camp is over- how was it? Any issues ?

campnurse · Aug 26, 2007

=campnurse;2370631]I had a great summer, hope you did also. The kids were great, had lots of yellowjack/wasp stinks, one anaphalactic reaction to a rabbitt that was pretty scarry. No allergies on form or according to mom(MD). She was shocked and very greatful to us for handleing it so well.

Had a few cases of nits( a real pain) but we managed. We used natral substances instead of chemicals. I hear that some of the camps hired outsiders to do lice checks and clean ups! would love to hear about this. Maybe our directer would consider it. How does that work?. Would love to hear from other camp nurses on your experiences this summer. lori

Neveranurseagain, RN · Aug 27, 2007

Summer camp for me was pretty exciting at times- here is a summary:

Kid fell 30 feet off ropes course, landed on a think bed of wood chips, called 911, discharged 2 hrs later from hospital with no injuries. Had generalized soreness for a few days.

Camper ran out of cabin onto deck (being chased by other campers) and vaulted over the railing, forgetting there was a 20 ft drop. Call to 911, discharged 2 hrs later with bil ankle soreness.

Counselors revived an activity that was banned several yrs ago when camp manager was gone. This consisted of smearing PEANUTBUTTER all over a counselor then sticking various things on him--marshmallows, raisiuns, syrup. Called 911 on 2 kids, gave epi, transported to hospital. Two other kids had less severe reactions and tx with Benadryl and observation.

Had a few kids with "issues" and psychiatric problems and had to 911 in for being out of control--manic/depressive, faked being unconsious (try dropping their hand over their nose--if inresponsive it hits them in the nose. If faking, they guide hand so it doesn't hit them is the face)

Kid with hx of hypercalcemia hiked 6 miles into remote canyon for overnite sleepover.. SEVERE, screaming pain--passed kidney stone.

No lice....just lots of upper resp./head cold went around.

SwainRN · Aug 27, 2007

My son and I worked at a lovely camp in Maine this summer. He has some disabilities but did well as an aide to the camp directors- drove a golf cart and did errands. The camp director and staff were very nice and we met some really lovely people from all over the country. The health center was really nice and we were fortunate to have a great group of nurses this year. There was some frustration trying to figure out what the health center director wanted, and figuring out the health center policies and politics when they were not in writing. We had some broken bones (lots of fingers) but no major injuries. Safety was really stressed with the campers and staff.

I ended up renting a car after 2 weeks and letting the other nurses use it. Having a car is a definite must! The camp was large and had many activities, but we were all disappointed to find that we had access to very few of them, and sometimes our time off did not allow us to do much but swim and maybe play tennis.

I would return to the camp if they will allow me to come for 4-5 weeks, 8 weeks was too long for my husband back home. I will be looking for something for my son and I next year for a shorter length of time.

Regarding lice, we did have a company come in and do lice checks on the girls (250 or so). The y did a thorough job and we ended up with 10 cases fo lice. We did all of the treatments however. It took a lot of pressure off of the nurses at the beginning of camp to have the checks done for them, it would have been very time consuming.

Nur_1996 · Aug 27, 2007

I was at a all girls camp for two weeks this summer. My son was a camper on the boys side, so I hardly saw him, only at a couple of co-ed events, so I missed him. He had a great time! I have worked mostly boys camps prior to this. Wow! The girls took a lot of meds, especially phychotropic meds, its weird, these are "normal"kids. No big issues at camp- A couple of girls fell off a horse, just contusions. A lot of "Drama Queens" wanting attention. Thus, the reason I choose boys!

TamrRN07 · Aug 31, 2007

I was at a camp in upstate new york for one week. Only 66 campers ages 8-18. Five ER visits! Broken arm, sprained knee, lacerated eyelid that needed stitches, head injury (nothing major after all, but the camper was so sore he couldn't move his neck!), and an asthma attack by an 8 year old who gets asthma "sometimes". Of course her mom didn't pack her inhaler... :banghead: All in all, it was a great week though. Of course there were the bumps and bruises, bug bites, and the like. I loved making "it all better". It reminded about how some kids come from such horrible backgrounds and all they really want is someone to give them a kind, compassionate ear.

Miriam57RN · Sep 5, 2007

First of all, I want to say that I loved working camp. I loved working with these kids and have a heart for them. Now I'll describe my experience - which is my first camp nursing experience...

