Medication
The Nurse depends upon YOU to get your students to the medication times. The Program Leaders and other staff will help but the real responsibility is yours. Please be sure that you and your students wash your hands with soap and water before each meal and after campfire. Dry your hands on paper towels.

Illness / Injury
The Nurse will see all illnesses and / or injuries.
Do not move the injured / ill person if:

1. He or she appears seriously ill / injured or involved in an apparently serious accident or;
   
2. One or more of the following signs are present:
   

                    a. Trouble breathing
                    b. Look bad
                    c. Severe pain
                    d. Unconsciousness
                    e. Unable to remember the accident
                    f. Confused as to who or where they are
                    g. Severe bleeding
                    h. The person seems dull, “drunk”, stumbles when walking, listless
                    i. The person appears to be having a seizure.

In the above circumstances the most qualified staff member will remain with the victim and give instruction to on-lookers. Send one person for the Nurse (or two students) with the following information:
                    a. Where the victim is;
                    b. Who is hurt;
                    c. Who is staying with the victim.

Only the site Nurse may call an emergency unit. If the Nurse is not available, the Site Supervisor makes this decision.

Bee Stings
All students exposed to bee stings are to be seen by the Nurse.

Diabetes
Please talk with the nurse about symptoms.

The nurse has extra clothes, sleeping bags, pillows, safety pins, and toothbrushes, shoelaces, combs, towels, and washcloths, bar soap for showers, sanitary napkins, and large and small plastic bags. See the nurse for check out procedures.

Nighttime can be a very difficult time for students. Fear of the unknown and sleeping in a different bed combined with anxiety about being away from home create a difficult situation for students. Good thing you’re here for them!

HOLD THE MOOD
The slow, quiet part of campfire gives you a great chance to head back to your cabin and get ready for bed in a quiet, efficient manner. Ask your students to walk back from campfire without using their voices, and stop your line if they become too loud.

SET EXPECTATIONS
Challenge your students to get ready for bed by flashlight. If you keep the overhead lights off you help maintain a mellow mood. Speak softly yourself. If students have to quiet down to hear you they will keep their volume low.

PERSONAL GOODNIGHTS
One of the most effective ways to let your students know you care about them and help them become comfortable at night is to speak to each one of them personally each night. Use a quiet voice.

• Use the student’s name when saying personal good nights. 
  
• Tell them something you like about them, or something positive they contributed to the cabin group.
  
• Make the moment you spend with them count.
  
• Say something different to each student as the others are listening.
  
• Ask students to share one challenging part of their day and the best part of their day.
  

Homesickness is a situation where you should be regularly consulting your program leader and the student’s teacher. Be sure to let them know how the student is doing at Outdoor School.
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​Coping with Homesickness

1. Make sure your cabin group has done ice-breakers or get-to-know-you games. It may take 2-3 days for your students to really feel comfortable.
   
2. Keep students informed about the schedule, duties, daily schedule, bedtime and when they take showers. Make sure they know where the nurse, outgoing mailbox and meeting places are located.
   
3. Make sure you have completed a cabin constitution and communicated about the ground rules of Outdoor School.
   
4. Keep the students busy. Down times are when students get homesick, cabin times, before dinner, and bedtimes. Play quiet games or write letters to mail home.
   

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Remedies for Homesickness

1. Remember, homesickness is highly contagious, so watch your students carefully.
   
2. Sit down and set realistic goals for the student and for yourself. (For example: not cry until after ______, try to remember three times during the day they smiled . . .)
   
3. Remember ask for help from program leaders, teachers, or get ideas from returning student leaders.
   
4. Give a little extra tender loving care. Give a little extra time or ask the program leader or teacher to spend some extra time with the student.
   
5. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Students can be devious about getting what they want. Remind them that their family sent them to Outdoor School for a reason. DO NOT PROMISE A CALL HOME!
   
6. Share with your students. Share a stuffed animal, share a funny story about you, share what worked for you when you were homesick, share their interests, lives and friends.
   

Bedwetting can be embarrassing for sixth grade students. Bedwetting can affect anyone, but is more common in boys.

Each morning, when your students prepare for cabin inspection, have them put their pajamas or night-clothes inside their sleeping bag and have the zippers face the center of the room. 

Program leaders do a daily bed check for BZ’s and arrange to have the nurse remove the sleeping bag and the night clothes. The bag and clothes are washed, dried and returned before cabin time.

If the bag does not return on time, or if another student asks what happened, explain that the zipper broke (BZ) and it is being repaired or a substitute will be brought into the cabin.

​Prevention

1. Stop giving fluid items to the child one hour before bedtime. (Campfire time)
   
2. Make sure the student goes to the bathroom as your students prepare for bed after campfire.
   
3. After your evening meetings, wake up the student and take them to the bathroom when you prepare for bed.
   
4. Honor the feelings of the child by trying to remove his or her stresses and anxieties, thus providing the child a calm and secure feeling. 
   
5. Make sure you arrange with a program leader or the nurse for the student to take a private shower and have a private place to change if bedwetting occurs.