Written by Our Mini II Nurse Jill
I was not a kid who got to go to sleepaway camp, though I did work at one in my early college years. It was an interesting experience to say the least, as any ex-camp counselor can attest to. But, I knew that it was a gift I wanted to be able to give my kids when I had them someday, and I made a promise to find a way. Fast forward almost 30 years later and I can proudly say that I have kept this promise to my children, and in some ways, myself too.
My girls have attended Keystone Camp for the past decade. That first year, when I was picking up my older daughter, I struck up a conversation with the then-head camp nurse and said, “Hey, if you ever need a nurse, I’d be game.” That was the beginning of my camp nursing journey. The second year my girls attended Keystone I joined too, as the camp nurse. I went into it with some fears and a major misunderstanding of what it would be like. My prior nursing experience at that time was working on pediatric medical/surgical units, as well as in adult and pediatric intensive care units. These professional experiences are pretty intense. I remember thinking as I headed off for my first summer here at Keystone, “How hard can camp nursing be? (imagine an eyeroll along with this thought).” I expected to see scrapped knees, bug bites, and a sprain here and there. I quickly learned that I held major misconceptions. These were very soon corrected. Camp nursing is considerably more involved, and there were a plethora of camp ailments I would see: many minor, some more involved, some more major, some I knew what to do to treat, and some that I would learn what to do to fix. I’ve certainly become more adept, but every summer brings a new surprise.
With the realization that camp nursing is often a wild ride and full of surprises, one would think I would be less likely to return…but I have returned 8 times over the last decade. Every year is an adventure, as I always learn something new and am reconstructing my understanding of the whole child. Just when I felt like I had the skills to handle most anything, Covid began. Covid has forever changed camp healthcare dynamics and challenged us in new ways. These past few summers being particularly challenging because no longer are we dealing with just the physical things, but also a lot of psychological issues as well. Despite these new challenges, I haven’t waivered much in my quest to return again. After each summer I return home exhausted, always able to share a wild story or two and some tale of an intriguing mystery ailment I came across, but always fulfilled. If you ask me right after I get home if I’ll return next summer, I’ll often say, “I don’t know,” but give me a few weeks of sleep in my own bed and time to process my camp experience and the answer is always yes.
So why do I come back year after year? Mostly I think it’s because of the people; I have made amazing lifelong friends who I cherish. I also love that I get to participate in the camp experience some: I have tie-dyed, ziplined, walked the trails, still dress up for theme days, and get to explore my silly side; the kids love silly. I really love seeing campers grow up. I am always amazed at how many campers greet me and are genuinely happy to see me back. There is a simple joy in bringing a smile to a kid’s face…now imagine doing that by just showing up. I have stories about so many of them doing big things and getting over humps related to the bumps and bruises of camp. There are a few who I thought would never leave my front porch as our youngest campers, and who are now remembering to come in for their important medications and know only to come when they really need to be seen. They, in other words, have figured it out.
What’s really interesting about camp is it is very much about independence scaffolding, at least it is at Keystone. As all of you know, campers at Keystone are in charge of their day. At the beginning of the session, they decide which activities they will participate in, when in the day they will do them, and how hard they want to push themselves to achieve new skills/levels of achievement. They learn to decide for themselves if they like something they are trying for the first time or not. These are the obvious ways kids at camp learn autonomy. But what isn’t so obvious are the healthcare advocacy and self-care skills they learn while away from home.
As a camper, you need to really assess how you are feeling today: “Did I drink enough water? Am I making good food choices? Am I feeling emotionally well? Do I need to slow down?” Camp might be the first time for these self-check-ins. Next, you need to learn how to decide if the way you are feeling warrants a trip to see a camp nurse and how to speak to what you are feeling and advocate for care. Camp may be the very first time kids will do this, but it is vital to their lifelong success in navigating their personal health and a healthcare system. It’s often the first time kids are experiencing illness or injury without their parents. This is so important. It sets them up for college life, which like camp, brings about all kinds of new illnesses; Some that are common like colds, flu, strep throat, etc., but also some that are less common and can be quite serious. They need to learn how to know what is serious and what isn’t. Kids need to develop independence in seeking care and knowing when they can administer self-care or need to seek out provider-level care. The growth that comes from talking to a healthcare provider independently and describing how they are feeling, healing from an injury, getting through a scary medical issue, advocating for what they need, or getting through a stint in the infirmary without their parents/guardians is immeasurable. It is, in my opinion, one of the most important things a child can learn in the sleepaway camp environment, but one we often don’t think (or write) about as an important growth opportunity.
I recognize this is the experience of only one camp nurse. But, having now sent two kids off to college, I’ve found that camp set them up for success for navigating their healthcare needs. I was never worried about how they would navigate college life in general, but you never know how they will deal with the healthcare ups and downs they are bound to see. Mine have done great and have even been able to help their peers who haven’t lived the camp life. I chalk this all up to their experiences being independent at camp. Reflecting back on the question posed when I was asked to write this blog (why do I come back year over year?), I have come to the realization that while the people are wonderful, I return because I get a rare and unique glimpse into an amazing transformation that will allow for our next generation to be able to reach their full potential. If only every parent could gain this perspective, as it is truly a blessing.