Day in the Life of Two Child Life Specialists at UF Health
March is a special month. More specifically, it is Child Life Awareness Month, a time to recognize the vital work of child life specialists nationwide.
Child life specialists are experienced professionals dedicated to helping children and families navigate some of life’s most difficult moments. They work closely with families, doctors, nurses and other caregivers to support the unique emotional and developmental needs of children and families facing illness, injury or hospitalization.
Whether in the outpatient orthopaedic clinic or the inpatient pediatric unit, Haley McGuire and Julia Rusler exemplify the creativity, compassion and dedication that define child life specialists. During Child Life Awareness Month, we celebrate their commitment to helping children and families throughout their experience at UF Health.
Haley McGuire, Child Life Specialist, UF Health Pediatric Orthopaedics, An Alliance with Shriners Children’s at UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute
Haley knows firsthand the difference child life specialists can make in pediatric care. Having chronic illnesses of her own, she spent some of her childhood in the hospital, where she frequently interacted with child life specialists.
Years later, during the summer before she began college, Haley volunteered at a medical camp alongside a child life specialist. She learned more about the field’s psychosocial, child-centered approach. As she learned more about the ways child life specialists connect with children and their families in hospital settings, she realized it was the career she wanted to pursue.
Now, as a child life specialist at the UF Health Outpatient Orthopaedic Clinic, Haley helps children through a variety of procedures. This includes casting, clubfoot treatment and Halo-gravity traction admissions.
With specialized support, child life specialists help guide children through their health care experiences while reducing the risk of trauma.
“We also incorporate play during their visit, as play is a language for children,” Haley said.
Haley begins her morning at the clinic by reviewing her schedule and preparing for the procedures ahead. One of her primary focuses is supporting patients with clubfoot, a common birth defect in which a newborn’s foot is twisted inward and downward.
With her older patients, she frequently assists with cast placements, cast removals and fracture reductions.
When meeting a patient, Haley first introduces herself and her role. She will often begin with a series of fun, engaging and open-ended questions to build a relationship with her young patient. From favorite colors to movie characters, she aims to discover each child’s unique interests.
Haley gets creative to help children feel prepared for procedures, tailoring her approach to each patient’s needs. She might decorate a stuffed bear with materials that mimic what the child will wear during treatment or watch a favorite show with patients in the cast room to provide comfort and distraction. Through these personalized steps, she helps children become more familiar with their treatment and feel more at ease in the hospital.
“Each patient copes differently, so the biggest challenge is finding what works for that child,” Haley said. “Not every child copes well in their situation, and that’s OK. I show them that they can express what they need to express.”
Julia Rusler, Child Life Specialist, UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital’s Inpatient Pediatric Unit
Like Haley, every day is special for Julia. As a child life specialist for UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital’s inpatient pediatric care unit, she helps patients across a wide variety of specialties, including cardiology, burn and trauma, neurology and orthopaedics.
Julia’s inspiration to become a child life specialist developed during her college years, when she was introduced to the profession through her institution’s Dance Marathon organization. Knowing then that she wanted to pursue the field, she began volunteering at her local hospital and completing the required coursework.
Since completing her certification in March 2021, she has worked at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. She is familiar with the wide range of procedures and situations child life specialists help patients navigate, from explaining IV placements and burn treatments to preparing children for surgery.
She starts her shift by getting acquainted with the children in her unit, as well as the treatments and procedures they will undergo. She also prepares a census for students who volunteer in Child Life through UF Health’s volunteer services.
Within each specialty, there is an array of services for each child life specialist to get accustomed to. For example, pediatric burns is one of Julia’s most interesting and complex specialties to work in. By learning about the degrees of burns, dressing supplies, ointments and more, she has developed the necessary skills to help patients better understand their upcoming treatments and procedures.
For Julia, learning medical terminology and communicating it to children is one of her favorite parts of the role.
“I’m always taking the initiative to continue learning,” Julia said. “We’re always seeing a new diagnosis at UF Health, and with that, there is always something new for me to learn.”
One unique approach Julia takes with her patients is to create personalized books for them. This makes for a child-friendly way to address their diagnosis and treatment, as well as their next steps after leaving the hospital. Since each child is different, child life specialists must think outside the box and craft individualized techniques to guide patients through their healing journey.
At UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, you’ll often find Julia in her signature pink shoes, bringing a pop of color that she considers one of the easiest ways to connect with her young patients.
