Recruiting EMTs, RNs, etc as Health Officers

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

I've been Health and Safety Director at a scout camp for a few years, and have been a Health Officer there on and off for over a decade. Since I've been in the hot seat, I've had trouble finding other Health Officers to come up and work, which apparently is a chronic problem. I've already been in touch with the EMS clubs at most 4yr colleges in Illinois and came up empty from that well three times in a row. Anyone have other suggestions on where to find other Health Lodge staff, either full-summer or short-term volunteers?

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

I just finished an awesome week at a summer camp that uses volunteer nurses (2 each week). General summer camp/ ACA accredited. In exchange for volunteering, 2 camperships are offered to each nurse. All the spots are filled long before summer with a list of back-ups.

It's well organized and most of the spots are filled by returning nurses. Most of the nurses are camper parents. I worked with spouse of a board member who is a school nurse. I was kitchen staff at the camp 25 years ago and found out about the volunteer nurse program.

They have a nursing student in the role of "nurse intern" who coordinates ensuring adequate supplies, explaining the systems in place r/t to medical services at camp, is available to the nurses to assist with non-nursing tasks and answer questions (camp policies/ policies, appropriate resources on camp, locations, schedules etc). Win-win situation because she gets to see how nurses from many different areas approach things. She asked lots of questions (at appropriate times), she seemed to enjoy learning about nursing (and our different nursing roles - I'm a hospice RN and also an EMT/ Firefighter). Protocols and an orientation packet were mailed before summer for the nurses to review.

They also have a few fun/ special events the nurses are involved in at camp. We were judges at a weekly talent contest. Although I was there to be a volunteer nurse, it was an enjoyable experience for me. I can't wait to go back next year!

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

While I could possibly offer camperships, the Health Lodge is centrally located away from most of the section camps that house campers, and is not set up for family living (in fact, it was built as a small field hospital in the 1960s). Health Officers with families would have to have them stay at the nearby Staff Village cabins, or in a cabin at the Family Camp, and would need to have a parent or other responsible adult stay with them.