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New Cruise Ship Nurse - Zuiderdam 9/1 - 15

NurseGeorge

By NurseGeorge,
in Holland America Line

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NurseGeorge

NurseGeorge

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Hello Fellow Holland Cruisers

I have been a passenger on HAL several times and have decided to see the ship from a different angle, as the Ship's Nurse.

 

Tomorrow I leave on a new adventure. I am full of excitement :o and apprehension as I embark on this new journey. I have always wanted to post to CC and I never have but I have been to parties on every ship and frequently read the board.

 

I am going to use this forum to chronicle my journey for the next two weeks.

 

I have gotten many mixed messages about being a cruise ship nurse. Everything from those who think that I am ruining my cruise experience forever to those who are so envious they can't wait to hear about my experience. I was talking with a ED nurse that I work with in Seattle who has been a nurse before onboard and had some hair-raising experiences. She told me a story about a gentleman who decided that his fantasy cruise experience would be to slit his wrists in his cabin...egad:eek: ...what a waste of a great cruise. If you are going on my cruise please don't choose this particular excursion... There have been others that I have talked too who would not do anything other than be a cruise ship nurse.

 

I love experiencing new things in my professional career and I have these expectations: I will provide quality, professional nursing care, and benefit those I come in contact with to have an extra special experience with Holland America. I expect to meet people from all over the world and make new connections with people that may even last a lifetime, I expect to enjoy this new perspective of the DAM ships and hope to be welcomed as part of the crew.

 

I am worried about the silly things, have I pack enough, or the right things? Is it okay that some of my scrubs are not HAL blue? What do I wear on Formal Night? Will I have Free Internet? Can I use the Gym? (gosh I hope so, or I will become a blimp)

 

I am doing this contract during my only Summer break from Graduate School and I hope that I will be able to get refreshed and recharged for my final 2 quarters in school.

 

Well, I am packed and ready to head to the airport tomorrow afternoon. I have taken my suitcase to the ED and weighed it to make sure that I won't have to pay overage charges (I have a lot of Scottish Blood in my veins). I look forward to the expanse of Alaska and the familiarity of the Zuiderdam medical clinic. If you are a passenger onboard with me, please come down and say hello.

 

Nurse George:rolleyes:

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CoolChile

CoolChile

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What a lovely-wonderful post, NurseGeorge!

 

A big welcome to Cruise Critic. All of us were novice posters once. Just keep your questions and comments coming. There are a lot of friendly and helpful people here and only some of them are crazy. :D

 

We're sailing on the Zui's full-transit Sept 29. Will you be on for that? I hope so. If you are, and no one's arresting or bleeding to death, PLEASE come to our Meet 'n' Greet that I'm arranging through Amy, the land-based Coordinator of Event Services for the Zui. Diarize this: Oct 4 from 10 - 11:30 AM in the Crow's Nest. Martinis are free. Oops, wishful thinking ....

 

I'm an RN too (ret'd, but still VERY cute :p ) and look forward to meeting you. We're almost neighbors (we're in Victoria) and DH and I l-o-v-e Seattle (who wouldn't?).

 

I've done many things in my career and I will vicariously experience yet another thrill through what YOU are about to experience. You will NEVER regret the choice you've made to do this.

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sungoddess

sungoddess

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Hi there,

 

I used to be a Hotel Officer on HAL. Don't worry about formal nights; you will be required to wear an officer's uniform, which you will get when you board. Just make sure to bring nylons and black shoes You will not have free internet, but will be able to purchase crew internet cards, or you can use internet cafes in port. You will be able to use the crew gym, but not the passenger gym. Have a great time and most importantly, have fun! Being a crewmember is something you will never forget!

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JimVrhovac

JimVrhovac

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Have a great experience and enjoy every minute of it.

 

You will be one of those people that will be able to sit back in the mature years and say I did try that and it was one hell of an experience whereas most people say "I wish I had tried that"

 

Look forward to your posts

 

Ruth & Jim (RN's)

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NurseGeorge

NurseGeorge

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Wow, thank you for the warm welcome to Cruise Critic. I was not expecting such pleasant and prompt replies. I am looking forward to the exchange here on the board and to illustrating the amazing contrasts of two worlds of cruising on the same vessel. Thank you Sungoddess for the words about the gym and the internet, I was worried. I am not bringing any black nylons but I think that will be alright. Stay tuned for future reports from the Main Deck of the Zuiderdam and my exciting new adventure. George

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LAFFNVEGAS "Live from...." Rare

LAFFNVEGAS

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Geroge, I am so excited for you:) I cannot wait to hear your reports. You will do absolutely wonderful. Tom and I still want you and Bill to join us on one of our cruises. But I know you have been busy with school. When you do graduate you must celebrate by joining us:D

Good Luck and Bon Voyage:)

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DFD1

DFD1

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Well, George, I think you're in for a wild ride and I can't wait to hear every detail about all the situations you encounter along the way.

 

Have a great time. Keep your sense of humor. Keep everyone fixed up as best you can and remember to "tell all" right here!

 

Bon Voyage!

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drdentist

drdentist

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Wow! Good for you! I think Ruth and Jim stated it best that you are not just saying "wish I had done that" but are doing it! When I was on my last cruise I inquired about being the Ship's MD (I'm the MD DH is DMD) but do not think I could take that much time off. I cannot wait to read your reports. Thanks for taking the time to post and good luck! BTW I did see the Ship's doctor in the gym. IMHO if the doctor gets to use the passenger's gym so should the nurse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

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May4

May4

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I think that your posts will be so very interesting.

