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Also, they will likely be on call for emergencies during their time off. Working as a nurse on a cruise ship exposes you to a wide range of medical cases that you may not encounter in a traditional healthcare setting. From tropical illnesses to maritime emergencies, you have the opportunity to gain valuable experience and enhance your clinical skills. This exposure can be highly rewarding and contribute to your professional growth as a nurse. A typical day as a cruise ship nurse involves a mix of routine tasks and unexpected medical situations.
Finding Work As A Cruise Ship Nurse
Once you’ve graduated from your nursing program, you’ll prepare for and take the NCLEX-RN exam (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) to become licensed as an RN. This exam is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Their website offers candidates information about the exam, its format, and study aids to help you prepare for the exam.
HESI vs. TEAS Exam: The Differences Explained
While salaries tend to run higher than cruise ship nursing, nurses working on yachts may have to perform supplemental duties as stewards, housekeepers, or deckhands. Major cruise lines also equip ships with full medical facilities, including labs, a pharmacy, X-ray equipment, and more. Of course, cruise ship nurses still must make due with what's available to them onboard the ship.

Cruise Ship Nurse Salary: How Much Do Cruise Ship Nurses Make?
Job posting sites, such as Glassdoor, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter, list cruise ship nurse contract commitments ranging from 12 weeks to six months. Although the BLS doesn’t report job outlook data specifically for Cruise Ship Nurses, they project that employment of all Registered Nurses will grow by 6% from 2021 to 2031. This means that over 200,000 job openings will become available each year. Some of the demand is due to the ongoing nursing shortage, while additional jobs will be created by those who transfer to different occupations or retire from the workforce. Additionally, becoming a Nurse Practitioner would also open more doors. Accepting an offer of employment, and all terms of and conditions, will allow us to start the onboarding process.
Cruise ship nurse interview - International Nursing - allnurses
Cruise ship nurse interview - International Nursing.
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2018 07:00:00 GMT [source]
After 15 years of practicing patient care and nursing leadership, Sarah began sharing her own nursing experiences and expertise through digital media. According to Business Insider, retention for cruise ship workers is over 80%. The medical staff live aboard the ship during their contract, which may last 4–6 months. Since they are considered part of the crew, they are prohibited from socially mingling with guests.
Programs
This nursing specialty provides a broad range of medical care services to travelers and crew members sailing the oceans each year. A career as a cruise ship nurseoffers RNs the unique opportunity to live at sea and travel the world while earning an attractive salary and saving on living expenses. These nurses work with small healthcare teams to provide an array of services, like routine wellness checks and emergency management. Don’t expect to enter this field right after finishing nursing school. Most cruise lines require two or more years of clinical experience and some employers only hire RNs with at least one year of experience in acute care or emergency settings. Advanced practice nurses with a master’s degree and specialty certifications will find more prospects.
Days off offer opportunities for exploration when the ship is in port. Cruise ship nurses typically work under temporary contracts and can take as much time off as they want between assignments. Earning a nursing degree involves taking classes in anatomy and physiology, college-level algebra, English composition, culture and diversity, and introductory psychology.
Common conditions treated by cruise ship nurses
Because Cruise Ship Nurses are often the first line of defense, some cruise lines prefer to hire RNs with emergency room experience. In addition, nurses who speak more than one language are in high demand on cruiseliners. Nurses who love to travel, enjoy long breaks from work, and want to experience a one-of-a-kind career could make perfect cruise ship nurses. A cruise ship nurse provides care for guests and crew as the ship sails around the world. Once you have identified which companies offer positions as cruise ship nurses, it’s time to start preparing your resume.
What is the quickest way to become a cruise ship nurse?
Promote excellence in nursing by enabling future and current nurses with the education and employment resources they need to succeed. High wage variability indicates significant opportunities to grow and advance in this specialty based on years of experience, education, and skill level. Onboard the ships, diverse passengers are brought together in crowded, semi-enclosed areas. Cruise ships have fully-functioning medical facilities with lab equipment, X-ray machines, pharmacies, and treatment rooms. Schedules, assignments, and priorities may change, so a good cruise nurse will be able to roll with the waves. This guide covers the states, cities, specializations, and workplaces that offer the highest pay for RNs.

Shifts can be anywhere from 4-12 hours along with the expectation of taking calls for emergencies after hours. The medical personnel, although typically considered professional staff, are not "allowed" to mingle or fraternize with the guests onboard the ship. Most cruise lines offer nurses their own cabin and meals as part of the position.
On a daily basis, you will be providing medical care to cruise ship passengers and crew members as needed. Nurses will spend most of their time helping passengers recover from sunburn and sea-sickness related injuries. They can also be seen helping the staff if an accident in the kitchen occurs. The cruise ship itself contains diagnostic testing like X-rays in case of more serious injuries. If an accident or damage were to happen to the ship, the nurse would keep passengers calm and assist with any injuries. The BSN degree, which typically takes four years to complete, has become the preferred educational credential for most cruise ship RN positions.
As a cruise ship nurse, your compensation will depend on the type of ship, your job responsibilities, and your work experience and specialties. Nurse staffing agencies report that cruise ship nurses can earn between $4,000-$5,000 a month. Cruise ship nurses must have the skills and temperament to handle unexpected situations. These might be disease outbreaks, injuries from accidents, and the occasional life-threatening emergency that requires an airlift to transfer patients onshore to medical facilities. The first step to being a cruise ship nurse is to become a registered nurse (RN).
This is not for a nurse that is fresh out of nursing school, but a nurse who has been in the field for a few years. While life at sea is not everyone’s first choice, if you have an adventurous spirit and a love for traveling, this may be the job for you. You can treat patients for a variety of vacation-related illnesses, which is quite different from your typical day at the hospital. As with any nursing job, you will need a license to practice, and you will be expected to have at least two or three years' nursing experience.
Working on a cruise ship exposes you to a diverse range of patients from different backgrounds and nationalities. This exposure allows you to enhance your clinical skills by encountering unique medical cases that you may not come across in a traditional healthcare setting. It provides an excellent platform to broaden your knowledge and gain valuable experience in various medical conditions. Your role as a nurse on a cruise ship is vital for maintaining the health and safety of everyone onboard. You are the first line of defense when it comes to medical emergencies, and your expertise and quick thinking can save lives.
Learn how to become a registered nurse, whether you are straight out of high school or have taken some college courses. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made.
This article will help you understand what cruise ship nursing is all about and how to become a cruise ship nurse in three steps. You may have to be away from home for weeks or months at a time, and the work will not always be glamorous. Earning your spot on a cruise ship can be difficult, but there are ways to stand out from the crowd sea of competitors. If you are bilingual or have experience in a multi-cultural environment, you could have an advantage. Cruise ships are often filled with employees and guests from around the world. RNs may also find opportunities for advancement, including positions such as a nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or nurse practitioner (NP).
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