troop742

SubQ epi is no longer the standard of care, IM gets into the bloodstream faster.

Sounds like you have a lot of good ideas. The Basics of Camp Nursing book is a good place to start also. I do have a little comment. Please don't call it "the infirmary", Your focus shouldn't be all on illness but rather on health promotion.

Our camp hires health care assistants that are anywhere from junior/senior nursing students to ma's to can's. Depends on experience. We're a language immersion camp in northern Minnesota and have openings available to work alongside an RN if you're interested!

If you're willing to travel to northern Minnesota, I can hook you up with an amazing language immersion camp!

I'm in Chicago also and was wondering if you were lucky enough to work at the camp that sings of "All the wealth of Earth and Heaven". This reply to Squire was supposed to follow your job description from Michigan.

I work in a busy city trauma center, and a lot of our nurses thread a roll of tape onto a hemostat and clip it to the bottom of their scrub top. Then they stick the shears through the top, and the whole mess hangs there. Personally, that drives me crazy, I use an old fashioned small fanny pack and it's not bad.

I highly recommend this conference, I've been going for a few years now, and it's VERY worth it! The knowledge, the networking, it's all wonderful! And if you're interested in the camp community in general, this conference is joined with American Camp Assn. national conference. Camp nursing is the best, anyone that's into nursing theories will realize that is follows perfectly with Florence Nightingale's theory of letting the natural environment do the healing.

A good camp name is hard to pick, sometimes someone else will think of it, like last summer we had a camper's mom, also an RN, who wanted to help and learn about camp nursing. Since her name was Sue, I thought of T-Rex. The Field Museum in Chicago has a wonderful nearly complete t-rex named Sue. Sometimes it takes a long time. My own camp name took forever, but is perfect. Otter. I am very playful for a grownup and can be found in water whenever possible. I am personally not a fan of being called "the nurse", as I have a name, and it feels like you can't be bothered to learn it.

I was at Girl Scout camp in southeastern Wisconsin for three weeks, mid-June into July, highest temp was 104!!! Actual temp, not heat index. I am proud to say, no one got actual heat illness, a bit heat-stressed, yes. But nothing worse. Our staff rocks!!! And the worst part was the lack of rain and the intense heat caused an algae bloom in our usually pristine lake. Yuk. So, we got a buses and went off to the local aquatic center. And played a lot of water games. Kickball slip and slide was fun! I'm now is northern Minnesota for four weeks, and the natural air-conditioning is on. And everyone is doing scarily-well! One bad throat that was strep-negative turned out to be mono, but keep fingers crossed, so far, so good!

Definitely join ACN!! And read Myrna and Linda's book! ACN members also offer a one day class, Intro to Camp Nursing, offered in different places around the country. They also have a yearly symposium in conjunction with ACA National Conference. Compass Point, the quarterly magazine, is chock full of good stuff, too!

Our health care staff is very recognizable by the red "go bags" we all carry. Opening and closing we do wear a lab coat/jacket, but the rest of the time t-shirts are fine. Another caveat is remember to wear something to bed you can jump up and go out in, sweats, track pants, scrubs (although they wrinkle). One never knows what happens at 4AM....

And how did they confirm placement? Capnography is the standard, even an esophageal detector would have been OK. How many attempts were made to intubate? If the skills were not up to snuff, there could have been trauma to the airway. Another poster had a point, also, were there advanced directives in place?

Holy Smokes, Batman!!! LongIsland, you certainly have your hands full, yikes!!! How many campers do you have? I feel like a slug compared to you, but I have been busy with crafty things the camp needed done, so time is not wasted. SnowShoe, welcome to the camp nurse world! If you're doing a per-diem or part time thing, summer camp might just be the place. Pay is not always spectacular, but I like the perks. Most places include room and board, so your expenses are cut down, too. There are even places that let you bring your children. You also might try to squeeze in a public health practicum. We had a nurse a couple summers ago that was doing an on-line masters program, and was able to work her way into using it for clinical time. Can't hurt! We are wrapping up the last week of camp, too. It will be nice to hang out with my grown children again, and sleep with my cat on my tummy. But I will be trading the call of the loons on the lake for the sounds of traffic and people. Oh well, hope to be back next summer!

The authors of that book are like the queen mothers of bringing Camp Nursing into it's own as a specialty. It would behoove you also to join the Assn. of Camp Nurses, Compass Point is the publication, and is fabulous! Heather (AKA EunHye, working at a Korean Language camp) Hi, Saeko! where are you?

We have all done some silly things. As a new ED nurse, I managed to get more activated charcoal on me than in the patient. However, I wonder if this wasn't made up. A medication mistake (or choosing the wrong equipment) is no laughing matter, perhaps some of the comments were for comedic value. Some of those errors would have flunked a 101 student.

I agree, Vicks is the one most recommended by the police officers I know that work the police wagon, which used to pick up bodies, many of which were "stinkers". I have also seen them sprinkle coffee grounds to mask that smell. Some people also like Tiger Balm, just a touch under the nose.

Christmas trees are not that strange an allergy. I was told it was the mold, as they are cut so far ahead of time, and have a chance to grow. A fresh tree in the house will make me wheeze, and if I am silly enough to be holding the trunk to steady it to put in the holder, I have broken out in hives.

My favorite are the sicklers who are all "allergic" to anything but dilaudid. Yeah, Yeah, I know some do get so many meds that they could be...but then why do I get very detailed instructions from them on how they wanted the drug slammed?

In our area, paramedics can earn an associate's degree, from the local community college, same as an RN, although AAS not required for licensure as paramedic. Funny thing, though, the registry pay rates are more than double for RN as they are for paramedic to work as tech in ED. And, as someone who works both sides of that fence, my paramedic IV skills can beat RN IV skills any day. I do understand the meds angle, the only meds we can give in the field are from the standing orders. That comment reminds me of the old days, and sometimes still being called "ambulance driver"

HI, which camp? Is this your first CLV experience? I am getting ready for year 4 at Korean Camp, and it is the BEST! Sup So Gui Hosu, Sarang he-yo! (Camp Lake in the Woods, WE love you!) Eun-Hae (Heather)

Just to clarify-the actual nurse group is the Association of Camp Nurses (ACN), and the camp group is the American Camp Assn. (ACA). They do partner quite well, and you were right on with the two web sites, but the titles were off. They are both a wealth of knowledge, and, as a member of ACN, I can vouch for the quality of Compass Point, their newsletter. Just sign me blissfully getting ready for 4 weeks of Concordia Language Village, Heather