Summer jobs for school nurses

kidzcare · Nov 13, 2017

I worked at a summer camp last summer and it was awesome. I did it mostly so my kids could attend but it was cool for me too (though, to be fair, I probably would not do it if my kids weren't going).

What you posted looks more like it is on a campus. If you start looking into camps, I would advise you to ask a LOT of questions. Namely what a typical day looks like, how many campers, how many nurses (DO NOT be the only nurse at a camp, you'll be on call 24/7), what the population looks like (how many diabetics, is it a special needs camp, etc), what EMS response time is, how close the nearest hospital is, what stock meds are available, what other duties you might have outside of day to day nursing duties.

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2017

I think there's a whole section on AN for summer camp nurses that you can check.

I work sporadically at the camp my daughter attends. They love school nurses. Every camp is different. My camp's in the state where I'm licensed but I have researched other camps and many will assist you in obtaining temporary licensure if you're not working in a compact state.

What you're going to see will vary greatly between camps. Our 3 1/2 week camp now does intake of all meds by a licensed pharmacist (they check everything in) and we set up a delivery system for AM, lunch, dinner, and bedtime meds. Sick call varies (it's only supposed to be at lunch but any time nursing staff are anywhere near kids, it's apparently sick call).

Ask about whether the camp has a doc on site. We usually do; sometimes the doc is an ER pediatrician, sometimes s/he is a radiologist. That's going to make a big difference in what you can do. We have a manual with standing orders but it's always better to have someone in earshot with oversight.

Ask about the structure of the day. We finally (this is over 9 years) went to a nurse on call AM, afternoon, PM, overnight - that way everyone else wasn't feeling they had to hang around the clinic.

The reality is that camp often feels like 12 hour shifts. There's some medical need, some emotional need, and some kids just not having fun - sort of like school.

LikeTheDeadSea, MSN, RN · Nov 13, 2017

I've been at my camp for 5 years. It's an all-boys residential 7.5week long in the woods on a lake in Maine. I LOVE it. (We're currently looking for another nurse for this summer...)

Also, I've done Extended School Year programs for the Intermediate Unit or School District. My experiences with those have also been pretty good, and once life limits me from going to Camp, I'll definitely go back to ESY, but for now camp wins!

Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions.

Farawyn · Nov 13, 2017

Welcome, OP!

I do per visit home health.

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Nov 13, 2017

not a school nurse, but I enjoy this forum...I do Occupational health at Govt health units(were contractors) and I know a few of the PRN staff that work during the summer are school nurses...not sure if they had been full/part time prior to being PRN....

scuba nurse, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 15, 2017

does your district have summer school? I usually work that, it is a shorter day and the pay is much higher and it is usually only 4 weeks.

Baltimore RN · Nov 16, 2017

Thank you, all, for your wonderful input!! I'll definitely ask a LOT of questions!

nmr79 · Nov 16, 2017

Our school district has a summer camp for all kids K-8. It's 6 weeks, 3 hours a day. I did it last summer, since it was held at my school, and it was a good way to get my office set up and to get the lay of the land. My daughter went to the camp, so that was a bonus. Hopefully I'll do that again. If not, I am still on staff at the hospital where I used to work, as a PRN (I work 1 shift per month). I could always pick up more shifts in the summer (they're busy, and lots of people take vacations, so there's always a need). But camp was great.