Summer Camp Medical Issue . . .

[DuckyTheSecond]

I really need to stop going away for weekends, ya'll type too much on here in the course of 3 days. Ok, I have been informed that the camp I work for requests COPIES of med forms, which creates less of a hassle. They are kept in the camp safe, as not to be disturbed, unless it is so called for, like people getting hurt or dying, whichever the case. Have any of us stopped to think that perhaps one of us should contact national if this is such a large issue? Given that there is really, only what, 5 or 6 of us who have posted, and 2 in defense of the camps, 2 opposed and 2 Florida's, it's moreless a toss up. My recommendation overall is to contact your council or your regional council to get in contact with National down in TX. I am for a defined policy, however, it should keep in mind that not only the medical officer should be made aware, but also directors from the various program areas so that an eye can be kept on "red flags". It's a basic chain of command with a need to know issue. Allow lower echleons the knowledge for prevention and safety concerns. Not all cases, but most can be prevented if things are known. Such items are filled in on the forms... Recent past injuries, Allergies, Reactions to allergies, and special precautions. Hell, if one is going to goto national, why not design a better form? If all you're concerned about is information, design a different, more limited form. However, keep in mind, some of the information that is provided is probably required by the Mutual of Omaha, BSA's insurance company. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm not.

[Eamonn]

DuckyTheSecond,

The form is not the problem.

The Qualified person checking the form is not the problem.

The Unit Leader being aware of any and all medical problems that the Scouts in the unit may have is not the problem.

Having the information shared with people who are not qualified and do not have permission from the child's parent or the adult is a problem.

Let's pretend that Little Ducky has a allergy to peanuts. This information is on his medical form. His Scoutmaster is aware of the problem. The Camp Medical Officer informs the kitchen Manager, the Kitchen Manager tells his staff and soon the young kitchen staffers are calling this Lad "Peanuts". His parents look at this as hazing. It's bad news all round.

Medical forms are for the protection of all the campers. The Camp does need to know if the campers are up to date with immunizations not just for the sake of the one boy and his medical form but for the safety and well being of the entire camp.

The camp does need to know details about the camper: His personal physician, health insurance company and who to contact in the case of an emergency. However his Scoutmaster would have this information on file and with him.

The camp would need to know about any limitations placed on the scout by his Doctor so that the scout could be excused from certain activities. Maybe the 5K run for a Scout with asthma isn't such a good idea and the fact that the camp has a 5k run where everyone is expected to run, just isn't going to happen.

Yes the camp and the qualified people do need to know and be aware of any condition that requires special attention. But it all boils down to who needs to know. We do not need to cause any one any undue embarrassment or humiliation. This has nothing to do with insurance companies, it has to do with doing the right thing.

tradingpostlady

The correct spelling is Eamonn.

Constitution is Constitution not conctitution.

I found your reference to a happy donkey like animal to be offensive and your tone to be likewise. I will have to work on if you have the right of free speech or as you have stated the write of free speech? You have yet again failed to get your point across without the use of undue and uncalled for profanity.

You state:

" i'm sorry that some of your kids have dropped out because people make fun. That's what happens when you are a kid."

I say this is hazing and the people who caused it need to asked to leave this organization as quickly as possible, I am however pleased that you are sorry.

While you are to be commended for your work with the 3rd Grade. I really do hope that until you can get a better grasp on what we are trying to do for our youth members and control your outbursts of bad language, I will do my best to ensure that I never spend a cent in "Your" Trading post.

Again Eamonn is spelled

Eamonn.

[Scoutndad]

Ducky...I commend you on finding out more info so that your question was answered.

The reason I was unable to reply until now was the tone of my replies...I found myself "attacking" TPLady and was not going to send my messages.

I was truly speechless after TPLady's last reply not only from the tone, but the misspellings and the idea that this parent worked around 3rd graders with outbursts and problem solving abilities...

I think there was a valid concern around the original question and we found that while many agree on how the forms should be treated and the medical info needs to be treated with the utmost discretion, there are different SOP for different camps and Ducky's steps to confirm what is needed, answered their question.

As an EMT, there are "should know about" situations and there are "have/need to know" situations...medical alert bracelets, necklaces, epipens, inhalers etc. are all "have/need to know" but the physician that takes responsibility for the camp and assigning the protocol should be aware of placing the proper people in place (see eary post by Adrianvs) with access to the necessary files - when someone goes down, you don't have time to run to a filing cabinet - all "have/need to know" campers should be discussed with all medical personnel at the camp after check in just so there is an awareness and preparedness should Little Ducky accidentally eat a peanut while enjoying his 5th slushy...

Incidentally, I am located in Michigan...

