Continuing Professional Development
The company is committed to the continuing professional development (CPD) of its sea-based medical staff. With the technological impact of the internet and the company's comprehensive fleet-wide CPD programme, it is as easy for a nurse to keep their medical knowledge up to date in the middle of the Pacific Ocean as it is in a medical office at home.
The company's monthly CPD programme is designed to continuously update the staff knowledge base with current evidence based medical information and aid the development of maritime medicine itself. The programme is not only up-to-date with all shore-side developments but is designed to challenge the nurses' existing skills and knowledge base and enable seamless re-entry to shore-side medicine. Core elements of the programme include:
- Core topic study
- Protocol review
- Team discussions and problem-solving
- Completion of 'e-certificates' from recognised medical education websites
- Mock scenarios including demonstration of basic and advanced life support
New internationally accepted protocols and guidelines are identified from organisations such as the European Society of Cardiology and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, which are then integrated into shipboard medical practise.
The fleet-wide CPD programme compliments the development of new skills and unique experiences that come with the sophisticated medicine, state-of-the-art equipment and worldwide travel. All ships' nurses also receive five paid days of continuing professional development per year and the company pays for the course fees, travel expenses, accommodations and meals.
Fleet Medical Training
Whilst every individual brings their own skill set to the field of maritime medicine in joining our organisation, there are many areas of practice unique to cruise ship work. The fleet medical training programme was initiated in order to maximise the skills of each individual and to develop core skills, which all our staff share. There are four fleet trainers traveling between ships and targeting the specific learning needs of the teams they visit.
The fleet trainers have initiated a task based competency system. Upon joining a ship for the first time, new medical officers are given the opportunity to work with unfamiliar equipment and adapt their own skills under supervision. After a week of orientation and support, newly appointed staff can begin to work as part of the emergency response team on board. Within their subsequent two weeks they will be guided through more competencies enabling them to begin to develop skills using exciting equipment, laboratory work, X-ray acquisition, casualty rescue, ship protocol and much more.
Once the initial introductory period has been completed, a comprehensive learning program is undertaken. This encourages staff to take ownership of their new skills and develop their abilities at their own pace. The ultimate goal being to reach a level whereby they are able to teach others. The fleet trainers are currently focused on training key personnel around the fleet so that the competency program can continue to expand.
Fleet trainers also assist staff in ACLS re-certification. This allows staff to maintain and hone their emergency skills whilst continuing to work on board their allocated vessel.
The company envisions the roles of our fleet trainers expanding in the future, developing projects that allow us to remain abreast of current research and development. Already they are constantly available to provide assistance in an advisory capacity to our medical teams.
In conjunction with the continual professional development program, which provides scenarios, practice and electronic learning for all, sea-going staff have many ways to maintain portfolio requirements and build upon individual strengths.
