Health & Wellness

We take many precautions when it comes to campers. But try as we might, campers will still get sick, hurt themselves, or end up with a case of poison ivy. This section outlines our healthcare procedures and gives some helpfu hints to try to minimize trips to the Health Lodge. 

During the camp season, we always have a registered nurse at camp. Cub Creek has a health lodge with bunks for sick campers and staff. Campers with special needs pertaining to their healther will have spoken to the nurse during check-in. She will share all pertinent information with the counselors with that cabin, and if these medical needs affect the entirety of the staff, she will inform staff on neccessary procedures. 

The nurse has say over all medical questions and procedures at camp. Staff should not administer help without the consent of the nurse. The nurse or directors are the primary contacts for all medical issues needing to be brought to a camper's family. 

Maintaining Camper Hygiene

Keeping campers in healthy patterns during their stay at camp is one of our most important roles. Without parents guiding them through their daily routine, they need us to help reinforce their daily hygiene responsibilities. Keeping our campers healthy means being able to enforce the following:

• Campers need to brush their teeth AT LEAST once a day.

• Campers need to wear a clean set of clothes every day. We should be noticing if a camper is wearing the same shirt every day of not. And if you don't, their parents will! Parents can view pictures of their campers every day, so they WILL notice, and they WILL call. If a camper has run out of clean clothes, it is appropriate to take their clothes to the laundry room and wash enough clothes to for the rest of their stay. 

• Campers should not sleep in clothes they wore during the day. 

• To keep their bunks clean, make sure campers are placing dirty clothes in a dirty clothes bag. 

• Campers should shower every night. If campers put up a fight about having a shower, remind them it is a camp rule. And the most effective way of encouraging showers is to remind them that ticks, chiggers, mites, and poison ivy is washed away by soap and warm water. 

The Essential Five

To help with hygiene, health and wellness, camp has established 5 essential items that campers & staff should never leave the cabin without.

• Water Bottle

• Name Tag

• Sunscreen

• Bug Spray

• Closed-toed Shoes

Medication

Upon arrival, all campers will check in with the Nurse. They collect all necessary medications, talk to the camper's parents, and assesses the general health of the camper. Campers will report to the Nurse in the dinging hall during mealtimes and at the health lodge after evening activity for medication. Situational and conditional medications like epi-pens are kept in the health lodge, and/or in the campers personal nametag. Administering epi-pens will be covered in staff training. 

At the end of a camp session, all remaining medications will be handed to camper parents during check out. 

All staff medications, including over-the-counter meds, MUST be kept in your personal locker in the staff lounge or a single does in your nametag. MEDICATIONS SHOULD NEVER BE KEPT IN THE CABIN. This is to protect campers from accidental ingestion or overdose. 

The Dot System

To help keep all staff in the know about all our campers' general health needs, we created a color coded dot system. At a glance, any staff can gather a general assessment of anything that staff should know for a given camper. These dots are placed on a camper's name tag for easy viewing. 

Red - Epi-pen. This camper carries an epi-pen on them and also have one with the nurse in case of emergencies. Red should help you remember 'blood'. 

Blue - Inhalers. Any camper with a blue sticker carries an inhaler and has one with the nurse as well. Blue will help you remember 'air'

Yellow - Sun related issue. This camper may have a sun-exposure issue or an allergy/aversion to a sunscreen. Yellow = Sun

Green - Nature born allergies. This camper may have severe allergies and/or may be on medication for severe allergies to such things as grass, hay, or animal fur. Green = Nature/Grass

Orange - Food. This camper has some sort of food related allergy or issue: Gluten, Vegan/Vegetarian, Dairy, Peanuts, etc. Orange = Oranges!

Camper Injuries and Illnesses

Each member of the camp summer staff will carry blue band-aids in their nametag for basic injuries. All injuries covered with a blue band-aid are then double checked and monitored by our Nurse. We have three kinds of accidents at camp: blue band-aid accidents, minor accidents, and major accidents.

Blue Band-aid accidents are classified as ones that do not require the immediate attention of the Nurse. In these cases, staff may clean the affected area, and apply a blue band-aid. When the nurse sees a blue band-aid, they will check out the area and replace the band-aid with one of their own. These accidents would be small cuts, removed splinters, and abrasions.

Minor accidents are those accidents that may need a more advanced hand when cleaning or should be monitored. In the event of minor accident take the camper to the Health Lodge. Minor incidents include deep cuts, bruises, or an area where a tick was removed. 

Major accidents are those that require immediate and necessary attention. In the event of a major accident, send for the Nurse or Director and take necessary precautions to stop bleeding, treat for shock etc. Major accidents would include: 

• suspected fracture

• sprain

• strain

• dislocation

• burn

• choking

• intense bleeding

• seizure

• stoppage of breathing

In the event of a major accident the nurse will make any decisions regarding emergency room assistance. The Nurse, Camp Director or designee will notify the family or guardian of the person injured. All accidents/incidents must have an incident form completed by the staff involved and nurse.

Universal Precautions

In the event of any injuries that may lead you to come in contact with another's body fluids, you must use universal precautions. Universal precautions, mandate that a protective barrier be used to shield one's self from direct contact with another's blood or body fluid. Simply put: Gloves must be worn anytime you are assisting a camper with anything involving blood, urine, saliva, etc. 

