Is it too late this year for a newbie?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · May 15, 2008

Many camps are still looking for a aditional nurse or filling in for someone who backed out. How many weeks are you thinking of working, flexible schedule etc. ACA wbsite should have job listings.

BonnieSc · May 16, 2008

As far as prep work goes--every camp works differently, but I would say most of them don't have preseason work for the nurse, except maybe ordering supplies, things like that. If there's work to be done and they don't have a nurse yet, the camp director will be taking care of it.

If you're calm and flexible, camp nursing isn't really so scary! But if it's better for your comfort level, you may want to find a camp that hires nurses a week at a time (very common) just to get your feet wet.

rokidog · May 17, 2008

I figured out my available dates and their a bit more limited than I thought... July 20- Aug 16. My children are involved in other local camps until then. Still, it's 2-3 weeks maybe I can find something. Personality- wise, I am very flexible and fairly easy going, take direct well or in the absence of leadership can direct.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Tammy

bollweevil · May 18, 2008

Go for it.

Pre-season work = ordering supplies, previewing the kids' and staff members' med histories, as they become available; You can maybe go to camp a day or 2 early to get in on general camp orientation, meet other staff, and set up/open your infirmary if you are the only nurse. Supplies do need to be ordered sooner so you will have them on time.

But med hx reviews are not all that crucial to do early. You're not going to totally memorize them, they will always be available to you at a moment's notice all summer anyway to check for allergies and tetorifice shot history, for instance. Serious conditions, like DM, peanut or other food allergies, or seizures, you must be aware of, of course, and notify those who need to know.

On opening day, each camper will be screened by you as they arrive. Hopefully, the parent will be there, too. At that time, you will hopefully be informed of any truly serious conditions. You will receive the meds, if any, for each camper. You will do a quick visual check of the child - cast? open wounds? rash? on meds? any other serious matters or matters that need your follow-up? Your good nursing judgment will guide you and all of this information should be in the ACA material, too.

Your camp director will have to tell you what doctor(s) they use for any matters that arise. Also the hospital nearest to camp, who will drive the camper, are you expected to accompany the kids to routine doctor visits (like allergy shots and please do NOT give these at camp. Ever).

You are also probably expected to inspect the kitchen periodically and make sure it's sanitary. You could study up on this by contacting the state or county health department.

You will be responsible for emergency equipment preparedness. Make sure you have the first aid kits ready for strategic areas around camp - the kitchen, the office, the head counselor's office/bunk, the pool, the stables, etc. Have kits ready to send on out trips, too.

Make sure counselors are aware of basic hygiene matters - handwashing, cover coughs, not sharing combs and cosmetics, just really basic but important stuff. Teach them about keeping kids and themselves hydrated, sunblocked, and avoiding constipation, being aware of kids' sleep hours and BM's - yes, they will be grossed out but teach them how important it is to know if a kid hasn't pooped for 3 days. Tell them how much happier everyone will be if bowels are working right.

You will have to figure out how best to pass meds. Camp is not about meds, it's about fun, so medical stuff sort of comes last on kids' priority list and the counselors might not get the importance of it, either. They expect you, the professional nurse, to get meds passed, though. It is usually easiest to take meds to them in the dining room just because that's where everyone is, rather than expecting them to come to the clinic. Yes, there are privacy issues but no one has to know what is being given, only that Joey gets a pill at breakfast. They will know anyway if Joey has to come to clinic every morning. Check casts and circulation there, too. It's quick and easy.

And BTW, counselors do need to know if their campers are diabetic, epileptic, or whatever. They are with the kids all day every day, nighttime, too, and they do need to know. Give them a written list and let them know when they need to get you involved in a camper's life.

The counselors are generally only college students so you can't expect too much of them. A lot of counselors or specialists are teachers who have the summer off and who have been going to camp each summer for years. They are older and more reliable and experienced a lot of times. Sometimes, they butt in when they shouldn't. Balance.

You will run a sick call each day, I expect, usually right after breakfast. Also, some kids will need to come for treatments - dressing changes or whatever and you will need to work out a time for that. You need to keep a log of sick call names, with the c/o and Tx. Simple and brief, unless more detailed situations might require further Tx, MD consult, whatever. If it's just a bug bite, you just say "Susie Smith, mosquito bite R ring finger, Benadryl cream" and be done with it - unless it's looking infected or otherwise complicated, in which case, you will take appropriate action. If it's abdominal pain and you are thinking appendicitis, you will do a temp, check BS, and pull the camper aside and have her call her parent, then you talk to the parent, say you think Jimmy should see a doctor and go from there. Be sure to keep your director informed, as he or she instructs. They don't want to be notified of every little thing but serious matters they do need to know about. Better to err on the side of caution, especially if it's an injury - there are legal ramifications, of course, and the boss needs to be given a heads up.

You can do this. It's really fun to work in shorts and be able to tan on your lunch break. It is a chance to be a generalist, as you will see everything from tummy aches due to homesickness to serious trauma, poison ivy to earaches, menstrual cramps to renal failure. Staff members who are older might have BP issues, cardiac trouble, CVA's, and so on - all the stuff you see in an internist's office or in family practice. I wish you well.