Overnight camp trip RN-question about license

[laurenjarrod]

Hi everyone,

I've been hired by a day camp in my state (NJ) to work 3 overnight trips as their RN. Their regular FT RN is staying back at the camp. We will be going to NY, PA, and Boston. My question is about my nursing license. The camp didn't know the answer and after all it's my license so I want to make sure I have all the facts. I am only licensed in NJ. Am I covered in the states we will be visiting? How does that work? I know some of the kids are on anti-seizure meds that I will need to administer. Thanks!

Lauren

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

You should be covered as camp nurse escorting campers. Nursing care most likely only First Aid which anyone can provide.

This would be a good inquiry to send to BON.

[followurdreams]

I would think that would depend on the type of license you have. For instance, I live in TN and have a compact nursing license. This allows me to be able to practice in 23 other states in addition to TN. However, NJ,PA nor MA are apart of this compact licensure. I have attached the compat license states for your review. I would check with your state's Board of Nursing. I hope that helps.

Nurse Compact State License

A nurse with a permanent residency in a NLCstate has a multi-state nursing license and is eligible to work in other states that make up the "compact states." Find out more about specific state licensure here.

The following is the list of the participating states:

• Arizona
  
• Arkansas
  
• Colorado
  
• Delaware
  
• Idaho
  
• Iowa
  
• Kentucky
  
• Maine
  
• Maryland
  
• Mississippi
  
• Missouri
  
• Nebraska
  
• New Hampshire
  
• New Mexico
  
• North Carolina
  
• North Dakota
  
• Rhode Island
  
• South Carolina
  
• South Dakota
  
• Tennessee
  
• Texas
  
• Utah
  
• Virginia
  
• Wisconsin
  

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

"i've been hired by a day camp in my state (nj) to work 3 overnight trips as their rn. their regular ft rn is staying back at the camp. we will be going to ny, pa, and boston. my question is about my nursing license. the camp didn't know the answer and after all it's my license so i want to make sure i have all the facts. i am only licensed in nj. am i covered in the states we will be visiting? how does that work? i know some of the kids are on anti-seizure meds that i will need to administer.

if there were no nurse to go along, kids would get their meds from labeled bottles or daily blisterpacks from a responsible adult. there is no requirement for it to be a nurse to do this. in boy scouts, meds can be held by the scout at the judgment of his parents; the leader can have custody of them otherwise, and observe the scout take his own meds at med time or the adult can pour them and hand them to the scout prn. since it doesn't have to be a licensed person, if you're over the border and you're unlicensed, no biggy. you are held to your license scope and standards for first aid regardless of where you are.

although of course if it's a special needs population they're better off with an experienced nurse on the bus to do all this.

[lawrencenurse]

I am a school nurse in my "real life" and travel with my 8th graders every year for our Washington DC trip. I checked with the board of nursing in our state and my license isn't an issue as I am hired by the school to accompany MY students who I normally treat. Its like a little bubble of my state follows me.

[Azariahjoe]

I guess having these things arranged us quite fine because of many factors, when we think of how we can manage things to the fullest there is a lot that can really be done. Surely its so much fun and at the same time planning thins goodly and manageable stays fine enough.