So, I'm having a great time at camp, I love the campers, the staff, the whole experience. I do NOT, however, love the nurse that is here on my days off (Saturday, Sunday, Monday). I came in last week after being off to find crates full of medications, no MARs made, and a complete wreck of an office. (I came in before camp started to clean the office, take inventory, clear out expired meds, etc.)
So, needless to say, I sighed and dealt with it last week. During my four days/nights here, I sent a camper for stitches, sent a staff home with pneumonia, and had other random scrapes, cuts, etc. There was one girl that I was concerned about r/t possible conjunctivitis, so I'd been using our MD's standing orders for it and keeping her in the sick bay. It didn't look that bad, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. So, at the end of my work week here, I left a letter for the other nurse, finished my bedtime meds, and left somewhere in the vicinity of 2200.
When I came back to camp on Tuesday morning (after working a 12 hour night shift at the hospital!), I once again walked into an absolute mess. I had a letter on the table that explained how I'd "forgotten to send meds to Pennsylvania with the camping kids" (which I didn't, actually, they had been sent the day before with the staff), and "don't worry, I covered for you and shipped them". Now, had he called me or emailed me, I would've told him that the box in the cupboard was extra meds for the next out trip planned. GR. But the worst part was the hand written note that said, "This kid came in tonight with a hurt thumb. I suspect he needs medical attention, but it's 9:20 p.m. and I have to go. I don't have time to go find him. Please see him in the morning."
(*@#&$(*&#($*&#$!!!


So, of COURSE, I called him right away and asked 1) who the kid was, 2) where was the documentation, and 3)what on EARTH!??!! So his answers were 1)I don't know his name, 2) I didn't document because I didn't have time, and 3) I think it's dislocated.
Anyway, after much searching, I found the kid with the injured hand, called the MD and his mom and sent him for xrays. It turned out just to be a bad contusion, but I'd really angry - I don't want to be the one who's license is on the line if a parent got it in their head to sue the camp. This other nurse just graduated this month, is a GN, and really has no clue what to do. (His letter actually told me "I had a great time relaxing and fishing this weekend!) Now, I have nothing against GNs because I was one three years ago, but I do have a problem when you're leaving all the work for me to do, leaving a potentially dangerous problem because you "don't have time to take care of it", and when I searched through the med crates, found a controlled substance not locked up!!!
I spoke with admin, but if it doesn't get better, I won't be here for next session. I love the kids and the job, but I also love my license too much to lose it over summer camp.
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