Travel Tips From a Cruise Ship Nurse
May 21st, 2013. Filed under: Reruns.
First posted July 31, 2008
There are many tips about travel that I can give you, but today we are going to focus on traveling when you have a chronic medical condition or are on medication for a short term problem. The first thing to do if you have a chronic condition is to plan thoughtfully. Does this vacation or holiday you are planning fit your needs and abilities? If you have difficulty with shortness of breath and walking/climbing, rethink going to Tulum to visit the ruins or Ocho Rios to climb the falls. If you are traveling to a foreign country, please consider travel insurance. Even if you are in good health, accidents can happen. Even traveling on a cruise ship with a doctor, nurses and well stocked infirmary, you may need to be airlifted out for medical care. Cruise ships are not equipped the same as a hospital, but they are able to stabilize you and get you to where you need to be to have the treatment you need.
The second thing to do is have a check up about one month before you plan to travel. At this appointment, you and your physician can discuss any concerns regarding your upcoming trip. Will you need any vaccinations before you go to that interesting out of the way spot? Do you need to take a short medical history with you? If you take medication (by mouth or by injection) be sure to have a prescription for the medication, syringes, etc that not only tells what you take, but why you take it. If you have any surgical implants such as a joint replacement, orthopedic pins or rods, or a pacemaker, have that information on a prescription blank from your doctor. The same is true if you need portable oxygen. You may need this documentation to get you past airport and cruise ship terminal security both in the States and in other countries.
Be sure to take an adequate supply of medication in the original bottles and other medical supplies with you. Never assume that you can purchase this somewhere along the way if you run out. Also, do not pack any necessary medicines in the luggage you will be checking through. Keep ALL this in your carry on bag.
Another consideration is the climate at your destination. Some places are hot and humid. This can greatly limit your activities and mobility if you have any kind of respiratory or cardiac problems. This weather as well as a location that is extra cold can put a strain on your body. High altitudes can also create problems. You might need to go slowly to reach your high altitude destination. Allow for extra time.
Will you need accommodations in order to fit your wheelchair, walker, scooter or what have you through the door not only into your room or cabin, but also into the bathroom. Is the bathroom large enough? Will you be needing a shower chair or any other adaptations to the bathroom? This all needs to be arranged before you book. Make no assumptions that what you need will be available upon your arrival.
If you are in your last trimester of pregnancy, please do not take a cruise. Yes, the doctor and nurses can deliver your baby, but the ships do not have the capability of caring for the needs of a baby who is born prematurely or with immediate health care needs. If the pregnant mother or new mother has unexpected needs, the ship is not always going to be able to handle that either. Also, it is impossible for a ship to carry blood for transfusions. Once again, it is an infirmary, not a hospital.
If you have a terminal illness and want to fulfill a dream of taking a cruise, please let the cruise line know when you are booking your cruise. They will do everything to accommodate you and make your dream cruise happen. If you have a living will, please be sure you take that along with your health care surrogate papers. Take advantage of the ship’s library if you do not feel well enough to go out in port. The one thing you do not want to do, is to try to hide your condition from the cruise line. What can happen in that case is you become too ill to continue the journey and end up in a hospital in the Bahamas or a medical clinic in Cozumel.
May your journeys be safe and enjoyable.