Becca M Perkins
November 2023
Becca M
Perkins
,
BSN, RN, CCRN
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Children's Mercy Kansas City
Kansas City
,
MO
United States
What I notice most about Becca at Camp Systole each year is her tireless passion for the kids. She leads songs at the campfire and genuinely has fun doing camp activities with the kids, and she does it all while expertly monitoring them for any signs that they may be physically struggling.
Camp Systole is a free, medically supervised camp for children with congenital heart defects that takes place at Camp Wilderness in Lawson, Mo. It was revived by CHD Families in 2013, and PICU Nurse, Becca Perkins, has been an integral part of making this camp a possibility for the last ten years. She started as being one of the medical staff in 2013 and quickly took over the role of the Medical Staff Director. She is also a part of the core team for Camp Systole that does all the planning for camp each year. Becca spends a great deal of her personal time ensuring that the young survivors of congenital heart disease can experience summer camp like any other child. Becca attends planning meetings for the next camp beginning in late winter, where the core team works with the founder of CHD Families to come up with the plan for camp. This involves determining the theme and activities, determining the application timeline for campers, recruiting volunteers and medical staff for camp, and so much more.
I have been a medical staff member for camp multiple times and the medical aspect of camp runs smoothly each year due in large part to Becca’s organization and preparation. She works diligently to ensure that all necessary equipment and supplies are organized and available. She creates an elaborate electronic camper record from the parent supplied information in Notes each year where each camper’s pertinent history and daily medication schedule are securely stored for the medical staff. She ensures that each camper’s family has been contacted to validate the information that was provided. Becca has developed organized processes for campers to get their medications, ensuring that campers adhere to their home medication schedules while being involved in all the experiences of camp. She ensures that there is medical staff coverage at all activities when multiple groups of campers are doing different activities in different places.
What I notice most about Becca at Camp Systole each year is her tireless passion for the kids. She leads songs at the campfire and genuinely has fun doing camp activities with the kids, and she does it all while expertly monitoring them for any signs that they may be physically struggling. Nurses are often celebrated for what they do inside the hospital, but the desire to improve the quality of life of others doesn’t stop when a nurse leaves the bedside. Becca should be celebrated for her leadership, organization, keen clinical skills, and her passion away from the bedside. Because of Becca Perkins, countless heart disease survivors have had a safe and memorable camp experience for the past ten years.
I have been a medical staff member for camp multiple times and the medical aspect of camp runs smoothly each year due in large part to Becca’s organization and preparation. She works diligently to ensure that all necessary equipment and supplies are organized and available. She creates an elaborate electronic camper record from the parent supplied information in Notes each year where each camper’s pertinent history and daily medication schedule are securely stored for the medical staff. She ensures that each camper’s family has been contacted to validate the information that was provided. Becca has developed organized processes for campers to get their medications, ensuring that campers adhere to their home medication schedules while being involved in all the experiences of camp. She ensures that there is medical staff coverage at all activities when multiple groups of campers are doing different activities in different places.
What I notice most about Becca at Camp Systole each year is her tireless passion for the kids. She leads songs at the campfire and genuinely has fun doing camp activities with the kids, and she does it all while expertly monitoring them for any signs that they may be physically struggling. Nurses are often celebrated for what they do inside the hospital, but the desire to improve the quality of life of others doesn’t stop when a nurse leaves the bedside. Becca should be celebrated for her leadership, organization, keen clinical skills, and her passion away from the bedside. Because of Becca Perkins, countless heart disease survivors have had a safe and memorable camp experience for the past ten years.