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Find out what makes this career path special and how to become a travel nurse. 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. Whether you’re looking to get your pre-licensure degree or taking the next step in your career, the education you need could be more affordable than you think.

How Much Do Flight Nurses Make?
Speaking a language in addition to English will boost your chances to land a position. Many RNs who choose to work as cruise ship nurses are motivated primarily by the opportunity to travel and the flexibility of short-term contracts. On the Royal Caribbean cruise line, nurses are required to have at least 3 years’ experience in an emergency or intensive care unit (ICU) setting.
You will gain a unique work experience.
If you meet the basic requirements of a nurse at sea and you’re ready to start applying, you’ll need to do the following. A career path is a sequence of jobs that leads to your short- and long-term career goals. Some follow a linear career path within one field, while others change fields periodically to achieve career or personal goals. Learn how to become a registered nurse, whether you are straight out of high school or have taken some college courses. Cruise lines employ a team of nurses, so someone will be available to provide healthcare at all times. When serious problems do occur, your team of nurses and other physicians will work to keep the patient healthy until they can be transferred to the nearest healthcare facility on land.
Yacht Nurse

Some employers offer cruise discounts for friends and family members. If you choose cruise ship nursing for the opportunity to travel, you can visit new destinations at each port of call and enjoy several days or weeks off between contracts. Cruise ship nurses provide shipboard healthcare to passengers and staff.
See how you can become a missionary nurse and learn more about what they do. Find out about nurse practitioner careers, including responsibilities, pros and cons, and compensation. Learn more about a fast-growing career with an average salary over $100K. A cruise ship nurse can expect to work a 12-hour shift, and nurses rotate days off. However, if a serious problem occurs, you might be called upon on an off day to lend a hand. As in-demand medical professionals, flight nurses can earn high salaries depending on their experience, location, and industry.
All clear given after bomb scare on cruise ship at Port Everglades - WSVN 7News Miami News, Weather, Sports Fort Lauderdale
All clear given after bomb scare on cruise ship at Port Everglades.
Posted: Sun, 08 Apr 2018 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Cruise Ship Nurse Licensure and Certification
Some employers prefer to hire RNs with bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degrees, and RN-to-BSN bridge programs can accelerate the path to a bachelor’s. Earning a nursing degree, passing the NCLEX-RN exam, and getting licensed can take between 2-4 years. Most cruise ships require RNs to complete at least two years of clinical experience after receiving their nursing degree. Some employers only hire nurses with two or more years experience in acute care and emergency care settings.
HESI vs. TEAS Exam: The Differences Explained
RNs make median salaries of $77,600 per year, according to the BLS, and job listings posted on sites like ZipRecruiter offer annual salaries ranging from $39,000-$105,500. Nurses can opt for industry-specific training from organizations like the Institute of Cruise Ship Medicine. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data from May 2021, RNs earn the highest pay in California, Hawaii, Oregon, the District of Columbia, and Alaska. Average wages in these states range from $124,000 in California to $97,230 in Alaska.
What Is a Travel Nurse?
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. Cruise ship nurses, like all RNs, must have basic life support certification as part of their training. Not all cruise lines require the advanced cardiovascular life support certification, but this credential and the pediatric advanced life support certification increase your job prospects. You need to pass a multiple-choice exam and fulfill practice requirements to get these certifications. Cruise ship nurses hold either RN or APRN licenses, which determines how much cruise ship nurses can earn.
These advanced practice nurses earn considerably more than cruise ship RNs providing day-to-day healthcare for passengers and staff. RNs with experience and certifications in emergency medicine, ICU, or other acute care settings also garner greater job opportunities and higher salaries. Earning an ADN and passing the NCLEX-RN exam offers the quickest pathway to entering the nursing field, but it may not be enough to launch your career as a cruise ship nurse. NPs with graduate training in advanced practice nursing and specialty nursing certifications in acute care, emergency, and intensive care nursing will increase their earning potential and marketability. Nursing school graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs (NCLEX-RN) to earn their RN licenses. Cruise lines often require experience in acute, emergency, or intensive care units and advanced cardiac life support certification.
Depending on the state, RNs typically renew their licenses every two years. 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. Because many graduate-trained APRNs hold a broad practice authority that does not require a doctor’s supervision, they make a good fit for cruise line nursing. Nurses who routinely work assignments on yachts and cruise lines find the work fun and adventurous. While this day-on-stay-on work may not be for all nurses, those with wanderlust and experience in emergency nursing or ICU nursing may find this an exciting career path.
Becoming an RN can be challenging, requiring good study skills and time management. Once you have earned your nursing degree and RN license, you will need to get at least two years of clinical experience before applying for cruise ship nursing positions. As the cruise industry recovers from the COVID-19 shutdown, more cruise ship positions will become available. Cruise ship nurses perform basic first aid and make triage decisions. Although shifts can last hours, most cruise ship nurses work in rotation with other healthcare staff, with scheduled time off on board and offshore.
If you have a passion for travel and meeting people from all over the world, a career as a cruise ship nurse may be just what you are looking for. These registered nurses (RNs) provide healthcare for passengers and crew members. Depending on the nursing position and type of ship, cruise ship nurses may work hour shifts, even longer during emergency situations, and sometimes on duty seven days a week.
An active nursing license in any state is also required as well as current ACLS and Basic Life Support (BLS) certifications. Smaller cruise lines, such as Viking River Cruises, require only 2 years of nursing experience, yet hospitality and yachting experience is valued for the position. A work Visa will also be required when working as a nurse outside of the U.S. Nurses must also possess certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and have an active RN license. Qualified nurses who speak multiple languages such as Mandarin or Japanese are in high demand on cruise lines.
This guide covers the states, cities, specializations, and workplaces that offer the highest pay for RNs. NurseJournal.org is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers. Prescriptive authority varies and depends on the state in which the NP is licensed. Some states confer full authority to prescribe; others limit prescriptive authority and require collaboration with a physician.
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