May is not only National Nursing Month, but also National Mental Health Awareness Month. And here at Camber Children’s Mental Health, that intersection is profound, because our nurses are helping children and teens every day on their journey to mental wellness. With our highly trained nursing staff’s consistency and resiliency, Camber clients can thrive.

The relationships our nurses build with clients are truly impactful. This May, Camber would like to give special recognition to our awe-inspiring nursing team members who deliver outstanding care. And even beyond honoring nurses in May, Camber has teamed up with The DAISY Foundation to ensure that gratitude is shown to nurses throughout the year. Keep reading to learn what it’s like to work as a nurse at a children’s mental health hospital.

Mental Health Nursing at Camber

For over 30 years, Camber has provided care for youth who are struggling with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, the impacts of trauma, self-harming, and other mental health disorders. Camber has helped more than 40,000 youth develop coping skills, emotion regulation, and resiliency through inpatient hospital treatment and residential treatment. Whether a child is receiving inpatient or residential treatment, upon admission they receive:

• Full medical, clinical, and nursing assessment
• Psychiatric evaluation and medication management (if medication is needed)
• Care coordination
• Support and supervision from our trained nursing staff
• Innovative treatment and education to teach youth about their brains and how to regulate their emotions
• Individual, family, and group therapy sessions

Across this full continuum of care, Camber nurses provide expert support to the children and teens we are caring for and their families.

Taylor Ziegler, Vice President of Nursing

Throughout her career, Taylor Ziegler has held a variety of nursing roles at Camber — starting with working the day shift as an RN (registered nurse), leading up to her current position as Vice President of Nursing where she oversees the statewide nursing team across three Camber locations.  

What does daily work look like for mental health nurses? It’s all about serving the children in their care, Ziegler explains. Daily nursing work starts with providing 24/7 supervision of clients receiving care and shift assessments with clients twice a day to check vitals and assess for depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, self-harm thoughts, and other mental health concerns. Nurses also take client vitals and pass along pertinent information to the rest of the multi-functional Camber treatment team.

Daily work also includes a variety of other activities based on client needs, ranging from medication administration, admitting clients, and facilitating orders from doctors. Beyond direct work with clients, nurses actively participate in meetings with other Camber team members involved in a child’s treatment plan and collaborate with outpatient providers on each child’s discharge planning to help them successfully transition back home. 

Celebrating Camber Nurses

Regardless of a nurse’s area of expertise, their work to improve client comfort and outcomes is inspiring. And all nurses deserve to be celebrated!

“It’s very rewarding to be part of our team,” Ziegler says. “We really like to focus on self-care and making sure we take care of our employees. We’re always looking at new ways to be innovative as an employer, to make sure our team members are engaged and taken care of.”

In addition to an inclusive, supportive culture and daily opportunities to make a difference, Camber’s mental health nurses also enjoy the following benefits:

• Medical plans with generous employer contribution
• Free employee dental insurance
• Tuition, CEU, and licensure reimbursement
• Generous paid time off
• Parental leave
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with immediate company match and only a one-year vesting period requirement
• Employer-paid group life and disability coverage
• A strong focus on promoting internally
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• And more!

Another way we celebrate our mental health nurses is through a partnership with the DAISY Foundation to recognize and reward six Camber nurses each year for their extraordinary work. Today, more than 5,400 healthcare facilities and nursing schools in all 50 states as well as 35 other countries and territories implement the DAISY program to honor the outstanding work of nurses in any career stage or setting. 

The goal of the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) program is to help nurses see themselves and their job in the same light that their colleagues, clients, and clients’ families see them. The program also helps provide education and training opportunities for nurses to expand their skills and behaviors, allowing them to make an even larger impact on their patients. Learn more about the DAISY awards and how to nominate a Camber nurse for exemplary care.

Nursing at Camber: Join the Team

Camber provides opportunities for rewarding and life-changing work in the mental health profession. There is no better time to join the Camber team than now! You can make a huge difference in the life of a child or teen who is struggling with very scary and difficult days as they work to overcome challenges with their mental health. 

Camber has nursing opportunities available for RNs and LPNs across the region for a variety of full-time and part-time shifts. Our Camber Kansas City and Camber Hays locations provide both inpatient treatment and residential treatment, while Camber Wichita focuses solely on inpatient services. 

To our Camber nurses and all nurses working to support children’s mental health each day: Thank you for all you do! In addition to helping children with their daily health needs, your work provides hope.

We’re actively recruiting mental health nurses for our Camber locations. Take a look at open job opportunities!