How to Make a List of Medical Supplies for the Camp Nurse

Camp nurses have many responsibilities. Campers come to the health center with a range of problems, and the camp nurse should be able to address everything that comes her way. Making a list of necessary medical supplies is moderately easy. You'll need to consider a number of variables to determine specific needs. There are also helpful resources to advise you as you create your list.

Instructions

Making a list of medical supplies for the camp nurse

• 1

  Consider the basic demographics of the camp. Is it a sleep-away camp? A day camp? Will the campers be healthy children, or is it a camp for special-needs kids or children with cancer? What about activities? Camp nurses must have supplies that can address the kinds of injuries that could occur at the camp--and injuries from archery camp will differ vastly from those found at horseback-riding camp, or rock-climbing camp. In addition to supplies for the camp's health center, you'll also need to order at least one first-aid kit for every activity location at the camp. If hiking is one of the camp's activities, assume one kit for every hiking team or event. Determining these basic pieces of information will help you make a list of supplies for any potential medical problems.

• 2

  Think about weather, environment and geography. Is there risk of sunburn or sun poisoning? Is the camp in an area where there might be a high tick population? What about snakes? Consider the possibility of rashes or allergies to plants, like poison oak or poison ivy. Plan your list of medical supplies to address any problems caused by these variables as well.

• 3

  Assess the distance and quality of the nearest medical facilities. Planning your list of medical supplies will need to account for the distance the camp is from the nearest source of medical care. If, for example, the camp is very close to a town with a community hospital, you may not need as extensive a collection of medical supplies as you would if the camp were a great distance from even a quick-care clinic or doctor's office. Get an idea of where your nearest resources are and plan your list accordingly.

• 4

  Tap into resources from other camp nurses. In many cases, camp nurses either learned by trial and error or from a more experienced nurse. Make use of online resources, such as those offered by the Association of Camp Nurses (acn.org) to tap into the experience offered by thousands of other camp nursing professionals.