Cruise Ship Nurses Have their Cake and Eat It Too

Most people work a life time so that when they retire they can travel around the world.

Registered nurses who work on cruise ships pray they don't retire so that they can continue traveling around the world. Theirs is one of the most sought after traveling nurse jobs.

What kind of qualities a cruise ship nurse is expected to bring to the job?

First of all, she (or he) has to have experience in ER and ICU settings since when emergencies occur on a ship, usually there is no time or opportunity to consult with other physicians and nurses like at a hospital. She has to have that kind of self-confidence and experience to handle all medical care needs of about 2,500 passengers and 1,000 crew. A ship of that size typically carries two physicians and three nurses, as mandated by law. Smaller ships may employ just one doctor and two nurses.

Secondly, cruise ship nurses (CSN) must also have excellent cross-cultural and social skills since their job puts them int ouch with passengers and crew from dozens of different nationalities and cultures. Interpersonal skills are paramount for such nurses.

Most CSNs in the United States work for the two largest cruise lines: Carnival and Holland America.

Here is Carnival Cruise Line's official requirements list for a CSN:

" The Ship's Nurses are responsible to care for the nursing needs (routine and emergency needs) of the guests and crew. Registered Nurses with valid registration in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, or European Union country with a minimum of three recent years of emergency or critical care nursing experience with competency in emergency/critical care nursing care are eligible to apply. Current BLS certification is required. Current ACLS certification (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) or its equivalent, is highly recommended. Some willingness to learn simple laboratory/x-ray procedures. Must be proficient with IV cannulation and venipuncture. Must have a positive mental attitude and an ability to work with people of different nationalities in a close intense environment. Applicants must pass a medication administration exam, demonstrate adequate experience with nursing procedures on our skills check list and must pass a pre-employment physical examination and be deemed fit for duty at sea. Basic computer knowledge and proficiency is also required. Fluent in English."

Holland America recruits nurses licensed in the U.S. or Canada and with at least four years of ER, ICU or CCU experience. Most Holland America nurses actually have "10 years of experience or more in emergency," according to Sally Van Boheemen, head of Holland America's medical department, as quoted in a press article.

The ability to think fast in an emergency situation, take initiative and work independently with good triage and assessment skills is among the chief job requirements for a ship nurse.

Susie Lilly, RN, a lead nurse for Holland America Line, summarized what it takes to be a good ship nurse well in this media quote: "Nursing on a cruise ship is kind of like frontier medicine. You don't have the ancillary personnel on a ship. We're respiratory therapists, X-ray techs, lab techs, critical care nurses and mother to about 700 crew. Anything can come through the doors-except motor vehicle collisions, which are rare. The crew work with different types of machinery and equipment, and accidents can and do happen."

Ship nurses go through security and ship evacuation training since they are expected to organize emergency medical evacuations and accompany a crew or passenger by helicopter all the way to a hospital.

Another requirement is the willingness to do one's own paperwork since ship nurses do not have the support of any clerical staff. They file in their own insurance claims and keep their own set of medical records on every crew and passenger.

Sometimes the nurses are employed as independent contractors, with one to six month contracts. There are ship nurses however who are hired as a regular employee with full benefits as well.

Cruise ship nurses are not necessarily paid better than their land-bound counterparts. But the job comes with its own unique irresistible bonuses.

For example, ship nurses typically work six months at a stretch at sea. But then they take a two months' break before sailing out again. There aren't too many jobs out there with two months vacation after every six months.

The scheduling is even better with Holland America lines which allows its nurses to rest for two months after every four months at sea.

Daily shifts are long, however. On Carnival Ecstasy for example the day nurse works from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to be relieved by another nurse between 5 to 8 p.m. The day nurse returns to work at 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. Next morning. Then takes the next day off. That kind of schedule needs the stamina of a trained athlete.

When the ship is at a port, the ship nurses are free to go on shore and enjoy the local scene and the beaches.

Another attractive aspect of ship nursing is the unprecedented opportunity to network and becomes friend with people of all ages, cultures, nationalities and backgrounds. There are a lot of nurses who make life-long friends during cruises and have a place to stay wherever they go around the world.

There is also the sheer beauty of traveling to gorgeous tourist attractions around the world for free, without the need to take extra vacations to see them.

It's hard work that requires the ability to work well with other people and solid ER and ICU skills to meet the challenge of medical emergencies at sea. Yet at the of the day or a long shift there is always that unforgettable sunset over Jamaica or the golden beach at a tropical paradise. And countless friendships formed with well-to-do accomplished people from dozens of countries is the icing on the cake.

Cruise ship nursing is one of those career niches that you might consider for a fantastic change of venue and a professional challenge with its own unique rewards.

Ugur Akinci Ph.D. Is the Editor of Nurse Recruiter Newsletter.

Nurse-Recruiter is the award winning nursing job board, employment & career site, founded in 1999 by a nurse to help other nurses find the jobs that perfectly match their qualifications and needs. NR offers many different nurse employment options at the national, state, and regional levels. NR web site www.nurse-recruiter.com is in the top 10% of the most frequently visited websites in the world. NR receives millions of hits per month and ranks #1 for nursing job boards.

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