This camp hosts approx. 850 underprivileged NYC kids over the summer, ages 6 - 13. The summer is divided into four 10-day sessions, so there are about 215 kids there at a time, and they stay for 10 days. Many with asthma, environmental or food allergy and ADD/ADHD dx; lots of psych meds. I was the sole RN (24/7 or I should say, 24/10) for two of these sessions. Another RN (who has worked there for 7 yrs.) did the other two sessions. Injuries seen involved a forearm fracture of 12 y.o. boy; deep tissue contusion of R shoulder (from a punch) 12. y.o. boy; eye contusion (another fight) 13 y.o. boy; and otitis externa w/ foreign body. There were two cases of otitis media, 1 case of strep throat (a counselor); a couple of sprains (they are not required to wear sneakers or closed shoes there - me and the other RN have discussed this problem with the director and assoc. director) - with that, lots of open scrapes; two infected bug bites - one with toxic striation, both requiring abx; one middle-of-the-night asthma attack (triggered by emotional stressors r/t cabin-mates, and tx successfully with an albuterol neb and overnight quiet, rest in the health center); and, various levels of heat exhaustion and dehydration (they were not getting enough water for the activities involved and this was discussed also). The other RN also had one fracture, a couple of + streps (both were counselors - one's temp was 104 F! and a case of bacterial conjunctivitis, among other odds and ends. We logged in between 40 and 60 names daily of those presenting with health issues. Also lots of chlorine burn (they're not required to bring goggles and we ran out of our free ones) and some swimmer's ear. A 12 y.o. girl w/ GH deficiency was on nightly Genotropin-12 Pen injections. A 9 y.o. girl was getting a nightly lady partsl supp. of Provera.

Though meds were brought to the cafeteria at breakfast, lunch and dinnertime, PM/ HS meds were given at the health center. The cabins would line up in front of the HC and come in one cabin at a time. This was usually our busiest time, and often we wouldn't see our last camper/ counselor until 11PM.

As this was my first camp nurse experience, I'd really like to find out -- is this the norm, that there would be only one RN (and of course, no on-camp MD) present? My "assistant" was a college student who was NOT a nursing student, but a TESOL student who was "thinking about" becoming a nurse. Part of OUR duties were to keep the health center clean - but it seemed like she thought she was above this. After my first session, I saw that she was going to go back to the city on one of the buses with the kids - obviously wasn't going to stay around to help clean. So I cleaned the place myself. Then, next session, I expected that at least she would help with maintaining the place. Well... a few days passed... one day I woke up at 6:00 am and started cleaning. I knocked on her door at 7:00 am and had her come out so we could talk. I told her that I wasn't doing this to "do her a favor" (she had thanked me for cleaning before the session)...... but as an example to her, and BECAUSE IT WAS A HEALTH CENTER AND ***SHOULD BE CLEANED REGULARLY***. Since noone else does it, WE had to...if she wouldn't --- this left ME or noone. So I had to further exhaust myself by doing this work as well as my other work. I would not accept this, if I were to come back next year but would lay out the expectations first thing.

So in short, I loved working camp, love the kids, and want to come back, but working with this person is what put a damper on the whole experience. Says she's going to be a counselor next summer.

Oh, by the way, the rate was $1500.00 (before taxes) for 16 hr. days + night call - for 10 days. Comparisons anyone?

Some people say this is volunteer work. Maybe it is.

Any feedback welcome - on the board or PM.

Miriam57RN · Sep 5, 2007

Just adding to my vent -

She would go out to activities, forming rapport with counselors and campers while I couldn't; she would stay up late on the phone, or get late night calls from her boyfriend. She would gossip around the camp. She always took afternoon naps when the HC was supposedly "closed" between 2 - 4 pm, while I answered the knocks on the door that would always come. No wonder she was so fresh late at night while I desperately needed SLEEP. She'd host friends in her room at the HC, and do her hair and nails. I hate the smell of nail polish remover and had to tell her to do it outside after she did this twice in the HC -- I'm sensitive to it, and CAMPERS might be as well! One night, a counselor came knocking on the door at 1:30 AM, saying she had to bring something to J______ , then settled into her bedroom to sleep (the counselor had broken curfew and needed a safe-house). Of course, the unit leader came knocking at the door at 6 AM looking for her, this waking me up yet again. She had a condescending attitude, well disguised. She did not keep up with restocking the shelves with medical supplies, or with things like paper towels. I had to spend precious time and energy searching the five different closets for various supplies to keep the front stocked. So it wasn't just about the cleaning.

