Moving to Michigan U.P... ex-CVICU RN wants to be camp RN- Camp recommendations?

[Fox_RuN, BSN]

A background on me:

-Moving from S.E. Michigan metro working at large, academic (adult) CVICU to tiny Ontonagon in Michigan's upper peninsula (Ontonagon is about 180 miles from Duluth, MN). Have a total of 3 years nursing experience out of school. I'm originally from northern Michigan and want to get away from the city. I miss being in the woods.

- Have my Advanced Wilderness Life Support Certification and am a member of the American Holistic Nurses Association and am wanting to leave the hospital environment and preferably take care of some baseline healthy people in beautiful outdoor settings (I've decided hospital nursing isn't quite for me, although working at CVICU has shown me I can keep my cool when the world is literally crashing down around me and touch anything as long as I have gloves on :poop:)

-Embarassingly, I am much, much better at giving last aid than first aid, even though I'm comfortable handling multiple, complex extracorporeal devices such as centrimags, impella, CRRT, IABP, various LVADs, lumbar drains/ICP monitoring and titrating multiple drips.

-I'm pretty good at wound care though, I do have to say.

-I have no peds experience, only intermediate cardiac/telemetry experience before CVICU.

- On my tombstone, I hope it will read "She worked herself to the bone...no, seriously." In other words, I'm not afraid of hard work. I get teased at work because my patients are always clean, generally stablized, expired gtts changed and back-ups ordered for the next shift and the lines/dressings/tubes/tube feeding supplies are organized, untangled, labelled and dated. If I'm sitting too long, I become suspicious and say, "Damn it, there must be something else I can organize or label!"

-I unfortunately tend to be an introvert (I'm the weirdo who prefers organizing lines in her sedated/intubated patient's room rather than sitting idly on Pinterest chatting). I'm friendly, professional, and a forceful patient advocate when needed.. However I'm really just an awkward only child who likes to be involved in her work versus idly socializing. I'm not a big one for small talk and especially gossip. Another reason I want to leave the hospital.

-Also, the ICU environment is physically and emotionally draining. I'm 25, physically fit, however only weigh 54kg. I'm tired of wrestling confused, 140kg men and my back coming out the losing end . I'd like to be in a place where the majority of physical demands come in the form of hiking, rather than lifting/wrestling. I think I'd like to retire from the WWF as "fun" as being "The Sedater" is.

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-Okay..... so as a hopeful camp nurse, I plan on reading "The Basics of Camp Nursing" and I have sections picked out to peruse in my Wilderness Medicine textbook by Paul Auerbach. What other resources should I look at? What general recommendations/tips do you have?

-What camps do you all have to recommend in the Michigan, Wisonsin, Minnesota area? Are there other camps in other states you'd recommend that pay for license transfer and travel expenses as well as food/lodging? I'm not going to have another job other than maybe some flu clinics, so length of stay/time of year of camp isn't as important, however I'd prefer assignments 4 weeks or less. Which camps have a great support system/resources?

-Also, not required, but STRONGLY desired; which camps will let you bring your dog, if any? I haven't adopted one yet, but would like to bring future dog with me (well-trained of course) if at all possible. Although partner could watch him/her while I'm gone temporarily, he's not really a dog person/trainer in the way I am.

Thanks so much you all!

[Fox_RuN, BSN]

Also, are there any winter camps out there? I remember going a camp in winter with my 5th grade class, but that was a special session...

[bethm214]

I am sure it is not want you want to hear, however, I STRONGLY recommend that you do at least one year of pediatric nursing in a major hospital center. Children are definitely not miniature adults and their needs are very different. How you cope with a child's medical and/or emotional situation is significantly different than anything you would have learned in school or on an adult unit. Children need to feel your confidence. Don't short-change yourself or the children. Get the training you need before attempting camp nursing.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Camp nursing is not year-round employment, just so you know. And many camps (church camps in particular) rely on a weekly-changing parade of volunteers, not a full-time RN.

[Fox_RuN, BSN]

I am sure it is not want you want to hear, however, I STRONGLY recommend that you do at least one year of pediatric nursing in a major hospital center. Children are definitely not miniature adults and their needs are very different. How you cope with a child's medical and/or emotional situation is significantly different than anything you would have learned in school or on an adult unit. Children need to feel your confidence. Don't short-change yourself or the children. Get the training you need before attempting camp nursing.

Thanks for your thoughtful response. You are right, definitely not what I want to hear :) I will have to get pediatric experience somewhere else...I refuse to work in another hospital again. My hospital was not bad as hospitals went, but the environment was toxic for me.

[Fox_RuN, BSN]

Camp nursing is not year-round employment, just so you know. And many camps (church camps in particular) rely on a weekly-changing parade of volunteers, not a full-time RN.

I'm not seeking full-time employement, so camp nursing is perfect in that aspect...one of the reasons I graitated to it.