Abandonment?

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Specializes in peds palliative care and hospice.

Hi everyone,

I have a question. I am a recent grad (12/08) My first job was at a small arts camp for at risk kids. We were associated with a larger, sister camp that had about 150 staff and campers. During the second session (third week) the sister camp had a girl come as a camper who was diabetic. She had been there before, managed her insulin well (though it ran a little high) and very much enjoyed camp. The nurse (who I will call B) said that she couldn't stay. The camp director over-rode this decision, as did the CEO of the organization that runs both camps. Upon hearing this, B said "I quit" and left in the middle of the registration process. The camp director had me fill in for B and my director had to get a replacement for me while I was taking her place. It took about a week for them to find a replacement and during that time (when I wasnt there) there was NO nurse. My question is wheather the other nurse (B) could have action taken on her license as she left 100+ staff members and kids with no adaquate replacement. There was a counselor trained as a wilderness EMT and the director was a certified first responder, however that is all they had for medical personel. I was there during the day but had to go back to my camp at night to do meds. I think she could and that the camp could take action against her license or otherwise, but as I said before, I am a new grad and don't know that much about this sort of thing.

Thanks in advance!

Maria

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If she left mid shift she could have been held responsible. But in many states camps are not required to hire an RN/LPN, and the EMT (scary as it sounds) may be all the medical staff that the camp was required to have. A complaint to the nursing board could have been filed, and the final decision would be up to them.

I work various camps, and have never left mid shift or mid week. But one camp told me I'd be charged with abandonment (where did they get that info from???) if I didn't stay another week as they has 2 diabetics arriving--I was never contracted to stay more than 2 weeks and my 2 weeks were up. So I pick up the phone and called a nursing registry and they said sure, they would be able to find an RN to work the camp the week the diabetics were there. I then informed the camp owner that there was RN coverage available, is all he had to do was call the nurses registry and pay the $1200 for the week. This camp was truly the camp from heck, and I have never been back!

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health.

I went to camp in NJ and they only required an EMT.

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Specializes in peds palliative care and hospice.

My job description said that my position could be filled by an EMT, however that is not the role she was functioning in. Thanks for the input guys!

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I guess you need to ask a lawyer and/or the state BON.

Was any harm done?

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