New Cruise Ship Nurse - Zuiderdam 9/1 - 15

[rebeljohn]

This has to be the most interesting HAL thread I have seen in a while. George...........Thanks for the insight of life on HAL...........By the time I cruise in Nov., I'll feel like I already know everyone on board..........

[NurseGeorge]

Four phases of dating? Can't wait to read about. Looking forward to the pics of you in your uniform. How is rank determined?

 

Hey Susie, I am looking forward to sleuthing out what these phases could be...I will have to get down in the trenches and flush it out...hehehe...actually, I will have to reach back to my high school or junior high days, I think, because it probably is that "my-friend-thinks-your-cute" phase. I will never forget junior high and asking someone to "go with me"...it makes me giggle today to even consider. There might be some of that in these phases...I will just have to be patient and talk to the right crew members...maybe the cast members know???

Rank is determined by position and time with the company. Part time nurse is one stripe, full time nurse is 1.5 stripes, lead nurse and CMO are two stripes...I think that you get 1/2 stripe for 2 years of service??? something like that...I will have one stripe, that I know...actually right now my uniform jacket has three stripes on..."that's fine" I said...the tailor said...well doctor, you are supposed to have three stripes...I laughed nervously and said "actually, you need to take two of those off....I am a nurse". I have bought him a six-pack of Corona (his favorite beer) to surprise him when I pick up my uniform....but don't tell him.

I don't think that I will be able to post again tonight, we had to admit someone to the hospital and that means that we are taking shifts in the clinic tonight. I just had a long talk with the doctor and we might try to see if this patient will be able to manage back in the cabin after some treatment in the clinic and we are going to try and see at 10:00 pm.

 

Actually, I started my first IV at sea today…well actually we are at the dock still, but the equipment is not what I am used to…and for any nurses out there you know, that it is all about the equipment and being comfortable with it. I was being so careful with this system that is not needleless and hooked this gizmo to that port and all was fine…I was able to start thinking about drawing some blood so I put this thingy ma jigger on to the gizmo and “We Struck Oil” …messy nurse…Luckily I (or rather Caroline) had put a blue pad under the arm before I started. I believe Caroline has seen that mess made before. I finally got all of the whatchamadingises hooked up right and the IV was flowing…then we went to dinner and left Dr. Jeff to play nurse to the patient…after all he did admit the patient…and the rest of us will be in shifts up all night with this patient…it is only fair that we get two hours for dinner…

 

I laugh a lot at work, normally, fortunately that has not changed on board. This medical team has a great sense of humor and “gets” my silly twisted sense. It is a good thing that there are no Psych doctors on board or we might all be under supervision.

 

Hoping for calmer seas tonight, and I keep spreading the word about “sea calm” available at the front desk…just get it as soon as you board…YOU DON”T NEED TO CALL THE CLINIC…but we are always available if you need us. <wink>

 

Night for now…If I think of any thing to write and I have my computer over in clinic, I might add to today’s posts but this might be all for day Six.

 

Nurse George

[COLandlocked]

I want more!!! This is such a great thread. I find myself "peaking" to see if there are new posts.

 

Guess I just have to continue working until I see something new.

 

Thanks NurseGeorge, you have helped me get through a very tough week at work!!!!

[Susie51]

Nurse George you have me "waiting on the edge of my seat" for the next installment of your life at sea as a cruise nurse.

 

Between painting the dining room and hallways, and working, I check the CC boards for new additions to your thread.

 

Thanks so much.

[RuthC]

NurseGeorge, I hate to change the "up" tone of this thread, but your recent post leads me to ask a question of a more serious nature. Please indulge me.

What if a ship were far out to sea---several days from the nearest port---and a passenger presented with serious (life-threatening) symptoms? How are the facilities for handling such emergencies? Does the passenger have a chance?

I'm not questioning the abilities of the staff, per se, but rather in the context of being far from a fully equiped hospital with specialists.

Thank you in advance for putting my mind at ease. ;)

[MrsMuir]

NurseGeorge, I'm late to this thread, and have just spent my lunch hour aboard Zuiderdam with you. Your enthusiasm is infectious (pardon my use of that term), and your writing is unforced, joyful and colorful. Your adventure takes me back 29 years to my weeklong stint in the boutique aboard Island Princess. I hope our paths cross sometime, either here in the Seattle area or aboard a Damship. Keep on writing; you're a natural!

