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Brigadoon Village Healthcare Team

Our Healthcare Team is made up of diverse professionals including Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Residents, Staff Physicians, Respiratory Therapists, Physiotherapists, Child Life Specialists, Students of Healthcare Professions and many more! Our Healthcare Team is managed and directed by our Nursing Operations Manager, a role that is shared in partnership between IWK Children’s Health Program and Brigadoon Village.

Summer Camp Opportunities:

For Summer we are hiring five Summer Camp Nurses to form a collaborative, intentional, and well-supported healthcare team. We welcome both experienced Registered Nurses and new graduates who are eager to grow.

They are joined each week by our Weekly Healthcare Professionals, who join us for a single session and are often experienced in the specific condition that the camp session supports. This role is an excellent opportunity to grow leadership skills and confidence, be immersed in pediatric care, learn from a wide range of experienced health professionals, and see patients outside the hospital setting. It’s also an excellent opportunity to see your work’s impact in creating joyful experiences for campers that help them go home as better versions of themselves.

Through our ongoing partnership with the IWK, we have historically collaborated to support our Camp Nurses in obtaining employment after their contract concludes.

Week-Long Opportunities:

Every week we have medical professionals and students of healthcare professions join us for our week-long camp sessions. They help us manage our campers’ ongoing conditions, administer medications, and provide first aid and treatment for conditions/circumstances during the camp week. Our Weekly Healthcare Team members helps keep our campers safe and well cared for so they can focus on what’s important – having fun! Students will be well supported during their time by our licensed professionals.

These folks join us from Sunday to Friday and are assigned to a specific group of campers they’ll get to know over the week of camp.

The Application Process:

  • Interested applicants should complete our online application. If you have more questions, please contact our Nursing Operations Manager: julia.lawrence@iwk.nshealth.ca
  • A member of our team will contact you to set up an interview.
  • If selected, you will receive a confirmation e-mail confirming which week(s) you can join us.
  • Before your arrival, we’ll need proof of a valid license within the province of Nova Scotia, a clear Criminal Record Check (including a Vulnerable Sector Check), and proof of Immunization History to ensure we can keep our campers safe!
  • You’ll receive a Healthcare Team or Students of Healthcare Professions Manual with all the necessary information!
  • You will receive a thorough orientation process before campers arrive during your designated week.

Why Get Involved?

While working with us, you will be part of a team of passionate change-makers who are among the kindest, silliest, most energetic and most enthusiastic people you will ever meet. You’ll also meet a hugely diverse group of amazing kids who will have just as much to teach you. You’ll have the incredible privilege of sending these brave kids home as better versions of themselves. You’ll laugh and smile more than you ever thought possible, even while falling into your bed exhausted every night.

“My experience working at Brigadoon this summer was truly amazing. Seeing the impact of Brigadoon on the kids and their families each week is one of the best feelings. Working at Brigadoon provided many meaningful learning opportunities as a nurse, and I feel I’ve gained so much experience and knowledge. Being able to learn so much from the kids themselves is so invaluable. Furthermore, Brigadoon fosters confidence and growth and embodies kindness and compassion. Being a part of Brigadoon this summer felt like I was a part of something important.”
Alyson, Medical Team Staff
“My time working at Brigadoon was a life-changing experience. This opportunity had a meaningful impact on my personal and professional development. Through my experiences there, I was given a whole new appreciation and perspective on the healthcare journey that people are on. I was able to further educate myself by getting to know campers and seeing their condition(s) ‘ impact on them. It was the little moments of camp that made it so magical, and this opportunity is something I will cherish forever. It is hard to describe the Brigadoon’s impact on campers and staff. All I can say is thank you to Brigadoon for everything it stands for and the opportunity.”
Cameron, Medical Team Staff
“Throughout the years I’ve been involved with Brigadoon, I’ve watched kids become adults and campers become staff and to watch how this camp positively impacts, alters, and brings joy to the lives of the campers brings me back each time. This place is simply magic. The experiences that I’ve had and the friendships that I’ve formed will be remembered for a lifetime. Brigadoon will forever hold a special place in my heart and has positively impacted how I nurse and even parent.”
Chantal, Medical Team Staff
“My time at Brigadoon Village has changed my thoughts and feelings about what can be done if we all come together and accept each other, no matter what challenges we face. Every child should have the opportunity to live their childhood in a positive, safe, and fun environment without judgement because of their medical issue. In my many years of nursing, this was one of my most rewarding experiences. Brigadoon Village is a magical place for all children and will live in my heart forever.”
Christina, Medical Team Staff