BonnieSc · Sep 6, 2007

Quite a summer! It sounds like you handled the issues that came to you well. The problems with kids not wearing closed-toed shoes and not being encouraged to drink enough water are huge. SO many camp injuries come from wearing sandals or going barefoot--both injuries to the feet, and related problems from tripping.

Yes, it is normal for there to be only one nurse--though it is not standard by any means; you'll also find camps with three or more nurses for half as many kids--they work eight hour shifts. Many camp nurses don't even have an assistant, though it sounds like you would have been better off without the one you had. Did you talk with the director about her? Certainly it should have been your right to say that other counselors couldn't visit her in the health center. The health center is for sick people.

What did she say when you spoke to her about cleaning? It sounds like she refused, or else agreed and then didn't do it. She should have had a job description with her duties (always including, of course, "other duties as assigned")--if she didn't follow through on them, there should have been consequences, from the director. If she wants to be a counselor next summer instead, it sounds like she realized this wasn't the kind of job for her. It's unfortunate, though, that she would be hired back (if she is...).

If you want to go next summer, do bring this up with the director, in a productive way--as in, "This is what would help me this summer, this is the kind of person I'd like for an assistant, could we write a job description for my assistant..."

The pay is about average, I would say. You could possibly do somewhat better; you could find a camp with different rules and a more supportive administration; but if you liked this camp and these kids otherwise, maybe you'd rather stay and try to improve the system. Good luck!

Miriam57RN · Sep 6, 2007

...but if you liked this camp and these kids otherwise, maybe you'd rather stay and try to improve the system. Good luck!

Definitely!

In between sessions both me and the other RN brought up our mutual concerns to the assoc. director. The issue of bringing friends into the HC was resolved, as were the phone calls... though what she started doing instead then was going out a lot more. She would go to the arts & crafts building to "help" her friend, or attend events - carnival, senior's dance, 'girl's night out', etc.

The issue of cleaning was not resolved... she seemed to agree, then did not do the work. I did bring this up also to the assoc. director on two different occasions. He said that they usually try to hire someone more mature for that position, and had originally had someone, but they cancelled last minute (in May or June). This person had worked there before but was newly pregnant at this time and coping with morning sickness. The director had some serious health issues himself going on and was hospitalized during first session, so I was hesitant to burden him with my concerns. The assoc. director assumed a lot of the responsibility and there was more communication with him.

I really did love working with this camp population and would like to return to the same camp, notwithstanding the challenges, and work with the assoc. director (he is also wilderness and adventure specialist) on preventive measures and a job description for the assistant. The director resigned his position at the end of camp, due to health challenges, but ideally, I'd hope for an opportunity to communicate with the new director as well, before the start of camp.

Well, it was all a learning experience, so next summer has GOT to be smoother as I'll be more prepared!

I have another question for camp nurses:

I learned from my daughter who has worked at this camp for two summers as a lifeguard, that everyone has to reapply every year, for their position. When do you reapply? Do you wait until after New Year's, or the Spring, or now? How does this work at your camp?

BonnieSc · Sep 6, 2007

Usually camps "invite" returning staff back (that is, to reapply for their jobs) if they want to have them back; with your director resigning and a new one taking over, this process could be interrupted. If you have a higher-up to communicate with now, it's a good idea to send off an email saying "I really enjoyed working at camp, and would love to come back next summer"--so they know of your interest. Most likely, the returning staff will be sent applications (they're usually modified applications) sometime between January and March. If you haven't heard anything, don't hesitate to call anytime after the new year.

finchfamily4 · Jan 1, 2008

Hi. I worked in the Hill Country Texas in '07. We had a variety. These kids are very used to health care and know what to "expect" We had one severe scalp injury via EMS. Several sprains requiring xrays. One severe anaphylaxis of unknown origin. The Doc thankfully had epi and IM Benadryl on hand. After this I realized the EMS is volunteer and the closest real EMS with intubation equipment is 45 minutes away. I bet the kids parents - mostly Drs. don't realize this either. All we have is o2 and epi. God help us next summer!!!