 

Mrs Muir

[NurseGeorge]

Day Seven – At Sea

 

It has already been a banner day….starting with a very early morning phone call. Let me back up…I knew that I was 3rd call today so I could stay up late last night (and did)…really what I was doing was more crew psycho-therapy…really quite fun actually. I have had so many conversations with crew members that along the conversations somewhere they say to me “I really don’t know why I am telling you this…” to which I respond, “I don’t know either, but go on…” <wink> Anyway, stayed up late and an hour was added to that by the God of timezones. I decided that I did not need to set my alarm and I would get up when I woke up. The phone rang in my darkened inside cave and I could barely see well enough to remember which button to push to answer. “George, It’s Evelyn, were you sleeping?” I am thinking to myself, “well, of course I am sleeping it is like 4:30 in the morning or something like that” I knew it must be earlier than 8:00 because I go from 2nd to 3rd call at 8:00 and unless there is something major the 3rd call nurse does not get called. “yes, but that is okay, what is wrong.” “Nothing, I am just looking for some medication that was left for one of the crew on the desk, have you seen it.” Well yes I had seen it. Last night as we were closing up shop I saw a pouch of Vicodin (a narcotic) just sitting out on the counter…I am quite anal about such things and told Caroline that I thought it should be put away. We hid it behind something as we were laughing hysterically about something thoroughly unrelated (an activity that Caroline and I have been doing frequently) Anyway, while we were cracking ourselves up about some medical personnel antics from several cruises ago…we decided that it would be better to lock the Vicodin (a narcotic) up in the Narcotic Locker (that is what it is for). Well, didn’t think another thing of it…and when the call came in at what ever time it was (actually it turns out it was 9:00am) I was not firing on all cylinders and forgot about the narcotic locker transfer. “I saw it laying out and put it behind the cold medicine on the desk”, I said…”we looked there and can’t find it…” Well now I am starting to panic, because I was the last person to see the narcs…and now they were missing….I got my scrubs on and dragged over to the Medical Center, still forgetting about the locker. We called Caroline and she was much clearer in the head than I and said that we had locked them up…Oh, yeah, I said…that was my idea…” I just got a look from Evelyn. Time for coffee.

 

Up and dressed with breakfast on board ready for the day. I stopped by the Medical Center and the place was full. Turns out the respiratory thing that has been bouncing around…became an all out Australian Crud. I think that we are out of Afrin, Saline nose spray, and running low on cough drops and Robitussin, not to mention a dwindling supply of amoxicillin. I decided that being 3rd call it would be better if I stayed away (and healthy) because I was responsible for bringing people aboard tomorrow and the last thing that the embarkees need is a sicko at the gangway. I went up on deck and did some schmoozing…also went to talk with some of the tour representatives about next cruise and some added info for their embarking guests, like PLEASE cover your mouth when you cough!!!! It amazes me how people don’t. Then I noticed crew lining up for …oh yeah the disembark talk and crew farewell.

 

I got to represent Medical (because the rest of them were busy) in the farewell wave and “Love in Any Language” I even new the song from previous shows that I have been in Seattle…I know that acting career would come in handy. Afterwards, Caroline asked me with a smirk, what kind of wave did you do??? Elbow, elbow, wrist wrist wrist (of course)!!!!! She is a hoot!

 

After that I went done to pick up the Med Team for lunch and we had a great lunch out by the aft pool………NOTE TO SELF: If you are over 25 (and I am) don’t wear a speedo, especially on an Alaska Cruise. (hehehe) It actually was quite warm outside by the pool and there were some people swimming…however, I do believe in the 25 year old speedo limit. I had to crack a few jokes at lunch and poor Dr. Jeff, who has a bit of the down-under crud nearly choked a few times between coughing and laughing…Evelyn and I both have a wheezy laugh like Smedley the dog from Duddley DoRight.

 

After lunch, I placed a call to the Tailor Shop….MY UNIFORM IS DONE!!! This is me in my uniform!!!

 

I spent the rest of the afternoon so far talking with people around the decks…I ran into Murray and Mari-Anna again who I have cruised with on the Zaandam…got a picture taken with them and I thought I would post that too. We are getting ready to pull into the Johnston Strait and last week there were a pod of Dolphins that followed the ship for about 45 minutes last cruise…I have already today seen several humpies and got to watch the Pilot come on board…never have seen that before. Got some good pictures of that too…That is all for now from the Zuiderdam…but I know there will be more later…I must be covering everything that you all want to know because I am not getting a lot of questions thrown my way. I would gladly entertain questions about the life on board if you have any. Otherwise I am going to keep up the daily ramble about my adventures in Nursing on the High Seas….

 

More later

NurseGeorge

[NurseGeorge]

NurseGeorge, I hate to change the "up" tone of this thread, but your recent post leads me to ask a question of a more serious nature. Please indulge me.

 

What if a ship were far out to sea---several days from the nearest port---and a passenger presented with serious (life-threatening) symptoms? How are the facilities for handling such emergencies? Does the passenger have a chance?

I'm not questioning the abilities of the staff, per se, but rather in the context of being far from a fully equiped hospital with specialists.

 

Thank you in advance for putting my mind at ease. ;)

 

Ruth - that is an excellent question. The short answer is...it depends. There are a myriad of situations that could arise needing serious medical attention. A majority of them we are qualified, staffed and equipped for, however there are methods in place that should the need arise then we get the Coast Guard for the closest country involved...Passengers have had to be airlifted off of the bow (very scary) or an at sea ship to ship transfer (equally as scary) Luckily the times that happens are few and far between, however, it is this crew that had the plane accident up in alaska and had to disembark some beloved guests...so it does happen...

 

There is a fully equipped ICU on board...with ventilator and defibrillator should we need it. An ER nurses dream!!!! I would just rather NOT have to use it...but we keep it dusted off just in case.

[JimVrhovac]

Better watch it in that uniform. All the ladies will be chasing you...

