Camp Nurse?

[marsbar37]

I graduated nursing school last year and was able to work on a med surg floor for a couple of months. Needless to say it didn't work out but now i have been offered a position for a camp nurse. I worry that my relative new nursing experience has me feeling a little overwhelmed where i will be responsible for 200 campers with one other nurse.

Is this good learning experience? i do love working with people more than anything

[marsbar37, BSN, RN]

needless to say expresses my deep shame of being let go after 6 weeks of orientation. it addresses my deepest fear that i'm too stupid to be a nurse

[OldDude]

needless to say expresses my deep shame of being let go after 6 weeks of orientation. it addresses my deepest fear that i'm too stupid to be a nurse

Believe me if that were the case you would not have graduated from nursing school. You DO have what it takes to be a nurse and you CAN get over this period of self doubt. When the going gets tough, the tough get going! You can't make it through nursing school without being tough! Have you thought about turning your job search over to an employment agency? Let them do the research and set up the interviews?

[XingtheBBB, BSN, RN]

It likely either reflects their ability to plan and implement an orientation program or just a mismatch of job and nurse. There are hundreds of specialites and sub-specialties, it's not one job fits most.

I saw that you posted in a New Jersey forum. If you happen to have a passion for the LGBT+ community, I can point you towards my camp held in PA, HQ in NYC. It's a one week, 2 nurses onsite all the time.

[Queen of Icepacks, RN]

You are obviously not stupid since you made it through Nursing School and passed your boards. If you have doubts about your ability working by yourself will be a terrible choice. You will drive yourself crazy second guessing every decision.

[marsbar37, BSN, RN]

thank you! sometimes you just need to hear that encouragement! :)

[marsbar37, BSN, RN]

so great thing i heard from another camp today that offered me a camp nursing position with a staff of 13 nurses and 2 medical doctors . I would feel much more comfortable in this camp.

[WineRN]

so great thing i heard from another camp today that offered me a camp nursing position with a staff of 13 nurses and 2 medical doctors . I would feel much more comfortable in this camp.

Good For you!

And keep your head up! I think finding your first position is always the toughest. I started in a time when hospitals near me were going through hiring freezes and I thought I would NEVER get a job. Just remember that ANY experience is better than NO experience. You will probably have a steep learning curve in the camp but as long as you are positive, you manage your time well and are a team player, you should be fine and learn a bunch.

[Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B]

Good gravy. That's gotta be a big camp! I'm glad you found a position where your not solo, and can be letter supported. My camp has used new grads to varying levels of success but we make a commitment to teach and mentor them as much as possible. We won't just hire them to fill space. Not worth the liability to them or us.

its a 8nurse 1 doc operation

[tining, BSN, RN]

The camp I worked for we had around 6 nurses and a doc all week. Excellent spot for new nurses. I would not encourage a 1-2 nurse scenario for a new grad, some of the illnesses can be difficult even for a seasoned nurse. Lots to learn and see. Docs are different at camp, they want you to come around see the "good stuff." That being said some of the older nurses were not as encouraging or supportive. There is always a role you can fill around those types of nurses. If your lead nurse is good you will have an amazing experience.

[Amethya]

It gave me some experience, but honestly it's hard when you have to live with the same people for 2 months and if you don't get along, you won't have a good time. I had this issue last year in the camp I went, and I honestly was stuck all summer at the camp, and was promised days to go out to have fun with the other counselors, but I was never able to because the head nurse favored the new nurse who barely graduated and because her boyfriend was there, so she got to go on all the trips, and I didn't get a chance.

Then they didn't want to refund me my whole plane tickets because I didn't know you couldn't get first class (I only did it for my bags) so I was only paid like half of what I spent.

If you want to know what camp, PM me so you won't go to that camp.

[ICUtoSchoolNSG]

You graduated from nursing school and, I would believe, passed your state boards. That is awesome, and took hard work and smarts. You just haven't found the area of nursing that fits you. There are so many different kinds of nursing. OldDude has a great idea, find an employment agency. Then change your mantra. "I think I can, I think I can.."

[marsbar37, BSN, RN]

Thank you very much for your kind words :)