I have a question regarding medical care onboard

[boone2]

After reading many reports of excellent medical care in some pretty dire circumstances, I feel your assessment is very harsh and unfounded.

 

 

As someone who works as a nurse on cruise ships I agree. No one is dumped ashore. They are medically disembarked with consultation with the hospitals and a care team shore side to assist

You have to realize that although we can stabilize most emergencies the capacity to provide ongoing care at the level needed is not available. As someone pointed out we can be up all night caring for a sick person and then continue with our normal duties of caring for passengers and crew during the day. On a TA we could have 5 days at sea and continue to give care. Some of the smaller ships is some fleets only have 2 nurses and a doctor. I also work in an ER at home as most of us do and I am proud of the care given on the fleet I sail with. It is of the same high standard and I should also point out that there are some places where it is not ideal to disembark patients so they are kept until the next port

 

Btw a kidney stone would be treated with pain killers and fluids and you would be sent for a urological consult and imaging at the next port. A decision would be then made as to whether you need a higher level of treatment than can be provided onboard

Terry

[Coral]

As someone who works as a nurse on cruise ships I agree. No one is dumped ashore. They are medically disembarked with consultation with the hospitals and a care team shore side to assist

 

Thanks for your first hand knowledge. I appreciate your post.

Edited December 17, 2015 by Coral

[aimee0715]

Zero and they would put you off that ship faster than you can say "boo". They can give basics for sea sickness or ban you to your cabin... Pretty much useless after that!

 

I just got off Grand Princess last week. My husband and I took the Ultimate Ship Tour and toured the medical center and met the doctor. There are 2 doctors on board, one for passengers and one for crew. There are 4 nurses and 2 EMTs. The medical center has space for 7 inpatients and 2 of the rooms are ICUs with ventilators. We went into one of the ICU rooms and it looked like any hospital room I've been in. They also have x-ray equipment. The doctor said they cannot do surgery but have what they need to stabilize someone. I was very impressed with the facility. I had always assumed that the ship's medical center was basically a first aid station but it was not like that at all.

[moki'smommy]

On a cruise about 15 years ago, I met the ship's doctor at a social event. I told her my qualifications and said that I'd be happy to be available should they experience an emergency in my specialty. I was invited to tour the medical center the next day. I was very impressed; the facility was far more sophisticated than I expected. The ICU on the ship was better equipped than some small hospitals I've seen. (This is not intended as an insult to small hospitals, but many in my area are facing financial problems and have not been able to keep up to date with equipment or staff!) On that ship there was one doc and 2 nurses--all very well qualified for their positions. The problem would obviously be in a situation where a patient required more than a few hours of constant care. There is just not enough staff to keep up one on one care for a lengthy period.

 

The days of the ship's medical facility being a glorified band-aid station are long gone (if they ever existed other than in folklore).

[GUT2407]

They can provide the same type of care as a level 4 trauma center (no mayor trauma or heart cath). So, pertaining to your situation, yes they would be able to handle it.

 

Unfortunately, they also tend to get rid of patients as soon as possible. Why do I mean by rid? They will transfer you off the ship as soon as possible if deemed that you need to be admitted. They have been exceptions but usually, people get transferred off the ship at the first port of call or if a MEDEVAC is feasible and within range.

 

 

^^^^^^^^This

[GUT2407]

They can provide the same type of care as a level 4 trauma center (no mayor trauma or heart cath). So, pertaining to your situation, yes they would be able to handle it.

 

Unfortunately, they also tend to get rid of patients as soon as possible. Why do I mean by rid? They will transfer you off the ship as soon as possible if deemed that you need to be admitted. They have been exceptions but usually, people get transferred off the ship at the first port of call or if a MEDEVAC is feasible and within range.

 

 

^^^^^^^^This is the one.

[chengkp75]

I am curious if you are still with Princess? I have read some of your posts and have enjoyed reading them. You definitely have a unique insight into parts of cruising that many of us never have seen.

