Therapeutic Gaming Specialists

Summary of Role

Therapeutic Gaming & Technology Specialists provide Child Life and hospital staff a direct support in implementing, managing, and supporting patient facing gaming and technology needs in the hospital. Dozens of hospitals are advocates for utilizing video games and related technology throughout the hospital stay to target patient's normalization, socialization, coping, pain management, and more. The Game Tech. Specialist is an expert in delivering therapeutic experiences to patients using video games and other technology, in addition to maintaining efficient infrastructure of the gaming program. Based on the facility's unique needs, the Game Tech. Specialist role may be stretched into surrounding areas such as CCTV programming and other forms of hospital-wide media. Allocation of hours also varies per each hospital, with some Game Tech. Specialists spending the majority of their time in direct patient care, with the remainder of time being used for equipment support. Three common "versions" of Game Tech. Specialists are 1) Patient-focused, 2) Equipment/Program-focused, and 3) Hybrid Patient & Program.

Example Job Titles & Descriptions

Titles

Job titles vary greatly within the field, but remain similar to any of the following examples:

• Therapeutic Gaming and Technology Specialist
• Gaming Technology Specialist
• Patient Technology Coordinator
• Child Life Gaming and Technology Specialist
• Program Coordinator
• Recreation Technology Specialist
• Patient Technology Support Specialist
• Media Coordinator

Primary Role

The pillars below cover the most common areas of responsibility for Gaming Technology-centered roles. Roles may also include support for CCTV programming, staff technological support, or Family Resource Center management.

• Knowledge & maintenance of technology equipment

Maintain an updated working knowledge of gaming systems, platforms, and new technology. Deploy, update, troubleshoot, and repair gaming technology systems and related equipment to ensure working order of all resources.

• Therapeutic interventions

Provide developmentally appropriate gaming and technology opportunities to patients that encourage expression of feelings, reduce anxiety, and promote normalization of the hospital experience. This may include 1:1 bedside gaming sessions with patients, group gaming sessions, virtual gaming activities, or independent gaming time. Collaboration with Physical and Occupational Therapy teams allows opportunity for co-treat interventions for patients, where gaming or gaming technology is used within the therapy session to reach specific and measured outcomes (AR/VR, fitness/movement based games, adaptive gaming sessions).

• Train and support healthcare teams

Effectively collaborate and communicate with other healthcare staff, including Child Life or volunteer teams, to provide assessments and recommendations for gaming/technology interventions with patients. Onboard new staff into gaming program by leading training sessions so that all relevant team members maintain confidence in technology resources available to patients.

• Documentation/data collection

Accurately document interventions, if required by healthcare system, detailing sessions with patients including goal for session and objective outcome. Collect data and metrics of daily patient interventions, time allocation, and equipment utilized to track usage and impact of role.

• Innovation and growth

Lead your team in building partnerships with internal and external organizations to develop new and impactful gaming and technology programs. Use technology in creative ways within the hospital environment related to patient care. Find areas of growth to promote advocacy for the program throughout the entire hospital and donors.

Supporting Healthcare Teams | Examples

• Educating and training Child Life and hospital staff in how to use video game equipment in patient interventions
• Collaborate in co-treat opportunities with Physical and Occupational Therapy teams to create innovative treatments for patients utilizing adaptive gaming equipment
• Produce and deliver CCTV programming
• Use game expertise to suggest particular games to care teams for different scenarios such as pain management, anxiety reduction, grief, physical activity, or cognitive impairment

Direct Patient Care | Examples

• 1:1 bedside gaming session
• Enabling use of personal gaming equipment in hospital room
• 3D printing projects (memory making, legacy building, mastery, project progression)
• Advocating for giving patients control in their hospital experience (allowing choice of game, console, independent vs. collaborative)
• Providing social support in engaging conversations with patients about interests in game culture
• Connecting patients within hospital through multiplayer opportunities

Professional Development Opportunities

• Pediatric Gaming Technology Symposium
• Professional Conferences
• Certifications and Learning Paths

Child's Play Hospital Grant Application

Example Text Pediatric Hospitals that meet the XYZ CRITERIA can apply LINKIE (?) Impact of CP on Hospital Game Tech programs across country...

1. of programs funded... etc.. marketing opportunity