Volunteering for the weekend for Scout trip?

[CloudySue]

Any of you ever do some free work for your child's Girl/Boy Scout camping trips? I'm a GS leader and the head of our service unit has asked me if I would serve as their first aid person on their three-day camping trip this spring, as a volunteer, of course. I've worked in summer-long camps before, but this is different, I'd be there for one weekend at a camp which is rented from the GS council. There will be about 10 troops there. I have my own Liability Insurance. Anyone care to share their experiences in a situation like this?

[dee78]

I have been for day camp, was supposed to for a weekend but they found someone else. My understanding is it is mostly insect bites/stings, scrapes, minor ailments, and maybe sprains. But obviously anything can happen. They gave me a radio so they could contact me if needed, so you are basically on call, drop what you are doing to run to the "emergency!"

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

I've done this more times than I can count with Boy Scouts. I brought my own first aid backpack. In addition to the usual bandaids, Telfas/tape, and ace wraps I carried sturdy big bandage scissors, a stethoscope and BP cuffs for large and small people, ice packs, hot packs, a few small unopened bottles of drinking water for wound irrigation, a tick tool for removing ticks and cards/scotch tape for labeling them to send home, jello to make with hot water for hypothermia (not sugar-free), Life Savers for suspected hypoglycemia, Maalox tabs for upset tummies, bouillon cubes for suspected hyponatremia, Caladryl lotion for poison ivy, and OTC meds for the adults and if I had to call parents for a kid-- I figure an adult leader is capable of consenting to having acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or ASA prn if they ask for it.

I brought tampons and pads for those little surprises, which were rare in the BSA but we did have female Venturers and leaders.

I had a really great formal first aid kit from Outdoor Research that had a SAM splint, eye irrigation stuff, vials to collect biting insects or vomitus if needed, a great wilderness med handbook, and all kinds of useful stuff and such. The Boy Scouts have a standard health lodge log book for record-keeping, and I imagine the GSUSA does too, but if not, bring a spiral-bound notebook you can turn in to the council office at the end.

Biggest problems:

-- Hypothermia from inadequate clothing and training on how to recognize it and treat it

-- Kids whose parents thought a campout weekend would be a perfect time to give them a "medication holiday" from their ADD meds, not thinking that requirements for attention and behavior are the same as for school

Most common problems:

-- lacerations/scrapes/contusions

-- strains/sprains

-- scalds/burns

-- homesickness/don't wanna use the outhouse tummy

[JBudd, MSN]

Not much to add to GrnTea: I've done both GS and BS and always had a blast.

Don't be surprised when the health care form is incomplete. I once had a surgeon dad refuse to sign "because I'm always on call, so you can always reach me if there is a problem". Really? you want me to call at midnight for a Tylenol and a bandaid? When I explained the emergency consent was for first aid as well as major problems, and we would always call for anything similar to major problems (since he was available our blanket consent wouldn't kick in, its worded in event of not being able to reach you), he finally signed it - crossing out the consent for major stuff. sheesh.

[CloudySue]

Thank you for your responses! Any comments regarding the legal aspect of passing meds? Am I working under the direction of the prescribing doctor if I give scrip meds, or am I just the "First Aider", not practicing w my license at all?

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

Not much to add to GrnTea: I've done both GS and BS and always had a blast.

Don't be surprised when the health care form is incomplete. I once had a surgeon dad refuse to sign "because I'm always on call, so you can always reach me if there is a problem". Really? you want me to call at midnight for a Tylenol and a bandaid? When I explained the emergency consent was for first aid as well as major problems, and we would always call for anything similar to major problems (since he was available our blanket consent wouldn't kick in, its worded in event of not being able to reach you), he finally signed it - crossing out the consent for major stuff. sheesh.

I've spent a number of years as a Health Officer for a Boy Scout camp - our camp's policy was that if that line on Part B (or the equivalent on predecessor health forms) was not signed and unaltered, the scout could not spend the night. For most troops, the car ride was 6 hours to get to camp. Those forms were signed.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

Thank you for your responses! Any comments regarding the legal aspect of passing meds? Am I working under the direction of the prescribing doctor if I give scrip meds, or am I just the "First Aider", not practicing w my license at all?

IANAL, but you're an adult leader who happens to be an RN...of which there are no shortage to drag into court for peer testimony. If you're just a leader for a single troop, don't do anything silly (like give one scout's meds to another) and there's not much legal to it.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

The BSA has no rules on that, so they leave it up to the individual leader. Personally I'm not comfortable leaving the meds to the kid but if they come to me in their original containers with the prescriber's name, dose, and instruction on it and I have the parental consent noting that the kid is taking it, I don't have a problem giving it. In mumblemumble years I have never seen or heard of a problem c this.

[CloudySue]

Thank you!

[Do-over, ASN, RN]

homesickness/don't wanna use the outhouse tummy

Back in my "summer camp working days" something to make the kids poop was considered THE cure for homesickness. And, the indoor bathroom at the health hut was a miracle cure for constipation secondary to bashful bowels or fear of semi-outdoor toilet facilities.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Back in my "summer camp working days" something to make the kids poop was considered THE cure for homesickness. And, the indoor bathroom at the health hut was a miracle cure for constipation secondary to bashful bowels or fear of semi-outdoor toilet facilities.

We told the parents in pre-camp parent meeting to be sure to give their kids LOTS of fiber in the week before camp. Sneak that clear fibercon stuff into their spaghetti sauce or soup, give them high-fiber bread in sandwiches, lots of fresh fruit, baked potatoes with skins...