 

Maybe you can tell tales of interesting cases aboard - filtered by complete professionalism and discretion on your part of course!:p

 

Thanks in advance for all that you will do to keep everybody up and running.

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LAFFNVEGAS "Live from...." Rare

LAFFNVEGAS

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Lisa -

Bill and I would be honored to take another cruise with the 2nd God Mother to the O-Dam. Book Two of Nurse George at Sea will be the Dec. 12th cruise on the Noordam out of NYC to the Carribe. Could be fun!!! George

 

George, that is great. You are going to love the Noordam and the Zuirderdam We loved the Noordam so much we had to return to her before she went back to the East Coast.

Why don't you and Bill think about joining us on the Feb 9th Yum Yum Man Cruise. You two would fit in so well with this fun loving crazy bunch of cruisers.

Good Luck on your next two weeks, you would do fantastic:)

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NurseGeorge

NurseGeorge

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Hello Friends

Well it is travel day, which really means that it is "pull out my hair, run around like a crazy man, tick off the cat because she hates to ride in the car, and reweigh my luggage" day. I have lists of things to do today in the next 8 hours and instead I am rewriting my post for the day. Not entirely because I am OCD but I some how lost about an hour of writing by trying to spell check it. I will attempt to recreate some of the flavor of what I had written.

 

I woke up this morning well rested having finally slept well. Recently I bought a new pillow top mattress much like the exquisite mattresses found on Dam Ships. Abigale (Abby) my tabby cat approves of the purchase and is harder to get out of bed than I am. She is oblivious to the fact that in a few minutes she will be packed in the car and taken to my friends house for 2 weeks of catsitting. She hates the car, it usually means shots...so I spend 20 minutes trying to convince her that she will not be getting any shots this time for getting that she has a brain the size of an almond and doesn't care what I am saying.

 

On the list of things to do is to finish packing. Packing for this trip has been an exercise in frustration. I am supposed to bring "blues" for Alaska cruising uniforms, however, the Captain at any time can change the uniform to "whites" if the weather is warm enough. Thankfully, it is not past Labor Day yet and I was able to find white pants. Not an easy task for men, thankfully men just are not wearing white pants these days. So I have packed my "blues" and "whites" and I have packed 3 pairs of trauma scrubs...that also work in non-trauma situations. I threw in another sportcoat (but I am not sure why), I packed 3 pairs of shoes and I am wearing a 4th, (what on earth am I going to do with 4 pairs of shoes), I have packed sweaters, shirts and pants for artic to the tropics and two Holland America Sweatshirts. I have packed, unpacked and repacked 3 pairs of jeans and other casual clothes...(I just don't know where I will wear them) The good news is that if I have forgotten or unpacked anything that I need there are plenty of places to shop in Vancouver, Juneau, Ketchikan or the HAL shops!!!! My second favorite place to spend money on the ship!!!! You can never have enough Holland America shirts, cups or chakaas. I am restricted from going into my first favorite place onboard to spend money. Unless someone has an "episode" or experiences emergent Slot-Machine Elbow. My goal this trip is to break even and with my Casino restriction, that might just be possible...I do need a new HAL windbreaker though.....hmmmm

 

The other thing that has been packed, and unpacked are books...not pleasure books either...we are talking about exciting titles like...Sheehy's Emergency Care, Emergency Nursing - Principles and Practice, Cardiology Manual and .....where is my Advanced Cardiac Lifesupport manual??? It doesn't matter at the last luggage weigh-in they all went back on the shelf. I figure if it is not on board, I don't need it. Don't worry, I have the ACLS manual committed to memory! I am bringing stuff to work on my thesis, but I doubt that I will ever pull that out of the suitcase.

 

You know that feeling that you used to get (I still do) on December 24th...That squiggely, can't sleep, lack of focus, can't stop smiling, butterfly stomach feeling .... I have that before every cruise just because of my excitement, but this time is different....I have all of those ingredients and a dash of some extra spice that I can't quite put my finger on......

 

Well I am off to shower, get dressed, pack up the cat, drive her to kitty jail, pick up my paycheck, go to the bank, pay my bills, reweigh my luggage (one more time for good measure), clean my house, water the garden, call a taxi, go to the airport.....and begin my adventure!!!

 

Should I wear my "Trust me I am a Nurse" shirt....???:cool:

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Copper10-8 "Live from...." Rare

Copper10-8

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Looking forward to your posts from Zuiderdam, nurse George! That's what I want to do also - take a look at the inside workings of a cruise ship. Hopefully for you, not too many emergencies, no medevacs and no 'bright star' announcements! How long is your contract?

 

The ship's doctor is allowed to use the pax gym because he is not considered a crew member, but has passenger status, just like guest entertainers. Not a bad gig if you can get it!

 

Mornin' Sungoddess, I've been on several cruises where the ship's cast used the pax gym. I take it they are exempt also?

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NurseGeorge

NurseGeorge

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The ship's doctor is allowed to use the pax gym because he is not considered a crew member, but has passenger status, just like guest entertainers. Not a bad gig if you can get it!

I think that I would rather use the crew gym anyway...that way the passagers don't see me sweat!!!!

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NurseGeorge

NurseGeorge

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Looking forward to your posts from Zuiderdam, nurse George! That's what I want to do also - take a look at the inside workings of a cruise ship. Hopefully for you, not too many emergencies, no medevacs and no 'bright star' announcements! How long is your contract?

 

 

 

Mornin' Sungoddess, I've been on several cruises where the ship's cast used the pax gym. I take it they are exempt also?

 

Thank you, I hope that I can give cruisers a taste of HAL from a little different perspective...can't give away any secrets though, like how the crew gets to work every day....

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