Most people have been to camp as a child at least once. While there, staff is comprised of several different professionals, one being the Camp Nurse. This medical professional provides general and in some cases, comprehensive care in case of injury and/or illness to the kids and teenagers who have come to camp. For the nurse, this particular nursing career is extremely fun and rewarding, but also unique.
Camp Nurse Career, Role of a Camp Nurse
In most cases, this type of professional is a Registered Nurse who can provide a wide array of medical services. While most situations at camp involve minor illness or injury, there are instances when more serious things occur. Typically, the Camp Nurse can handle just about anything that arises but whenever a situation calls for emergency or specialized treatment, this person would be able to make the determination and seek additional medical assistance.
The Camp Nurse is also qualified to dispense medication brought with a child to camp, offer first aid, conduct ongoing health and wellness checks, maintain medical records, accompany a sick or injured child to the hospital, and overall, he or she ensures not only the campers but also staff are safe while at camp. Other responsibilities of a Camp Nurse include keeping a list of doctors, pharmacies, and hospitals, as well as serving as a liaison, keeping communication lines open with parents in the case of a child becoming ill or injured, and being present at certain events and activities to provide immediate medical care if needed.
Camp Nurse Educational Requirements
For a career as a Camp Nurse, an individual would need to be a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), or preferably, a Registered Nurse (RN). Therefore, the person would need to have an Associate’s degree in nursing, Bachelor’s degree in nursing, or Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited school. Additionally, in some cases and based on the level of camp, a nurse in this field may be required to have a PhD. Along with this, continuing education courses would be mandatory, allowing the Camp Nurse to remain on top of current medical practices, as well as changes.
To qualify for this unique position, the nurse would need to be able to dedicate time, usually anywhere from four to eight weeks at a time while away at home. For this reason, anyone interested in a Camp Nurse career should be flexible. Depending on the camp, it may also be necessary for the Camp Nurse to have a specialty nursing license or other medical training such as training and/or education specific to pediatrics.
This individual may also want to check on state certifications or at least consider joining a professional organization to include the Association of Camp Nurses. Of course, along with the standard educational requirements of a Camp Nurse, this person should have a tremendous amount of patients since the job involves working with children between the age of 6 and 18 for the most part, offer strong assessment skills, be personable and confidential, and have a real desire to make time away at camp the best it can be for children.
Camp Nurse Salaries
A career as a Camp Nurse, salary would be based on nursing degree, level of education and training, the number of medical staff working the camp, and geographic location. However, as a general rule, a Camp Nurse makes between $3,000 and $4,000 plus room, board, and travel allowance for an eight-week period. Sometimes, a Camp Nurse will go from one camp to another throughout the summer months and then work other nursing jobs during the off season. Now, a nurse who works at a camp designated specifically for children with serious illness such as diabetes, asthma, or cancer, pay is usually higher.
Camp Nurse Opportunities
Today, the number of camps found in the United States is much greater than years ago and as mentioned, there are now many wonderful camps created specifically for special needs children. Because the camp experience is such an important part of any child’s life, the opportunities for a Camp Nurse are quite good. Finally, because this type of career allows a nurse on multiple levels to get away and do something different, it has become a very appealing opportunity.
