[apaisRN]

and I'm very excited! I wish it wasn't four months away!

It's a girls' full-season camp in Maine, 190 campers. Two full-time nurses and one part-time. Own bedroom, laundry done, etc etc. Eight weeks with no cooking, laundry, cleaning or dishes. What a deal. The only bad part is telling the other camps I'm dealing with that they didn't make the cut. They've all been so nice and helpful.

The owners sound like great people and they have said I can bring my dog everywhere at camp with me (I'm assuming not the dining area). My husband is allowed too.

I've ordered the camp nursing book by the ACN and I will be reviewing developmental stages and PALS.

Anyone else making plans yet?

[renerian]

I have thought about that. In PA there are several camps. Are you trying this for the first time?

renerian

[apaisRN]

Yup. I am a MICU/CICU nurse, starting CRNA school in the fall. I have no peds experience at all. But I think I can be good at this, and it will be a fun thing to do before school starts. You should definitely look into it. This forum isn't very busy but I read it all and there is some useful advice. I used the info I found to make up a list of questions to ask camp directors. If anyone wants it I'd be happy to email or post my list.

[renerian]

May I ask what the pay range is for camp nursing as I have no clue....

renerian

[NRSKarenRN]

Originally Posted by renerian

May I ask what the pay range is for camp nursing as I have no clue....

Pittiful-- about $3,000-$4,000 for 8 weeks FT live-in 12 hr days in PA BUT you get to bring kids for FREE. I also hired teenage sitter for $75/week and she got free bunk + food--and ton of teenage boys to flirt with off times.

Cost of the camp was $5000 for 8 weeks per camper. Still be doing it but now working FT, main wage earner and not possible.

[renerian]

Wow that is low. Thanks Karen. My kids are 24, 22, 21, 20 and 17. They would not want to come but hey that might be good for me/big smile.

renerian

[apaisRN]

I've been offered $4000-4500 plus some travel money and license reimbursement. I think I probably could negotiate but I think it's reasonable given all the services you are provided. Basically, you don't do it for the money.

[apaisRN]

Oh, and they said I'd have 1.5 days a week off, and since there are several nurses you take shifts and are free in between. I'm going to get it in writing, just because I've been burned in hospital nursing. I was emailing with a nurse who'd done it last year and she said you had to think of it as a job, not a vacation. But I can't help it, after ICU it IS vacation! I mean, I know I will work, but it will be mainly pleasant work with healthy people, in a beautiful setting. I don't expect to sit on the porch with a book all the time.

Anyone else who has advice or insight about camp nursing, please speak up!

[apaisRN]

I finalized things with the camp a couple days ago. They told me the pay is actually $4800 and $200 travel allowance, and I live only four hours away by car. So actually the money isn't too terrible unless you try to break it down to an hourly rate. But then room, board and laundry are included as well. I am so excited I can't stand it!

They sent me a reasonable contract and personnel policies, and I added a couple things like time off each week and each day (no staying up with a sick kid all night and then working all the next day). Also that guests were allowed within reason and my dog is allowed. I am going to have him behaviorally assessed before I go. He's as far from aggressive or dangerous as they come, and I want to have written documentation in case some bratty kid claims he bit her.

I really appreciate older posts here about people who learned the hard way about getting things in writing. I'm not sure if I'd have been so firm if I hadn't known this. I am doing this for my own enjoyment, and while I expect to work hard, I am not going to work 24/7 or go on no sleep.

[nurse educate]

I'm most likely going back (for the second summer) to a one week gig. I can't commit financially to an entire summer, and I don't think my daughter and I could rough it for that long . It wans't that bad. I had a little cabin that consisted of two bedrooms, the nurses' office, and a bathroom (with the only bathtub on the grounds- which a couple of special cases needed to use- there were showers of course). There was a refigerator, which was good for snacks for my daughter. There was electricity, so I brought my laptop so she could watch DVDs if she got cranky. HAD TO DO MY OWN LAUNDRY!!!

The pay? A measly $360 for the week. But it included fun a games for my daughter, and food (if you call it that) for both of us. It wans't awful, there was always bread w/ pb&j if you didn't like what they were serving. But like someone else already said, you don't do it for the $$.