 

I have never worked for Princess. I was with NCL for 4 years in their US flag Hawaii operations, but when they downsized from 3 ships to 1, I returned to cargo vessels. Cruise ship operations is one of the most interesting segments in my 40 year career at sea.

[Coral]

I have never worked for Princess. I was with NCL for 4 years in their US flag Hawaii operations, but when they downsized from 3 ships to 1, I returned to cargo vessels. Cruise ship operations is one of the most interesting segments in my 40 year career at sea.

 

Thanks - I hope you continue to posting!

[gottagocit]

After using the onboard medical facility for a nasty sinus infection I contracted on a week or so into our last TA on the Emerald I learned that although I had both personnel medical and Princess travel insurance, I had to pay for all treatment and medicine prior to disembarking. I was responsible for filing for reimbursement through both insurances after returning home. In this case the bill was just over $200 USD but with a more serious illness it could be significantly more.

 

If you need the care the above information wouldn't seem important but it's something to be aware of.

[boone2]

After using the onboard medical facility for a nasty sinus infection I contracted on a week or so into our last TA on the Emerald I learned that although I had both personnel medical and Princess travel insurance, I had to pay for all treatment and medicine prior to disembarking. I was responsible for filing for reimbursement through both insurances after returning home. In this case the bill was just over $200 USD but with a more serious illness it could be significantly more.

 

 

 

If you need the care the above information wouldn't seem important but it's something to be aware of.

 

 

That would be no different if a foreign visitor came to our ER or we visited a foreign hospital. There are many different types of insurance available and a ships medical centre does not have the time or capability to handle insurance claims, something that some passengers get very upset about. How to handle an insurance claim is noted in the information when it is purchased, I agree passengers should be aware

Terry

[Sunsailor]

for all of the useful information... I appreciate it..

 

About 10 years ago I had some need of the medical facility and the charges were covered by my health insurance plan as an emergency room visit...

 

We also always purchase evacuation protection... one of the carriers that we use covers pre existing conditions,,,

 

Thanks again... it's always nice to chat with CC friends...

 

Mark

[peety3]

They can provide the same type of care as a level 4 trauma center (no mayor trauma or heart cath). So, pertaining to your situation, yes they would be able to handle it.

 

Unfortunately, they also tend to get rid of patients as soon as possible. Why do I mean by rid? They will transfer you off the ship as soon as possible if deemed that you need to be admitted. They have been exceptions but usually, people get transferred off the ship at the first port of call or if a MEDEVAC is feasible and within range.

Wouldn't you want that? If the situation escalates, you'd need more resources than what the ship has (or can get).

 

Back in my days as an EMT first responder, we'd treat for a few minutes until the ambulance arrived (translation: don't let the patient die on my watch). Sometimes, the ambulance crew would say "let's treat this patient with diesel fumes" (translation: step on it, and don't let the patient die on our watch). So...it happens "everywhere".

[gowilk]

They have a different version of the Hippocrates oath that says their first responsibility is to the company. In my case, when I sprained my knee due to princess negligence, I was forced into unnecessary tests and spent 3 hour without medication while they consulted with ship personnel before me... I was beyond ticked. I still suffer annual cortisone shots due to their incompetence/negligence and all without even a single word of apology...is it any wonder that I no longer cruise on princess???

[philv]

A few years back, I broke my leg on an excursion on St. Lucia. My biggest fear was that they would send me to the local hospital and the ship would sail away without me! They took me to ship's medical center and took an x-ray which they sent off to some consulting doctor somewhere. The nice British Doctor on board came back and pronounced in her best British accent that I had a "minimally displaced fracture of the right distal fibula." She put me in a moon boot and gave me some pain meds and said see your doctor when you get home. Altough I had to wheel chair around ship after that, and missed a couple of excursions, I was so delighted to stay on ship, I wasn't mad or upset at all. The bill from Princess wasn't that bad. I turned it over to my insurance when I got home and was reimbursed 100%. I am very happy with the care I received from the medical center.

Edited December 17, 2015 by philv