CareBearnurse

Well, I'm going to keep in touch with barbyann, and work when she's off. Oh, yeh.

I remember the first time I went to a nursing home while working for an agency. No one had wrist bands on, and only a few residents had their pics in the chart. So, I'd ask the aides where's Mrs. so n so? Answer, oh she's the little old white haired lady, with glasses across the room (dining hall, full of little ol' ladies with white hair and glasses). Now which one would that be? If you are a regular employee you can handle those numbers of pts. because you know them. But, coming in cold, yikes! I have not worked with med techs, and they are becoming more popular here, but I don't think I really like the idea much. Liz

I've had the flu shot every year for the past 15 years. Never made be sick. When I was in high school in 1968 I got the Asian flu. Thought I was, and wished I would die. I't no fun.

CNA experience is becoming more of a requirement for many RN programs, and will continue to be so even more. It's great experience for RN students to have, and cuts down on teacing some of the basics you need to know, plus gets you used to being up close and personal in patients' spaces. All very valuable for a beginning RN student. Some people end up deciding that nursing is not for them after being a CNA. I have heard some students say they want to be an RN because they don't want to have to actually touch patients doing personal care. That is NOT what nursing, on any level, is about.

This past summer I have worked with a first aider during weekend camping for girl scouts. This first aider is a former EMT, no longer certified. He also has impaired vision, so I do all the documentation, and have him co-sign for the care he has done. I know exaclty what he has done, because I have to supervise what he does due to his impaired vision. (I have had to correct some things he was doing). The question I have is this: As an EMT he said he made copies of ALL his treaments/reports, and one other EMT he worked with did the same. Now he wants me to make copies (hand written, we don't use computers) for each case we treat, and then keeps those copies at home. I do not want to do this for 2 reasons: A) I think it violates HIPPA laws, and B)This is not necessary. I document well, and then these records are kept and stored by the Girl Scout District, incase they need to be retrieved. So, I do NOT want to be copying a second page of these reports when it is not necessary. He wants to keep his copy so he can have them to bring forward should the original come to be needed. Have you ever heard of such a thing? I know in the hospital some nurses would keep their daily assignment sheets for the same reason. The thing is, I don't even think either of these would even be considered in court, if they were offered. I would appreciate any suggetstions/thoughts about this. Liz

Melnyk says it takes 15 - 17 years for evidence to change practice. It takes that long!!!!! I'm surprised that nurses would be that hard to get educated, and change, especially with the continuing ed we are required to have. I think that is one very good reason nurses should be members of their specialty fields, and get their regularly published magz, to keep up with new research that affects practice.

I think some people here have wayyyyy to much time on their hands, lol.

Yes, especially now there are no mercury thermometers.

Sorry, But I disagree with the frozen ketchup packets. Not that they wouldn't work, but it is wasteful and enviromentally not good. Yes, ice bags are plastic as well, but they are/should be reusable.

What about the use of water in a camp setting. The water is potable and used for drinking, but the spickets are outside in locations around the camp, and easily accesable. I feel it is okay to use to wash wounds, but another nurse feels it isn't safe, so uses H2O2.

You could look at it this way - since you have all those people around you, use it to learn Spanish. You have a lot of people to practice with.

At our camp homesickness is very common, the worst cases manifesting physical ills, i.e. stomach ache, nausea, headache, even asthma flair ups. And some kids are so good at faking symptoms such as a UTI. Counselors prefer to take charge of homesickness, unless it one of these physical compaints comes in to play. And, honestly, for the nurse it can be hard to tell whether something medically may be developing or if it's just homesickess. If the child is fine during the day, but these physical ills repeat themselves every night or just at certain times of the day, such as turtle time, it's usually homesickness. It's important for counselors and nurses to realize that a lack of sleep, feeling 'yucky' due to sweating and camp dust can increase feelings homesickness, too. Who wouldn't want to be at home to take a nice clean, private bath/shower and to curl up in one's bed with a book perhaps, until falling asleep in your airconditioned room, lol. I've had the feeling many of times!

Hello to all, I am about to complete my first year as the only nurse at a Girl Scout summer camp. I'm the only one during my weeks to work, but split the time with another nurse. Our camp averages about 120 campers each week, with a capacity of 180. This is the first year this camp has had RNs for a Health Supervisor position, and we are still working out some issues. While I love the job, I don't think I could do it each week all summer long. I am on 24/hrs a day, no time off, until Fridays at about 4pm, and back on Sunday at 9:30 am. If I've had an unusual amount of night times calls during the week, I'm drained by Friday. So I'm glad to share the time, with another nurse. I will be posting some questions we have about this job to the forums for some help. Glad to meet all of you, and look forward to 'talking' with you.

Lannisz, Also, ask how many campers there are for one nurse, and how staff medications are dealt with. Usually staff meds are also locked up in the health center and camps have different ways of handling how staff get their meds. Some have them adiministered by the nurse, others, they just come in and get them at certain times. Ask what your responsibiliy is for these. CareBearnurse First year as a camp nurse at GS Camp Oconeechee in NC. It's been frustrating at times but fun.

Hello, I wanted to use my name on this foum, Care Bear, but that was taken. Then I tried Boo Boo, but that was taken as well, =~/. So then the gals and I chatted, and the subject of the TV show Scrubs came up, and I love that show, so that's who I am at camp now. Scrubs. I like it. I brought an older set of scrubs of mine, and have the counselors and girls (It's a girls scout camp) write on it. It will be a nice keep sake of my camp nursing days. Liz Ryan P.S. This is not silly at all. If you don't have a camp name the counselors can be quite ornery with coming up with a name for you, lol.