Camp Nurse Salary

Specialties Camp

Published

I know that we can't talk exact numbers, but can someone give me a ballpark of what I could ask for from a camp? I am a School Nurse and I did one 3 week stent in PA a few years ago and was given what I would consider a decent salary (my fellow nurses were paid much more) plus my 2 daughters were campers. I really enjoyed my time and this year could really use the money as I have one heading to college and one about to drive. I am looking for a similar short term assignment and would like to bring my nine year old daughter. I would like to know what others with similar experience expect to make. Thanks in advance!

You can easily earn $1000 per week, barring all other factors, particularly if you are an experienced camp nurse. Don't sell yourself short. Now, if you are trying to negotiate your kids' tuition, definitely you'll have to whittle that off your cost. You might also work for less if it is a non-profit/volunteer/faith-based organization where you believe in the mission and are willing to take the pay cut to support your ideals. Most camps, though, will pay you as little as they can get away with, having no idea the costs of nursing education, keeping the professional licensure, travel costs, and your years of expertise, besides the fact that you will miss meals, showers, sleep, and have little to no down time. There are very few jobs where you are on call 24/7 day after day, without proper remuneration and respect. I have had camps that respected me and made sure I had a night off a week, and made sure they saved me a plate when I was tending to campers, and I have had camps that completely ignored me unless they needed me and did not honor my requests regarding campers/medications/etc. So, do be careful. Also, always be sure you are not the ONLY nurse. Have an assistant of some kind, even if it is just someone with first aid/CPR, because there is no way you can watch a sick kid in the health center AND respond to a call across camp. I made the mistake of taking a job where I was the only medical staff member only once. It was a start-up camp that didn't really know what they were oing. I showered every few days and got sick from lack of sleep. There were no boundaries and no respect for the fact that I needed time to shower, eat, and self-care. I will say it's easier to be miserable for $1000 a week than for $500 a week, that is for sure.

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Specializes in ED, School Nurse.

I work as a charge nurse at a camp for adults and children with physical and/or developmental disabilities. Our sessions are 6 days long (Tues to Sun), I get every Sunday evening and Monday off, plus 2 full weeks off during the summer, with the opportunity to work other camps that use our facilities those 2 off weeks. We have 7 sessions in the summer. I have my own cabin, and my kids stay with me and volunteer/work at the camp. This summer I was the only licensed health care provider on staff, but I had CRMAs to help me pass meds (We have A LOT of meds at this camp). I get to sleep in my cabin every night and they only call me if they need me for overnight stuff (I got called 2-3 times this summer I think). My salary was $8250 for the summer (not including the extra week I worked the "off week" camp).

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Ortho, Camp.

I worked year round for a special needs camp in AL. I got $600 a week all year, a three bedroom house, utilities, PTO, health insurance, IRA, etc. I thought it was more than fair, easy during the winter and off season, work hard during the summer. I made sure our nurses had as much time off as possible, and only one night of call a week. At $600/wk, I figured they were making plenty of sacrifices to be there, so I did my best to take care of them. I never turned my radio off. So, not much money, but a great place to work. Also, many people in the local town adopted me and my wife, and showed us hospitality whenever we were in town. So, a good deal. For those of you who know me, my wife is healthy again, so I will be camping again soon. I am a project director in a big house in Atlanta now, and every AM I look at the guy in the shirt and tie in the mirror and think, "What happened to you?"

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I'm in Chicago also and was wondering if you were lucky enough to work at the camp that sings of "All the wealth of Earth and Heaven". This reply to Squire was supposed to follow your job description from Michigan.

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

I must be a good negotiator or they really desperately needed someone. I was going to be paid $2000 for 2 months of work, but I then told them that I'm considering another camp, a rival camp across them, they asked me how much they will pay, I said $4500 (:sarcastic:) and they said they'll give me that plus compensation for travel. So easily... I'm getting $5000 for a 2 month job.

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How many campers and staff do you get? Do you get time off?

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Multiple posts have been removed as per our terms of service, to which everyone agrees when they join, we do not allow soliciting of any kind.

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That is something you would neee to work out with cap director. It would give you every weekend to explore Nashville though!

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Thank you for all of your help gaylord4

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No problem! Were you able to find the information?

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Yes. Thank you. :)

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