I just wanted to rant a bit right now. I'm 26 years old and I already got a career, but I want to pursue more.
Since I joined this site I learned so much about this type of job and I found out about summer camps. I got on the ACA website and other places and also went to websites to find job, I mainly looked in Texas but lots of them said they needed an LVN or RN, not a CMA.
So I then decided to widen my job search to every state and I got call backs. Two places in New york and Philadelphia want to hire me, I did a pros and cons list and the Philly one sounds good, it pays more, I get more days off and there's more in staff than the other place. It's a 24/7 job, but its small shifts and everyone takes turns. I get my own room, They do trips and they let the staff leave the camp at night to walk around town and do what you want.
I like this idea and I asked for the pay, the other place wanted to pay 2,000 for the whole summer which was 9 weeks, but this one is 8 weeks and 4,100. The other job I was not going to be doing much what I wanted to do, which is learn more skills in pediatrics.
So for me, the Philly one sounds good, but my parents won't let me. They want me to find something close, but I tried, but not many are hiring CMAs. Plus I like the idea of an adventure, but it's like I'm being pulled back because of my parents.
Am I making the right choice for this job?
Edit: I know there's a camp nurse forum, but there's rarely anyone there.
I spoke with my parents today and I established that I would want to take this job because I want some independence and also I want to broaden my horizons. They were okay with it and I accepted the job. They'll be okay with the kids, they'll probably be with their father and my parents will be fine by themselves.
This is awesome. I know I don't even know you but I am super proud of you! It is a scary thing to leave family for the first time but I really hope you have a good time and learn a lot. Hugs!
I spoke with my parents today and I established that I would want to take this job because I want some independence and also I want to broaden my horizons. They were okay with it and I accepted the job. They'll be okay with the kids, they'll probably be with their father and my parents will be fine by themselves.
Speak with the recruiter. A good recruiter has this conversation regularly with parents of their young counselor staff.
I was lead nurse at a summer camp in PA for several years. You will grow from this opportunity and hopefully enjoy the work. It will also enhance your assessment skills and you will see more sports injuries and rashes than you will want to remember. A camp health center is responsible for the entire camp no matter the age. It can be grueling and the food is generally geared to the kid side.
Do know that living AND working with coworkers is VERY different from being able to go home at the end of the day. It can get "messy" if everyone does not get along or pull their weight. Don't get pulled into that.
Socially you get close to the staff and campers quickly - but be careful. I always warned my nursing student mind who you trust and are alone with.
Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
Speak with the recruiter. A good recruiter has this conversation regularly with parents of their young counselor staff.
I was lead nurse at a summer camp in PA for several years. You will grow from this opportunity and hopefully enjoy the work. It will also enhance your assessment skills and you will see more sports injuries and rashes than you will want to remember. A camp health center is responsible for the entire camp no matter the age. It can be grueling and the food is generally geared to the kid side.
Do know that living AND working with coworkers is VERY different from being able to go home at the end of the day. It can get "messy" if everyone does not get along or pull their weight. Don't get pulled into that.
Socially you get close to the staff and campers quickly - but be careful. I always warned my nursing student mind who you trust and are alone with.
Thank you for the advice, I'll keep them in mind. I tend to keep to myself anyways, so I'll try not to be too open to people.
Do you have any other advice on what else I'll see there?
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
I live right outside Philadelphia and I grew up right outside New York City. If you are working in NYC you can go anywhere you want in the city using the exceptional subway system fast and cheap. In Philly, it's a little different. There is a subway system, but it doesn't cover the whole city well. You might have to spend time on a bus to get where you want to go within the city. Philly is really large with pockets that are boring and pockets that are unsafe and the uninteresting/unsafe parts tend to be cut off from the subway. My first question before taking the Philly job would be "Where is this camp exactly?"
