This message to Camp Hertko Hollow is from one of our long-time medical doctors at our summer diabetes camp sessions here in IA. I would like to know if any other diabetes camps face this similar problem and how have they successfully addressed the topic/issue mentioned below. Or if they too have the same struggles as we doo in the recruitment and retention of medical staff.

"I am writing because I would like to address a very important issue that needs some intense consideration, specifically medical staff recruitment and retention. This is an issue for both medical practitioners and for nursing staff as well. We have stated that we must have one practitioner for every 40-50 kids; if we don't have enough, we will need to turn kids away. There are several issues that I think we need to address, especially experienced staff retention.

Some things to consider include a change in our mission to add professional development (we are a great experience for in-training physicians-family practice, pediatrics, endocrinology, PAs, ARNPs, CDEs, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians); develop a more formal agreement with residency programs (request a commitment from professional staff as well as residents); consider financial compensation (associated with clearly defined responsibilities); and discuss how to make this a more rewarding experience for staff."

Ann, your suggestions are right online with the implementations we made at The Barton Center when I was the Executive Director, and on which I know other camps continue to work. We developed contractual relationships with key diabetes centers in our area with specific agreements that provided for them to cover sessions with pediatric diabetologists, residents, and sometimes, nurse educators. This was a fee-based system although many of the practitioners donated their fee back to camp.

Camp Nejeda has developed a fantastic new program which I encourage them to post about (Ray?, Flip?) where they have their precamp healthcare training certified through AADE for CEUS and offer it to the local hospital as training for nurses who give a week to camp and then go back to the hospital to become in-hospital diabetes specialists. I know this is working quite well to bring nurses back to camp and I am hoping to work with DECA camps to make this a model program for other camps in the future.

In general, I think it is very important to integrate your healthcare staff into the full camp experience. Camp is a team environment and the more integrated they are with the program, the more they will reap the rewards, just like the campers and staff do. Use them in planning, ask them to serve on committees, involve them in camp activities and education. Make them feel like they are part of the family. Oh, and give them the best sleeping quarters! The "docs cabin" needs to be pretty sweet