Skype Interview with Cruise Line

[EMSnut45]

I have just gotten the opportunity to interview via Skype for a cruise ship nurse position. I have never used Skype before, let alone have an interview that was not in person. I plan on doing a few practice trials with my family to make sure I know how to work Skype, and choose the right background and clothing. Does anyone have any other suggestions regarding this new way of interviewing?

I'm also interested in hearing from others who have worked as a cruise nurse. It seems very hard to find any first hand info from those who have experience.

Thanks!!

[NedRN]

Hopefully they will provide a 1099 form for the IRS. If not, you will need to keep careful track as it is all reprtable income tax. You will add a schedule C to your return. Self employment taxes take a big bite at 15.3% of your income (after any business expense such as travel to the ship). You are supposed to file and pay estimated taxes quarterly.

Congrats on the cool job! To paraphrase our president, "you are attractive enough."

[sheronep, MSN, RN]

When I appplied for my first RN position I was in Baltimore and the job was in Georgia. We did the interview via skype and it was video. It gave me a chance to see them and for them to see me. I thought it was a great inexpensive way for me to interview.

What would be your theory then to require a video interview? Never happens for the placement of over 50,000 travel assignments every year by hospitals dependent on passing close regulatory scrutiny on the clinical abilities and performance of their contingent staffing.

[NedRN]

There is a lot more risk in hiring a permanent employee versus a travel nurse who will only be there for 13 weeks. Among other things, just the relocation pay and hiring bonuses can add up as well as having to live with them for years to come. I've been traveling now for 17 years and have not been asked once to do a video. Heck, a lot of the time they don't even want to interview you - they can tell from your work history, your skills checklist, and your references if you have the skills they need.

That's a lot harder to do with a new grad of course.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

There is a lot more risk in hiring a permanent employee versus a travel nurse who will only be there for 13 weeks. Among other things, just the relocation pay and hiring bonuses can add up as well as having to live with them for years to come. I've been traveling now for 17 years and have not been asked once to do a video. Heck, a lot of the time they don't even want to interview you - they can tell from your work history, your skills checklist, and your references if you have the skills they need.

That's a lot harder to do with a new grad of course.

A cruise ship nurse is not a typical travel nurse position, however. You're comparing apples and lasagna here....

[NedRN]

Yup, for the reasons I pointed out earlier. Customer satisfaction is much more important to a for profit cruise line than it is for a captive audience hospital. Clinically I don't see a bit of difference. Perhaps an added epidemiology component that ED nurses don't usually deal with, but even on a cruise ship it would be the doc dealing with ship wide orders.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Clinically I don't see a bit of difference. Perhaps an added epidemiology component that ED nurses don't usually deal with, but even on a cruise ship it would be the doc dealing with ship wide orders.

It might be the doc giving the ship-wide orders, but the NURSES would be the ones carrying out those orders in the vast majority of cases, no? Or do you actually think that the physicians are the ones calling crew members who are past due for their TB test or tetorifice booster shot?

[NurseRies, BSN, RN]

I would have hated to be one of the nurses on the carnival cruise ship that recently had a failed engine! I heard on the news that there were only 4 working toilets for 4,000 people and they had to live like that for 4 days! Imagine all the people that were probably sick. They said people were using the bathroom in bags and cups and setting it outside their door. Ugh! I feel bad for all involved... All passengers received a full refund plus a free future cruise.

[EMSnut45, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

UPDATE!!

I recently returned from my first contract... boy does it feel good to be home!!

Here's what I learned:

-Even though you, as a nurse, are an officer-- which should give you additional privileges, it is entirely ship specific. The captain/staff captain can make or break your experience. If they respect and value the medical team, then you will be treated well. If they view the medical team as "just numbers," then you will be treated like crap by all of the shipboard management.

-The majority of the job is ridiculous amounts of paperwork and crew primary care. Passengers generally stay out of the medical center unless they have legit complaints (I said "generally"!!!).

-The comforts of knowing you have a fully capable lab, blood products, CT scan, fully stocked pharmacy, etc-- throw it out the window! Creativity and trust in your assessment skills will get you far. Trust your "nurse instincts."

-Keep your mind open! Your fellow nurses and doctors will be from all around the world. You can learn a ton from them!

-Be nice to the galley staff! They'll bring you all kinds of yummy desserts (all fat-free, of course!).

-Find a friend and get off the ship whenever you can! It's easy to not even see the outdoors for days at a time due to the way you live on a ship and the lack of outdoor crew areas. When in port, use the fact that you work on the ship to your advantage! You can get very reduced and even free excursions, taxis, and admittance fees to various attractions.

-Take lots of pictures and write down a little blurb about it before you forget! You'll see so many places and do so much that after 4 months, you'll forget all about it!

-Go with a goal. My goal was to save as much money as I could so I could pay off some student loans. I had to remind myself of that all the time! There was so much cool stuff I could have bought!

-Suitcases are HEAVY and expensive to bring with you. Pack the minimum. You can buy toiletries once you're on the ship. They take up a ton of room and weigh a lot. The prices in the crew mart are very reasonable.

-Internet and phone calls are expensive. Prepare to go low-tech.

-Most of all, have fun!! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity that I'm so glad I did!!

[NedRN]

Thanks for the report! Did you have a regular shift? Did you save money? Would you do it again, or was once enough?

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Yes, inquiring minds want to know!

[phyllischan]

Hi I have some questions for you regarding cruise nurse, i had an offer to work on board a leading cruiseline, not sure if i should take it, need further info from you? Thanks!

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

-Internet and phone calls are expensive. Prepare to go low-tech.

Can't check allnurses while on a cruise? Pfft! Deals off ?