recent ankle fracture camper staying at camp

My thoughts on this have very little to do with camp nursing, and a lot to do with the mother and camp director.

First of all, it is a shame that the child's camp experience was marred by a serious injury. Secondly, I think it is nuts to take a child out of the hospital after recent general anesthesia, likely in pain, requiring wound and cast care and send her back to camp (probably in a remote location) where she can participate only in very limited activities and where there are no accomodations for her special safety, mobility, showering, activity and other needs.

Watching videos is exactly what she shold be doing from the comfort of her own living room couch, with her leg propped up on pillows, friends coming to visit and sign her cast, and parents in attendance. Watching videos in the camp infirmary is hardly providing her with the social and outdoor learning intended at camp.

I suspect you are babysitting her because her parents have other (more interesting and pressing) plans this week and the director fears loss of tuition revenue, as well as a lawsuit. You (and this child) have my sympathies.

At my camp, we have LOTS of fractures--have had 4 before lunchtime (Extreme Sports Camp (www.woodwardwest.com). But it never up to ME to transport campers around--we have other staff do that with a golfcart. When they leave infirmary, they are someone else's responsiblilty--she really shouldn't need an RN with her. I give instructions to the counselor---elevate, and send with an ice bag and make sure they are medicationed before they leave and tell counselor how long she they can be gone.

This makes my blood boil! Shame on that mother and the director. I will be a camp nurse in July for the first time for a 3 week session, and if this happens to me I will be beside myself. That's poor child's parents clearly can't be bothered. If it were my child, I would WANT them home so I could nurture them, an ORIF is not a skinned knee. I truly feel for you.