What Are Onboard Medical Facilities/Resources

[rcdave]

What medical resources (equipment/technology/staff) do cruise ships have available on board? I know it will vary by size of the ship and cruise line.   For example is there x-ray capability, dialysis equipment, lab resources, number of doctors/nurses, etc.  What surgery capabilities are there, can they cast broken limbs, and are there ventilators? 

I don’t recall seeing information about this when reading ship descriptions so was just wondering.

[Leroyr55]

From their web site

We have a minimum of one fully licensed doctor, and a minimum of two licensed nurses onboard every ship.

Every Royal Caribbean ship offers limited professional medical services through licensed (international or domestic) physicians and nurses. All Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. ships have shipboard medical facilities that are built, staffed, stocked and equipped to meet or exceed guidelines established by the American College of Emergency Physicians Cruise Ship & Maritime Medicine Section.

Depending on the size of the ship and number of passengers and Crew members, each RCL ship has one to three doctors and three-to-five Nurses, available to passengers and Crew members 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our medical facilities are stocked with a variety of equipment, including cardiac monitors, automated external defibrillators, ventilators, x-ray machines and processors, laboratory equipment, a formulary of acute care medications and a variety of minor surgical and orthopedic supplies. Our doctors also have access to online informational sources and 24-hour support from shore side medical professionals for additional assistance. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. also requires all doctors and nurses to maintain Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training. In responding to medical emergencies, our goal is to first stabilize emergency patients and, where indicated, evacuate the patient to an appropriately equipped and staffed shore side medical facility as soon as practical.