To further protect yourself from coming in contact with bodily fluids, you should also, 

• Wash your hands before and after caring for any bleeding or weeping wounds or after handling items which have been soiled. Bleeding and oozing cuts or abrasions should be covered with band-aid or gauze. 

• Before eating, handling food and after using the restrooms. Keep fingernails trimmed and clean. 

• Never share personal toiletry items. This includes razors, towels, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, nail clippers, water bottles, soap, Chapstick etc. 

When a camper has thrown up, there is a protocol for how the nurse should be involved and Universal precautions should be used when cleaning up any vomit.

• If the camper has thrown up during an activity, in a cabin, etc. they should be assessed by a counselor. If the camper feels better immediately after, they may see a nurse any time during the day to discuss the incident. They do not need to go to the nurse immediately. 

• If the camper throws up more than once, they need to be taken to the health lodge. If this occurs in the middle of the night, you and another counselor should accompany the camper to the health lodge. Under no circumstances, should you and a camper go alone to the health lodge. 

Sunburn

Nothing can ruin a summer faster than severe sunburn! Part of the essential 5 camp items is that everyone apply sunscreen each time they leave the cabin. Keep in mind that younger campers may need help getting sunscreen applied properly. Remember to cover neck, ears, and nose. Monitor campers with spray sunscreen; they should not be spraying themselves or others in the eyes or mouth. If your campers or you begin to get a sunburn take necessary precautions to prevent it from getting worse: wear a shirt to the pool, stay out of the sun when possible, or apply stronger sunscreen. The nurse should be visited is sunburn is causing discomfort. 

Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy grows wildly around camp and is found in the woods and off the trails. Therefore, the best ways to avoid a bout of poison ivy is to stay on the trails. The plant has an invisible sticky oil that causes an allergic reaction for many people. Since the oil is invisible, scratching the affected area spreads the oil. By taking a warm shower with soap, the oil is removed from your skin. If you or your campers discover the beginnings of a rash, take a shower and wash the affected area well. The nurse can give ointment for rashes to relieve the itching. 

Ticks and Chiggers

Ticks can be found everywhere are camp, but do tend to live in the woods and on trees. This is also why we do not trail blaze. When applying bug spray, make sure to apply genrously around the ankles, expecially if you have a hike planned. It is important that you and your campers check for ticks every day. 

To remove a tick that is in the skin, grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible and pull directly out. You should never twist when pulling and don't try to burn it off! If you need help removing a tick, see the camp nurse. All tick bites should be looked at by the nurse. Ticks may carry disease such as Lymes Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, or Alpha Gal. After removing a tick watch for symptoms of rash, fever, fatigue, or headaches.   

Chiggers are microscopic arachnids that live in the grass. You can prevent the terrible rash brought on by chiggers by applying bug spray to your ankles and legs. If you get chiggers, see the nurse for topical creams to sooth the itching. 

Active Supervision

One of the best ways to keep our campers healthy and safe is with prevention. By maintaining the rules and procedures of camp, and actively supervising campers you can prevent problems from occurring, or spot them early before they become a bigger problem. 

Six strategies to keep campers safe:

1. Set Up the Environment so you can supervise all campers and reach them is necessary. 

   • Keep cabin furniture against the walls

   • Have campers keep their shoes and sunscreen lined up neatly on the porch

   • Keep small groups of campers close together, don't let them move off to far away from where they can be seen and heard

   • Give campers direction on where to stand/sit and expected behavior before they enter a new space, or when moving to a new location

2. Position yourself and other staff so you can see and hear all campers

   • Never have your back to campers. Position yourself so you are facing campers and can see as many of them as possible

   • When with other counselors, spread out as much as possible. Counselors should not be sitting or standing grouped together

   • When walking or waiting in line, at least one counselor should be leading, and one walking on the side or at the back of the line

   • Roam areas when possible. You can't see everything if you stay in one position, move frequently

   • Sit with camper during meals, spread out across the table

3. Scan and Count where every camper is

   • Scan the environment and count all campers frequently

   • Count campers before leaving a space, and when you arrive to make sure you have everyone

   • LOOK AT CAMPERS and know their faces. Do not just count bodies, or ask campers to number off. Make sure you have the exact campers you are supposed to have

   • Never let a camper go anywhere alone. Use the buddy system if they need to leave the group, and watch them for as long as possible

4. Listen

   • Listen closely to campers to identify signs of potential danger. Specific sounds or the absence of sound may be reason for concern.

   • Listen for signs that your camper may being getting upset. Intervene in conversations or conflicts before they escalate

   • During siesta and after lights out, position yourself in the middle of the cabin so you can listen to campers that are restless or disturbing other campers

5. Anticipate camper's behavior and take actions before a situation escalates

   • Get to know your campers as soon as possible. Use what you learn about their temperament, abilities, and interests to predict what they might do next

   • If camper's have a known risk of wandering off, misusing property, or lashing out when upset, use the environment and your position to minimize risk

   • Provide campers with warning before an activity is finishing, or you are transitioning to a new place

6. Engage and Redirect

   • Be active with your campers! Join in their games, participate in conversations, do activities along side them

   • Encourage campers to solve problems on their own and help them with conflict

   • Redirect campers attention if they are starting to struggle with focus or staying safe

Learn more about active supervision

Next: Safety and Emergency Procedures