Donate| Shop| Site Map| Compliments & Complaints| Contact Us
 
 
You are here: Home > Services > Children's Heart Centre > Health care team
Health care team
Leadership team
Cardiology faculty
Cardiothoracic surgery faculty
Nursing team
Allied health professionals
 Quick Links
 
     
 

Allied health professionals

 

Bindy Sweett, CCLS

Child Life Specialist
 
Appointment

Sessional Instructor, UVIC, 2003
 
Bio
  • I was previously an early childhood educator, and currently I am an instructor for Langley College Early Childhood Education Program.
  • I have been a child life specialist with the Cardiac Sciences Program since 1988.
  • My focus is on developmentally appropriate preparation and support for children having surgery, and through strength based intervention, helping children to develop skills for coping with hospitalization and life with chronic illness.
  • I have a strong commitment to the philosophy of family centred care, and to promoting successful transitions to adult care for children and youth with heart disease.
Credentials
 
Certified Child Life Specialist, 1990
BA with Distinction, School of Child Care, University of Victoria, 1988, Victoria, BC
Early Childhood Education Certificate, Infant and Toddler Care, Camosun College, 1985, Victoria, BC
Licensed Early Childhood Educator, Victoria, BC
Early Childhood Education, coursework, Adult Continuing Education, Victoria, British Columbia, 1971
 
Awards and honours
 
Two Awards of Excellence for Education from BC Children’s Hospital
 
Publications

Cender, L, Spencer, M, Becker, N, Johnson, M, & Sweett, B (2004) Heart and Soul: Your guide to living with congenital heart disease. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada: Toronto.

Klein, D., (2000) Making Ethical Decisions in Child Life Practice. Child Life Council, Inc. Bethesda, MD. [Contributing Author]

Paone, M., (2001) Setting the Trac: A Resource for health care professionals supporting youth with chronic health conditions and their families. Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of BC. Vancouver, BC [Contributing Author]

Robb, P. & Sweett, B. (2002) Preparing Preschoolers for Hospitalization. The Early Childhood Educator, 17, 2, pp. 14-15
 
Abstracts

Johnson C, Patterson M, Cender L, Spencer M, Sweett B,
Wetmore N, Hryor B*, Young Q*, Fofonoff D* (2001) The development of a transition process from a paediatric to an adult care centre. Cardiac Sciences Program, BC Children’s Hospital; *Pacific Adult Congenital Heart Clinic, St Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada Cardiology in the Young: The Third World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Vol. 11, Supplement 1, page 51
 
Presentations
 
May 2003
Reflecting on Our Values: An Essential Skill in Professional Development and Infant Networking Session Facilitator
Child Life Council, Montreal, PQ

June 2002
Pediatric Pain Management: A Developmental Approach
Co-presenter. Child Life Council, Orlando Florida
 
Oct 2001
Combining Expertise: Recognizing the Issues and Perspectives of Children Anticipating Cardiac Surgery from a Family Centred Perspective
Canadian Council of Cardiovascular Nurses, Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, Halifax, NS

May 2000
Cultural Assumptions? Let’s Break the Mould
Child Life Council, Boston, Mass
 
May 2000
Tools and Techniques: How to get your pediatric patient through it all
Co-presenter, Pediatric Emergency Nurses Update, Vancouver, BC

May 1999
Keep Track: the art of documentation in child life
Child Life Council, Long Beach, California
 
May 1999
Whose Heart is it Anyway?
Co-presenter, Growing up With Heart Disease, Vancouver, BC
 
Professional organization memberships
 
Since 1988, a member of the Child Life Council (CLC)
  • 1997, appointed as an item writer for the development of the CLC professional examination
  • 1999-2002, elected as chair for the Child Life Certification Committee
  • 2004, nominated for a position of Member at Large, CLC Board of Directors
Since 1997, a member of the Children’s Heart Network
  • 2001, Secretary, Board of Directors
Special interests
  • Development of support and educational resources for children and families. Participation in planning four successful conferences on “Growing up with Heart Disease” with the Cardiac Sciences team
  • With the team, development of the Hearts of Gold youth support group
  • Development of the child life internship program at BC Children’s Hospital

top of page