[tradingpostlady]

wel i din't now we was havin a spelin test on lin. Personally I don't care about how I spell or how you feel about what I have to say. Kids making fun of kids isn't really considered "hazing" until it is in the position of a 13 year old making fun of a 9 year old. If you have kids you would know the difference. I'm sure that back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and you were a kid, the caveman next door to you picked on you about things. It's a fact of life. My little brother goes to school and get's called faggot and smelly kid. Until that happend he had no pride in himself as to cleanliness. Now he takes a shower everyday, and the kids stopped teasing him. As for your hypothetical situation. If a child has a food allergy... the whol kitchen staff needs to know that, because if they are making chocolate sundae's for lunch, the STAFF needs to be prepared as to what not to serve the child. Now maybe you are defensive because your medical info of children or self has been shared. I agree it isn't right for the staff to make fun of the camper and if that is happening, you need to take that up with the camp director, the scout executive of the district and the executive board.

[DuckyTheSecond]

Eamonn,

1.) I concur with TPL about "As for your hypothetical situation. If a child has a food allergy... the whol kitchen staff needs to know that, because if they are making chocolate sundae's for lunch, the STAFF needs to be prepared as to what not to serve the child." If we don't then we obviously run into the fact of well, having to most likely call EMS. If the child is teased by staff, and I'm meaning in public from a staff perspective, then there is a problem that does need to be addressed with higher echleons, i.e. what TPL said, Camp Director, Scout Exec, District Exec, Etc.

 

2.) What you're essentially putting in is your own utopia. You said that the share of information cannot go further then needed. Well, by saying it stops, per se, at the kitchen director now you're saying that (s)he has to pick out one kid out of all of the campers. Now here's a hypothetical right back for you. Now say that Kitchen Director is absent one day and has not informed the lower echleons under him? Well then, we would have a problem, because say the Camp and Program directors also forget. And the scoutmaster is not there. We're now in a world of hurt. Now, things like this happen, it's not unusal for things to be forgotten.

 

3.) I'm an administration officer, Forms, they're my thing. If you read back in the posts, it's all about the information that is on the forms and people worried of it being shared, no denying it, is there? Well then, my advice from my POV is that change the form. Perhaps have 2 forms that coincide. One is released with your basic info - Name, Emergency Contact, Severe Injuries, Allergies and the Second Part which is retained in the office is the other half which contains Med's, Chronic Illness', Etc.

 

4.) Sir, quite honestly, I'm sorry if your children were made fun of by campers and by camp staff. Some of the things that you'd like, you'd find are almost impossible to do if you've ever been on camp staff. It's a totally different ball game, I've been on both sides of the coin. This one is harder. Sir, people like you come out every week, we have at least one group, any staff member would concur with it. What we do is provide a SAFE, fun, and (per se) action packed environment. To be able to deal with more than is necessary is assinine. We already invest over 60 hours per week trying to appease the children, parents, and troublesome parents. It's difficult. I know that you probably won't understand half of my statement in P4 unless you've been on staff. I don't say this in anger, I say this as a, "Dear God, What the hell is next" kind of feeling. Seriously, if you think you can do better, or would like to see better, APPLY FOR STAFF. Just remember if you do, you're there for the kids. If you think you can stop what happens, contact higher echleons, i.e. Region, or National Offices.

 

5.) I'm going to get down off my soap box now.

[Eamonn]

Yes when the world was young and dinosaurs roamed the earth I did serve on Camp Staff.

Personal information is personal. I think if a Lad is old enough to attend Summer Camp, he is old enough to be able to know what is in his best interests. He has his unit leader to keep an eye on him. If his parents don't think that he is able to take care of himself then they do have the option of going with him.

Eamonn.

[LPasn]

TPLady, what position do you have with your camp? How is it that you deal with third graders?

[tradingpostlady]

OK obviously if you read my name I have worked in the trading post. I also have worked at the waterfront, nature, crafts, archery and like everything else. I love working at camp during the summers. It's the best ever. The deal with the 3rd graders is that I am a teacher and I mentioned that because people were commenting on the language and how I can't act appropriately around kids. That's all.

[badger1]

I have a related question. The summer camp our troop is going to has requested that we supply copies of insurance wallet cards for each scout. I tried to find a policy on the BSA web site, or a phone number to call but was unsuccessful. My question is, what is the policy? From previous postings I've read, it seems there is no written policy, so it is probably a local decision by each camp.

[DuckyTheSecond]

Badger, it is really more of a camp thing overall, as you said that you have seen. I'm not sure why they're asking for med cards, perhaps it's a way of insuring that you are insured. I forget what camp it was, and I'm not sure if it was Boy Scouts or Civil Air Patrol, but one of the two I also had to put a copy of my med card in.

 

Realistically, so that I don't keep rambling, best bet is to ask why, if your scoutmaster isn't sure, and you still want answers, call your council and ask them. If they don't have answers 86 it but just keep it with you in case they try starting something.

[hops_scout]

Everybody needs to turn it down just a little bit. I have only opened this last page here, but there's been plenty that could be edited. I'm not going to-- I'm just going to ask that you remember the Scout Law and Oath when posting on these boards.

[tradingpostlady]

OK now that we are done talking about scout forms... we are talking about insurance forms. BTW Ducky... it's for CAP that you needed to present proof of insurance for encampment. I don't see why they are asking for proof of insurance for camp. If anything were to happen to you the BSA insurance policy should cover any accident that happens on camp property. It doesn't make any sense to me either just to let you know.