Each camp has a health care team that includes 1 RN and 2-4 Health Care Assistants.  Practicum students often fill the role of Health Care Assistant.  The Health Care Team play an important role in maintaining camper, staff and volunteer health and safety at camp.  They work closely with camp coordinators, programmers and counsellors to ensure that camp activities are safe and fun! 

Typical Day at Camp for a Health Care Team Member

No day is typical at camp, but this is as close to one as we can create on paper!

7:00am - Time to wake up!  Mornings are a busy time for the Health Care Team at Camp.  The Campers get up at 7:30 so you’ll likely be getting ready for those who have early medications or who need catheterization.

7:30am - Campers wake up.  Depending on the week, your duties may include:
-Assisting Campers who use catheters (e.g. 7:30-8:15)
-Checking in with Campers and Counsellors re. Incidents from previous day/ needs for the present day.
-Attending to any Camper on special schedules (e.g. Blood Glucose; dressing changes).
-Making sure that medication is ready to administer at breakfast.

8:30am - Breakfast.  This is an important time to administer medications.  Once meds have been given out, you should have time to join one of the groups – especially if one could use an extra pair of hands, or if a particular Camper requires some assistance. Watch out, you don’t want to get caught with your elbows on the table, or you will get called for a song and dance!

9:30am - Campers will be finishing their meals and getting ready to head to morning program.  This is a great time to:
- Complete MAR’s/charts/documentation as necessary.
- Prepare meds for lunchtime.
- Meet with the rest of the health care team to discuss the day
- Be on-call for…everything! Scraped knees, homesickness, etc…
- Go on a sunscreen/water/hat round to remind everyone about sun care.
- Participate in program activities.  Play basketball!  Tie-dye your socks!  Go swimming with a camper

12:30pm - Lunchtime.  Second major medication time of the day.   Lunch is a key time that programmers try and develop the story line - so now is your chance to help them out by pumping it up with the campers! 

2:00pm - Campers head to afternoon program.  Between now and the next Catheter Session or dinner, you’ll
-Complete MAR’s/charts/documentation as necessary
-Prepare medication for dinner and/or rest break
-Be on call (as always!)
-Check in with Campers/Counsellors –especially those who need braces removed; be checked for pressure sores, etc…     
-Assist Campers on individual schedules
-Participate in programs!  Help the programmers out by playing a character!
-TAKE A BREAK! (The late afternoon is a chance for down time.)

4:15pm - Juice Break.  Third major medication time.  Programmers will be giving out juice/water and a snack.  Your duties include:
-Administering medications.
-Reminding Campers/staff about sunscreen/hydration/hats

4:30pm - Campers and Counsellors are headed for rest break, but this is still a busy time for you: 
-Complete MAR’s/charts/documentation as necessary
-Prepare afternoon treatments (cats; BM; dressings etc…)
-Review Camper charts and any incident or seizure reports.
-Hang out with campers in the dorms

5:30pm - Dinner time.  This is the next major med time.  Watch out for an ineveitable bad guy sighting!

6:30pm - Complete necessary documentation; prepare bedtime treatments and medications.

7:30pm - Evening program begins.  Once everything is ready for evening juice break, you’ll want to either take a bit of a break, or participate in the evening program.  This is usually a great time to check in with coordinators to discuss any concerns, upcoming events etc.

8:30/9pm - Juice Break - Depending on whether it’s a kids week or teen week, the program will end around 8:30 or 9:00 pm.  Programmers will be serving water and snack.  This is your last major medication time of the day. 

9/9:30pm - Bedtime.  As everyone gets settled in the dorms, you will be finishing paperwork, responding to campers as needed and debriefing with your team.  You might head to the staff lounge for some yummy snacks and to hang out with the rest of the staff team.  And then, off to bed!