As the Camp Nurse at True Friends, Brydie gets to combine her knowledge and passion for medicine with her love of Camp.
Brydie has worked at Camp Friendship since 2021. “This is my fourth summer at Camp Friendship. I was a Camp Nursing Assistant (CNA) first in 2021, then in 2022 I was the Health Care Coordinator, and then I’ve been the Camp Nurse for the past two summer… I love camp, it’s great.”
For Brydie, this job is so much more than just being a nurse. “I feel like the most rewarding part of my job is just being able to provide experiences for the campers that they wouldn’t get in their daily lives and allowing them to feel seen as a human being.” Since this is Brydie’s fourth summer with True Friends, she has gained lasting connections with campers. Brydie explained, “…this past week, a camper came up to one of the CNAs and shared stories about how I had been his first CNA when he was at camp and that I really helped make him feel comfortable.”
As the Camp Nurse, Brydie gets to experience so much more than just medicine in her day-to-day life.
Brydie recalls one of her most memorable moments at camp, “…one day we had a camper who really wanted water play and was attempting to go in the lake, which we weren’t able to use that day. So, we ended up setting up a personal water carnival for him out on the green, and we all got to play in the water. Just seeing the joy on his face was really awesome. It was really cool to be able to create that experience for him.”
Along with relationships, Brydie has also gained valuable skills that are setting her up for future success. “I feel like my roles at Camp Friendship will help me in future leadership roles, and then when I eventually go to nurse practitioner school, I think that will really help me care for my patients as a whole person. Camp really shows the entire individual, not just their diagnosis.”
When reflecting on the last four summers with True Friends, Brydie states, “This is an experience like no other and it’s a super unique, amazing experience that you really won’t get anywhere else. You get to practice so many different skills and so much patient care. It’s just really cool and it’s not like anything else.”
Gain hands-on healthcare experience in this fun and exciting camp environment. Apply for a healthcare position here.
