Camp nurses treat the medical issues, injuries, and illnesses that campers and staff experience during a summer stay. Children, teens, and adults may all have medical needs at camp, and many summer camps are located a fair distance from other medical facilities. Camp nurses make sure everyone is healthy enough to come to have fun, and they are available to address any urgent issues that arise.
Where Do Camp Nurses Work?
Camp nurses find most work opportunities in the summer, so it may not be a viable career for a nurse who wants to work full-time. Some camp nurses are able to come and go each day, but others are required to live at camp if the kids are staying over several nights.
Nurses may find work at traditional summer camps, where children come to stay for a week or longer to engage in activities of all sorts. Other camps may be more focused on a certain group or interest:
Academic and technology camps
Arts and performance camps
Chronic medical illness camps
Faith-based camps
Gender-specific camps
Scouting camps
Special-needs camps
Sports camps
Travel and expedition camps
For camps that focus on a group of kids with a shared medical diagnosis, like cystic fibrosis or cancer, a camp nurse may work with other colleagues to ensure every patient’s safety and continued medical care. Other camp nurse jobs will focus more on first aid and treating mild illnesses like summer colds and rashes.
What Does a Camp Nurse Do?
No matter the type of camp, some kids there will have chronic medical conditions and need daily medication or monitoring. A camp nurse may need to help a child check their blood sugar or remind them to take their morning Adderall.
During a camp stay, nurses may be asked to do some of these tasks:
Administer medications
Pre-camp health assessments
Assure adequate medical supplies
Complete all required paperwork
Educate campers and staff on health topics
Maintain camp health equipment
Manage injuries like sprained ankles, bee stings, burns, and cuts
Monitor contagious outbreaks like chicken pox and pink eye
Provide emotional support for homesickness and interpersonal conflict
Treat illnesses
Camp and school nursing hold many similarities. Camp nurses may deal with their fair share of tummy aches and unexpected period cramps. But they also must stay alert and be ready for more serious injuries. Because camp locations can be remote, camp nurses must be ready to act and make quick and sound health decisions in the event of an emergency. Because of this, many camps prefer to hire nurses who have experience in emergency medicine, trauma, or pediatrics.
After graduating, camp nurses may need to gain some experience in general healthcare before they can be hired at a camp. As graduate nurses (GNs), they can apply for nursing jobs and begin their training. After they pass the NCLEX-RN, their state licensing exam, GNs earn the title of registered nurses (RNs) and can practice independently after finishing their unit orientation.
Camp nurses have no designated specialty certification, but they will be required to obtain their Basic Life Support (BLS) certification before they can work at a camp. Other relevant specialties may be helpful in a camp setting. The American Nurses Credentialing Association offers a Pediatric Nursing Certification (PED-BC), which requires the following before testing:
A current RN license
2 years of full-time experience as a registered nurse
A minimum of 2,000 hours of pediatric nursing experience
30 hours of continuing education in pediatric nursing within the last 3 years
Camp nurses can earn about the same as other RNs who work in a hospital or outpatient setting. Their annual average is $82,920 per year as of 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Salaries can change with location and experience, with a low-end average of $61,250 and a high-end of $129,400.
The West Coast, New England states, and Alaska pay nurses the best, but the cost of living in these areas can also be high. The lowest paying states are in the Midwest and some southeastern states.
Nurses of all specialties are in high demand in the U.S. currently. Camps can find it hard to fill nursing roles because of their temporary nature. The COVID-19 pandemic shut a lot of camps down in 2020 and 2021, but camp enrollment is expected to increase through 2028. As a result, more nurses may be able to find work at summer camps.
What Are the Benefits of Being a Camp Nurse?
Camp nurses get the unique experience of being in charge of a large group’s medical care. Most nurses work directly under the supervision of a physician or an advanced practice nurse, but camp nurses must be able to work independently. They always have resources to call on, but they are often the only medical professionals on site.
Instead of fluorescent lighting and sterile surfaces, camp nurses can enjoy working outdoors in beautiful settings. Additionally, living expenses and meals are typically included along with salary. Camp nurses often get to see the same children many years in a row and serve as role models for young minds.
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