 

Ruth & Jim

[NurseGeorge]

Better watch it in that uniform. All the ladies will be chasing you...

 

Ruth & Jim

 

It fits very well...almost too well...I will have to keep it up in the gym. but no more chest workouts I am afraid...

 

Going back up on deck...time for whale watching

Cheers

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Oh George You Look Absolutely FANTASTIC!!!!:)

I know you will wear that uniform proudly, I would have loved to see you up there on the stage. Although I have already seen you up on a HAL stage before;)

[RuthC]

Ruth - that is an excellent question.

Thanks for the info you did provide. With the kinds of cruises I take it's not unusual to be three days from land. On my last cruise we had to turn around to get a sick passenger to a hospital---it was about 12 hours from the time the decision was made until she was disembarked---in No Man's Land (IMHO).

Oh, and that picture of you in uniform---ummmmm. ;)

(what a waste. :rolleyes: )

[Cruising-along]

George I'm loving your posts! So very interesting, thanks!

And I agree, you look fantastic in your uniform. :)

[COLandlocked]

You look marvelous!!!!!! Better be careful....;)

 

Thanks for "your daily ramblings". I am loving every minute.

[GPoll189]

NurseGeorge,

First I want to thank you for the day by day journal you are performing for all of us land bound passengers waiting for our next cruise aboard the beutiful ships of HAL. However, I do have a question. But first let explain some quick things about me hope it doesn't take to long for you to read. I am 27 years old love cruising and always wanted to work aboard a cruise ship for sometime. When I was aboard the Noordam in x-Mas some of the cruise staff said that I should give it a try, however I was finishing school to be come a Physician Assistant which I just completed. So what I am asking is as a Physician Assistant would I be able to work as medical staff member or the only other way to get to work on HAL is to go with the entertainment staff as cruise staff or of course my other career as a Club Hal counselor(I also have a teaching degree for elementary education). Sorry for all the rambling but thanks in advance for the answer and please keep up the journal. I can speak for all we love it and wish we were there minus the down-under crud.

Geoffrey

[mare s.]

Nurse George...I just have to add my thanks to you for writing such a wonderful journal of your cruise. I am thoroughly enjoying every post. We cruised Alaska on the Veendam three years ago...ran into a friend of our daughter who is a dancer...it was her first contract with HAL but she signed up again and again (last time I heard, she was on the Oosterdam)...she got hooked on cruising as a cast member. What a wonderful way to see the world! BTW, the Sapphire definitely is a beautiful ship...we were on her earlier this year on a Sydney to Auckland cruise...I love HAL but I have to admit I really enjoyed our Princess cruise (sorry HAL devotees) Can't wait to hear more from you, NurseGeorge!

[ger_77]

NurseGeorge, the photos are great! OMG, my drop-dead gorgeous brother would love to see you; he's a handsome dude in his Canadian naval uniform . . . there's just something about a guy in uniform that sets the mind a-whirling!!!!! (sigh)

 

I'm thoroughly enjoying your posts - we're getting a different view of life aboard a cruise ship from you and your experiences. Thank you - stay healthy.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Gerry

[sail7seas]

This thread is fantastic.....thank you so much for it.

 

You look GREAT in your uniform. How great the tailors got it finished for you!!!

 

[SharonN]

George, thank you for your wonderful reports from Alaska. I always love reading the live reports from there and yours has a new slant on it with the behind the scenes details we normally wouldn't hear about. Enjoy your second week in that beautiful state!

[NurseGeorge]

Epilogue

I am watching the sun setting over the beautiful Vancouver Island as we come through some of the most majestic scenery on the planet (in my opinion). I am reflecting on my thoughts and experiences from this past week and it dawned on me that I really have done a reasonable job in offering you an look inside my head as I experienced my first cruise as a Holland America Medical Officer.

 

I appreciate the time that you have spent reading about my adventures and I know that you all love Holland America Line, as do I, however, tomorrow morning is and end and a new beginning…I would like to think that I will have the same opportunities to continue my daily ramble, however, realistically I don’t know if the day to day would be exciting and different enough to make it worthwhile. I have decided that it would be better to save chapter two for another time and another adventure. From the sounds of your responses, some of you have had a lot of fun reading my rambling and I will cherish all of the feedback and responses that I have gotten from you. Thank you again and I hope we will be able to sail together on Holland America Line until then …bon voyage.

[MichaelinME]

Nurse George,

 

I thoroughly enjoy reading your post!! I am also an ER Nurse and would like to be a nurse on board a ship someday!!

 

I will be taking my first Holland America cruise, onboard the Westerdam in October 21st sailing. This will be my 20th cruise,but first on Holland America.

 

So i can't wait to experience the product!!

 

Keep up the good work, and your excellent posts. Everyday i read them and share them with people at work.

 

Again, Thank you

 

Sincerely

Michael

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Thanks George:) Looking forward to seeing you on the 16th

[ger_77]

So you mean this is goodbye? :(

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Gerry

[Fatfish]

Thanks for the free ride...Hope to meet you on the Noordam 12/12 cruise!

[Fatfish]

Duplicate.