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 Lavonne
Ridder, RN, MA, MSN
EDUCATION CHAIR, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Lavonne's interest in camp nursing began in 1988 when she was
caring for a child with a degenerative neuromuscular disorder in
the child's home. During a home visit, she was asked by the child's
home school teacher if she knew anyone who would be interested
in being the nurse in a special needs Girl Scout Camp. At the time,
Lavonne was teaching pediatric nursing in an associate degree nursing
program and had summers free. She took the job and has worked in
special needs camps every summer since.
Lavonne began her nursing education in a diploma program and later
earned a BSN while working in the local children's hospital. She
then became a Director of Education at another hospital and earned
a Master of Arts in Adult & Continuing Education during that
time. In a few years, Lavonne began teaching in an ADN program.
This required her to begin work on a Masters of Science in Nursing.
Near completion of the MSN in 1991, Lavonne accepted a position
in pediatric hematology oncology as a clinical nurse specialist
at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
In addition to being interviewed by the Kansas City Nursing News
about camp nursing for children with cancer, Lavonne has been published
several times about how camping helps siblings of chronically ill
children and has contributed to ACN's CompassPoint. She has also
assisted with a camp for siblings of chronically ill children.
Lavonne also assists with a camp clinical experience for undergraduate
and graduate nursing students from the University of Kansas.
Lavonne has belonged to ACN since 1996 and was elected to the
Board in 2000. She hopes to further improve the camping experience
for chronically and terminally ill children; to educate professional
nurses about the role of camp nurses; to improve the clinical experience
of nursing students at camp; and to spread the word about the Association
of Camp Nurses.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Lavonne Ridder, RN, MS, MSN
2220 NW Cove Court
Blue Springs, MO 64015
816-228-3738
elridder@aol.com
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