Now, if we are talking about a camp in a not so nice neighborhood, that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. But my next question would be, do you have a car? Is there parking available for employees? Are you comfortable driving in the city? If you've only driven on sporifice country roads you may find Philly driving challenging, but you can get used to it.
If you don't have a car plug in the camp address to google maps and then choose 8th and market street as a destination (close to a lot of places you'll want to visit and a hub for the subway). Choose public transportation. How long is it taking you to get there with how many transfers?
Now, let me be clear, that if it takes you an hour to get to there with a lot of transfers, I am not saying you should turn down the job. Just that you understand what it will be like.
Because you might decide that you'd rather go to NYC, if you've been offered something there. You said New York which could mean upstate, in which case I would take the Philly job in a heartbeat. If the Philly job was in center city I would take it over NYC anyway, because its so much more money and you can easily do day trips to NYC from Philly, it's only 1 and a half to 3 hours away bus or train.
Some other things to consider and plan for yourself-- you will be close to Atlantic city and other parts of the Jersey Shore. There are really cheap buses that run from Philly to Atlantic City all the time. Well worth it in the summer time.
Have fun with this. Best wishes to you. Ask me anything you want.
Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
I live right outside Philadelphia and I grew up right outside New York City. If you are working in NYC you can go anywhere you want in the city using the exceptional subway system fast and cheap. In Philly, it's a little different. There is a subway system, but it doesn't cover the whole city well. You might have to spend time on a bus to get where you want to go within the city. Philly is really large with pockets that are boring and pockets that are unsafe and the uninteresting/unsafe parts tend to be cut off from the subway. My first question before taking the Philly job would be "Where is this camp exactly?"
Now, if we are talking about a camp in a not so nice neighborhood, that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. But my next question would be, do you have a car? Is there parking available for employees? Are you comfortable driving in the city? If you've only driven on sporifice country roads you may find Philly driving challenging, but you can get used to it.
If you don't have a car plug in the camp address to google maps and then choose 8th and market street as a destination (close to a lot of places you'll want to visit and a hub for the subway). Choose public transportation. How long is it taking you to get there with how many transfers?
Now, let me be clear, that if it takes you an hour to get to there with a lot of transfers, I am not saying you should turn down the job. Just that you understand what it will be like.
Because you might decide that you'd rather go to NYC, if you've been offered something there. You said New York which could mean upstate, in which case I would take the Philly job in a heartbeat. If the Philly job was in center city I would take it over NYC anyway, because its so much more money and you can easily do day trips to NYC from Philly, it's only 1 and a half to 3 hours away bus or train.
Some other things to consider and plan for yourself-- you will be close to Atlantic city and other parts of the Jersey Shore. There are really cheap buses that run from Philly to Atlantic City all the time. Well worth it in the summer time.
Have fun with this. Best wishes to you. Ask me anything you want.
Well the camp is in a secluded area, it's called Camp Starlight. You can google it but it's right next to Hancock. It's pretty far from a town, but they tell us that we can go visit a town on the bus at night to get ice cream and mcdonalds if we choose to. Its 2 hours from New York. I'm not sure if I understood the director's accent but he said the nearest airport is LaGuardia or something that starts with La, but he said that from there, I take a bus to the Marriott and a bus from there takes us to the camp.
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
Well the camp is in a secluded area, it's called Camp Starlight. You can google it but it's right next to Hancock. It's pretty far from a town, but they tell us that we can go visit a town on the bus at night to get ice cream and mcdonalds if we choose to. Its 2 hours from New York. I'm not sure if I understood the director's accent but he said the nearest airport is LaGuardia or something that starts with La, but he said that from there, I take a bus to the Marriott and a bus from there takes us to the camp.
Okay, so that is way, way far away from Philly, by our standards. By midwestern standards, I guess that's like Philly, LOL.
Your camp is closer to NYC than it is to Philly. You could visit NYC one day.
The area where your camp is, is beautiful. You will have a wonderful experience and make great money at the same time.
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NurseBeans, BSN, MSN, RN
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