Frequently Asked Questions

Who would I be working with?
We have two Camp Nurses who we hire for the entirety of the summer camp season. Those Camp Nurses are our Brigadoon policies and procedures experts and help ensure that our medical centre runs consistently and smoothly each week. We are joined by other healthcare professionals each week, including someone we identify as the Condition Lead. This person is often an expert in the condition we are supporting and has experience supporting the condition at camp, so maybe someone you are paired with, as appropriate.

We also welcome students of healthcare professions to support camper healthcare and supplement their learning outcomes. These aspiring nurses and physician assistant students offer so much to the camping environment and often bring fun and curiosity to the camper experience.

What if something comes up that we can’t necessarily manage at camp?
These kinds of things certainly come up! If something more complex or serious comes up while a camper is at camp, we are frequently in touch with the relevant physician on-call at the IWK, and when in doubt, we will take them to Valley Regional Hospital to be assessed. Of course, in the case of an emergency, it takes about 20 minutes for an ambulance to reach us.
What kind of training is provided?

We’ll provide you with our Medical Centre policies and procedures and a Healthcare Team or Student of Healthcare Professions Handbook on acceptance to your role and prior to your summer session. When you arrive, our Summer Healthcare Team provides a thorough orientation process on Sunday morning before campers arrive. Of course, the training process is ongoing, and our Camp Nurses will be there to guide us on how to handle different situations as they come up and give reminders on our best practices.

At Brigadoon, any opportunity to provide care for our campers can also help them build skills like resilience, confidence, and independence. We’ll ensure that you understand our program and medical philosophy strongly so that each interaction with our campers can be as impactful as possible.

What does a day look like as Healthcare Staff at Brigadoon?

A day might look something like this:

7:00 Wake Up
7:30 Breakfast / Med Admin
9:00–12:30 Med Centre Duty
12:30 Lunch – Med Admin
1:30 Time Off
2:30 Cabin Inspection
3:30–5:30 Free Time
5:30 Dinner – Med Admin
6:30 Evening Program
7:30 Campfire
8:30 Bedtime – Med Admin
Overnight Radio On-Call
When is medication administered?

Often, first thing in the morning, at mealtimes, and before bedtime, our med staff administer medications to the campers to whom they’re assigned. Of course, depending on their campers and the week of camp, campers will also have scheduled med times at other times of the day.

We’re committed to ensuring that our campers don’t need to miss out on the fun and impact of the camp experience to meet their medical needs. For this reason, we bring medications to them so they can return to their camp experience!

How are duties assigned?

Healthcare staff are assigned to different shifts throughout the day, which they spend in the med centre and responding to radio calls. When campers or staff have acute concerns throughout the day, they’ll drop by the med centre or call for assistance on the radio; we always have several people on duty throughout the day. This might also mean helping our Camp Nurses with cleaning and admin of the med centre.

How is time off managed?

There is time off allocated to each member of the medical staff team each day, which means it could be spent going for a swim, having a nap or a shower break, calling home, or reading a book outside in the sun.

Outside of the hours on duty in the medical centre, we encourage our Healthcare Staff to get involved in what’s happening at camp! Head to archery with a group of campers, play our evening program game alongside our campers, and you won’t want to miss our campfires and talent show!