patabe

I know your frustration. Remember your Lic. and do not set your self up for trouble. The camp Director can not really know the implications unless you are very direct with them. I let the parents know with a letter what will be excluded from camp until they are better. You are only one person-heaven help you and keep in mind you are the ONLY ONE THEY HAVE so speak up! No fevers no lice and i ask kids if they took Motrin before they came for a fever- some of them slip up na di catch them. As in school a sick child can not appreciate camp when they are ill and you can not be awake 24 hours and be a good nurse. The CDC speaks to ILI and they are clear about fever. I also ask if the child has been around anyone in the last 7-3 days with a fever or ILI. You really can not care for ill campers with fever for you will be up all night and remember how well they share things, like germs and lice. When my director sends out the registeration package and the physical exam he puts the information for at least temp exclusion on all papers in BOLD print.So their are no surprises on the first day. You must have him /her on board- the big problem is the $$$ they lose if the kid can not start the first day- this can not be avoided. let the director or assistant stay up every night with the sick kid they pushed you into letting in. Camp should also be a good experience for you, not an ordel. I am very well paid at my camp as well as the other nurses I work with but nothing is worth the aggraviation a director can put you through when they are not supportive. I just remembered you ahve a doctor associated with your camp- have him also on board with reasons to exclude from camp-

The questions i need to ask about admission day is what kind of camp, is child accompanied by parent and where are the medical records and meds if needed? I set up a sheet that has child's name any allergies diagnosis, health issues, medicatios on and received. My camp is for wheel chair and physically disabled children. With illness at admission- not to start till illness resolved for 24 hours- parent can bring them back and you can reassess them. I take everyones temp on admission day. Also get a team of nurses not just you and a counslor so you can do a real assessment and trouble shot. I also inform all parents that if I find that their child is ill they will have to be sent home until fever or symptom for 24-48 hours with no meds. Make sure the med orders are all in order before they come as you know this can be real reouble. If i have a child on seizure meds and there is a problem I won't allow them to stay as I can't afford them to have seizures with out my ability to medicate. Remember that if things are not in order it can be a medication error. Another thought is with seizure meds some parents try to reduce the meds when out of school. Camp is not the place to play that game and I inform my parents of seizure medicatios that they have to under control and no reduction while at camp-saftey is very important. Just some thoughts. I hope you think some of this is helpful. Good luck:D:D