The Perks Being an LPN Cruise Line Travel Nurse

An LPN travel nurse on cruise lines might hold the job of second or “crew nurse”.  He or she might also be the dental nurse on ships that are equipped with dental facilities.  The responsibilities are the same or similar to those in any other healthcare environment, but the “perks” are better.

Doctors and nurses on the ship are treated as officers.  They wear uniforms, comparable to those worn by other officers and everyone has a name tag.  The pay and the number of hours worked varies from one cruise line to the next, but if you get the job, you can expected to be placed on a rotating call schedule. 

Some ships have three nurses.  In that situation, the rotation would require you to be on call once every three days for a 24 hour period. 

Most ships have clinic hours, as well.  During that time, crew members and passengers may visit the clinic for minor illnesses or injuries.  Inevitably, a passenger will forget to pack their regular medications and need to visit the doctor to obtain a refill or prescription.

So, basically, the same things go on aboard ship that occur in any doctor’s office or hospital.  But, an LPN travel nurse on cruise lines is still working in a different environment.

In most cases, you would only be working a 4 hour shift in a clinic.  A large portion of your day can be spent enjoying the scenery or the aboard-ship activities.  You will have time to spend ashore as well when the ship docks for sight-seeing. 

Your accommodations will be free and the rate of pay is usually higher than what you make on land.  After completing a contract, many companies offer free accommodations for your spouse, as well.  Your transportation to and from the ship is covered, too.

A LPN travel nurse on cruise lines enjoys free meals, just like the rest of the crew.  Other bonuses may be offered, as well.

Other than treating the occasional case of seasickness, you aren’t likely to run into a disease that you wouldn’t ordinarily see.  So, no special education is required. The only thing that you may need is an up to date passport or a license that is transferable from one location to another.  Most employers and services offer assistance in obtaining the necessary licensing.

How easy is it to find this kind of job?  If you are interested in being an LPN travel nurse on cruise lines, you might want to sign up with a service that puts nurses in traveling positions of all kinds.  Most nurses feel that a service is the easiest approach.