CC Guiders

First Aid: Medications

A leader cannot give any medication, internal or external, to a camper. What a leader can do is supervise the camper taking their own medicine to assure that they:

1. Take the medication
2. correctly finish a course of treatment
3. do not overdose or misuse the medication 

The operative word is supervise. Only a registered nurse with medical directives signed by a doctor can administer medications, and then only the medications that are listed. It is advisable to make parents aware of this situation in order for them to understand that the Guider cannot diagnose nor treat their child for even a headache; that is the doctor's role.

However, a camper who brings her own medication ie. Tylenol for a headache can be supervised taking it. The medication must be labeled in the following manner:

• Child's name
• Dose
• How often and how it is to be administered

All medications must be kept in a safe place (preferably locked) that is not accessible to campers.

Some people are allergic to certain solutions and powders. Even "calamine" lotion and crams like "Solarcaine" and "Lanacaine" can be a problem. To avoid these problems have the camper use her own creams.

It may be necessary to carry a lightweight waterproof container with necessarey medications on a hike or outing.