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Looking for an exciting summer helping kids stay safe and healthy? Working as a nurse or a nurse assistant at summer camps may be the job for you!

Keeping campers and staff safe and healthy is the responsibility of nurses at summer sleepaway camps and day camps.

Camp nurses provide many types of medical care for children that may include anything from colds and illness, burns and scrapes or broken bones. The duties of camp nurses are varied and may include:

• Establishing and organizing health centers
• Staff orientation
• Providing clean first aid supplies
• Managing communicable diseases
• Creating action plans in the event of an contagious outbreak
• Organizing and dispensing medications
• Treating minor injuries
• Communicating with the parents or family members of campers or staff
• Frequent health checks
• Ensuring the safety of everyone at camp
• Accompanying the sick to medical appointments or hospitals
• Keeping accurate medical records
• Liaising with medical professionals
• Enjoying summer camp!

Nurses at camps must be able to assess medical needs very quickly. In addition to being confident in their abilities, they must be friendly and personable when assisting their patients. Having experience with the specific age groups the camp consists of is also beneficial to camp nurses.

Typical Summer Camp Nurse Job Requirements

• Registered nurse (RN)  or licensed practical nurse (LPN) certification preferred, but not always necessary
• First aid,  CPR and AED certification preferred
• Experience in both pediatric and adult illness/injury care
• Community health knowledge
• Ability to multi-task
• Flexible attitude with strong skills working in a team
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Friendly, empathetic attitude
• Experience and passion for caring for children and young adults
• Must be able to pass a drug and/or background test according to camp policies and local laws

Camp Nurse Salary

Typically, camp nurses can expect to make $1200 – $1500 a week during the summer, or around $5,200 for a typical 4-week session, and $9,000 – $11,000 for a typical 7-8 week session. Salaries depend on credentials and experience and vary from one camp organization to the next.

Typical Camp Nurse Job Benefits and Information

• Begins in early-mid June, about a week before camp is in session, and ends when camp ends or just after, usually in mid-late August for a 7-8 week program.
• Private room and full board
• Travel stipend
• Tuition credit option for camp aged children

*Nurses pursuing opportunities in various states should be mindful of state-specific licensure requirements. In the healthcare field, it’s a common practice for nurses to obtain licensure in the state where they intend to practice. State licensure ensures that nurses meet the specific qualifications, standards, and regulations set by each state’s nursing board. This process helps maintain the quality and safety of healthcare services provided to patients, regardless of the care setting. Therefore, nurses seeking employment in different states are advised to research and fulfill the licensing criteria of the respective state to practice legally and ethically in their chosen healthcare roles.