The medical department aboard a large resort cruise ship, usually consists of 3 to 4 nurses, a doctor and a dentist.
The physician or doctor makes decisions regarding admission of passengers and crew members to the ship's infirmary, or should disembark for medical care on land. The dentist provides treatment for the crew, and also for passengers on emergency basis.
Full-time registered nurses (RN) are employees of the cruise line with benefits, and work four months onboard and two months off.
The standard requirement for cruise ships nurse is to obtain a diploma from accredited nursing school with a minimum of two years hospital
experience in emergency or critical care backgrounds
and fluent English Language skills. Salary range: $2200-2900 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line.
All nurses onboard cruise ships will enjoy the perks of officers. Depending on the cruise line requirement, their uniform may include white blouse, blue or white skirt, blue or white jacket, white shoes and natural color pantyhose.
The second nurse or crew nurse is responsible for making sure that all newly embarked crew members have up to date physical fitness, and to follow-up closely on all their medical matters.
Whenever necessary the second nurse's job may include requesting crew personnel to consult for onshore medical treatment; and has the sealed medical chart updated and ready to pickup for disembarking crew.
The third or dental nurse is responsible for scheduling and notifying crew members of dental appointments. Her job may include to complete every cruise’s voyage report, and send them to the respective cruise line’s medical department headquarter.
ON CALL: All three nurses are carrying a beeper and on duty by a rotating call schedule as well. The first call nurse is the first to respond to medical emergencies during a 24-hour period.
When around-the-clock care is needed for a patient admitted to the infirmary, the nurses share rotating 4-hour shifts. Outside main clinic hours are paperwork and clerical duties as you are also the medical care center's clerical staff!
Cruise Ships Nurse Video: A Visit to the Doctor's
Touring Oasis of the Seas Medical Facility
Cruise ship Nurse Guide Book on Amazon.com:
Buy a nurse employment guide book published by reliable publisher is always very important bonus reference, it provides good assistance, key information and cultural on nursing jobs environment, and employment tips.
Nurse's Drug Guide Book on Amazon.com:
Buy a nurse's drug guide book published by reliable publisher is very important for every nurse too, it provides good assistance for quick reference to common drugs when needed.
Nurse Bag on Amazon.com:
Buy a good nurse bag is really very important for you, it serves as a good travelling and working assistant.
3. Nursing on cruise ships, the job is a frontier medicine. Cruise ships nurse profession is kind of like frontier medicine. You are respiratory therapist, X-ray tech, lab tech, critical care nurse and mother to about all crew members on a ship.
