Will ship’s nurses change dressings?

[marylizcat]

I am not sure quite where to ask this question, but will try here!

 

My husband has an abscess which was successfully operated on, but needs the dressing changed and packed daily. The doctor says he is fit to travel. Do you think the nurses on board would be willing to do this dressing change? I realise we would have to pay of course. We could take a supply of dressings with us. It is Royal Caribbean.

 

Does anybody have any experience of this?

[raindropsalways]

Years ago, I had to have stitches removed and there was not any problem. However, for the facilities own protection, they may want him to see a doctor first.

 

Have a wonderful cruise,

Betty

[kokopelli-az]

My husband had a semi-minor accident off the ship a year or so ago (Celebrity)  and was seen by the ship's nurse to patch him up.    The cost for this was $75.    They gave him a bunch of supplies and said to come back in a day and they would change the dressing (no charge), which they did.   This was something that originated during the cruise, although not on the ship. 

 

I would contact Royal Caribbean's Access Dept (that may not be the correct dept but they can direct you) and ask them.  Here is their information:  

 

Royal Caribbean's Access Department at (866) 592-7225,  or send an e-mail to special_needs@rccl.com

 

I do not know from personal experience, but I wouldn't be surprised if they would take care of changing his dressing. 

 

Please report back on what they said.   Or your experience with the medical department if you are leaving for your cruise soon.

 

 

[marylizcat]

23 hours ago, raindropsalways said:

Years ago, I had to have stitches removed and there was not any problem. However, for the facilities own protection, they may want him to see a doctor first.

 

Have a wonderful cruise,

Betty

 

10 hours ago, kokopelli-az said:

My husband had a semi-minor accident off the ship a year or so ago (Celebrity)  and was seen by the ship's nurse to patch him up.    The cost for this was $75.    They gave him a bunch of supplies and said to come back in a day and they would change the dressing (no charge), which they did.   This was something that originated during the cruise, although not on the ship. 

 

I would contact Royal Caribbean's Access Dept (that may not be the correct dept but they can direct you) and ask them.  Here is their information:  

 

Royal Caribbean's Access Department at (866) 592-7225,  or send an e-mail to special_needs@rccl.com

 

I do not know from personal experience, but I wouldn't be surprised if they would take care of changing his dressing. 

 

Please report back on what they said.   Or your experience with the medical department if you are leaving for your cruise soon.

 

 

 

Thank you, both of you. It sounds promising. Anyway, I have emailed as suggested and will let you know their response, in case anybody else ever needs to know.

[Cru1s1ng2009]

If they cant do it you have the other option of learning how to pack it yourself. I had to do this for my daughter who had several very deep (to the bone) bed sores. It isn't a pleasurable event but it can be done and the nurses will show you how to do it. You will be a pro after the first time. It really isn't that hard.

[jlp20]

The dressing is not the issue. Our only experience with "packing" was done by a doctor. I can't see doctor/nurse using anything you provide to pack into open wound just due to liability. 

No matter what the cruise main office says, ship's medical staff will have final say.

[Bloodgem]

18 hours ago, Cru1s1ng2009 said:

If they cant do it you have the other option of learning how to pack it yourself. I had to do this for my daughter who had several very deep (to the bone) bed sores. It isn't a pleasurable event but it can be done and the nurses will show you how to do it. You will be a pro after the first time. It really isn't that hard.

I have to agree packing a wound is easy. It's the physiological aspects for the packer that are harder to deal with: Am I causing pain; Did I wash my hands thoroughly enough; Please don't let me retch or pull a face as I'm packing this smelly wound (if it is smelly).

If you can copy with the stress, that can come from packing a wound for the first few times then ask your doctor/nurse to teach you how to pack your husbands wound. 

[NorthernLite]

On 5/16/2019 at 10:09 PM, jlp20 said:

The dressing is not the issue. Our only experience with "packing" was done by a doctor. I can't see doctor/nurse using anything you provide to pack into open wound just due to liability. 

No matter what the cruise main office says, ship's medical staff will have final say.

All packing equipment for individual use is almost always packed in single use, sterile packaging. I have never dealt with a packed wound but I never travel without everything needed for a stage 1 or 2 pressure sore since after 24 years in a chair I had my first. Other than allergies most packing is more about costs than about super sterility for medical clinics. The nurse would provide her knowledge and sterile not just clean gloves which are harder to travel with.  

[marylizcat]

Thank you everybody for your input. I am still waiting to hear back from RCI. However, I agree that whatever they say, what actually happens on the ship may be different!

[marylizcat]

Well, I got a reply, which reads: “We can wrap wounds. This would entail a cost per visit as you know”.

 

I have never heard of “wrapping” wounds. Is this an American expression?

 

Anyway, I can tell what they mean, obviously. So it sounds hopeful!

[Cru1s1ng2009]

On ‎5‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 11:23 AM, marylizcat said:

Well, I got a reply, which reads: “We can wrap wounds. This would entail a cost per visit as you know”.

 

I have never heard of “wrapping” wounds. Is this an American expression?

 

Anyway, I can tell what they mean, obviously. So it sounds hopeful!

Wrapping is far different than packing a wound.

[flutprop]

With your husband needing daily wound packing, have you been having a nurse come to do it? It is fairly simple to do, so I bet you would be able to do it yourself during the trip. My brother had to pack and change the bandages daily for our fathers pressure wound on his bottom and with no medical training did great. He hated seeing his fathers privates, but survived. I had to do the same to my husbands ankle wounds, and got quite good at the packing part.

[marylizcat]

He goes to see a nurse to get it done. I’ll suggest he asks to be shown what to do and then if necessary he can do it himself. But I would prefer somebody qualified to keep an eye on it if possible. It’s not the actual dressing, more the supervision of the healing.

[Bloodgem]

20 hours ago, marylizcat said:

He goes to see a nurse to get it done. I’ll suggest he asks to be shown what to do and then if necessary he can do it himself. But I would prefer somebody qualified to keep an eye on it if possible. It’s not the actual dressing, more the supervision of the healing.

No disrespect to your husband but I would go with him. That way you both can see how the packing and dressing is done. You could also ask the nurse about any signs of deterioration of the wound to look for; e.g temperature of the wound and surrounding area, smell of the wound, colour of the wound.

Then you could decide between you, if your husband could dress the wound or if the ships nurse should dress/pack the wound.     

[cb at sea]

Your doctor's nurse can show you how to do this quite easily....I've had to do it for my husband on 2 different occasions....once you get the hang of it, it's not that difficult.

[annee]

I had an ankle injury off a RC ship and had the medical clinic treat me. I was not impressed at all with their care especially the sterile part. The medical staff are from all over the world and have different opinions of correct care. I would learn how to do it yourself and only use the clinic for an emergency. If you do use the clinic watch them very carefully and demand a sterile situation.

[GUT2407]

I did my own, ask about the silver infused packing it healed much quicker. worse than packing, in my opinion is pulling the old stuff out.