All roles/Dual roles/Steward / Nurse
Dual roles
Steward / Nurse
A Steward / Nurse runs a full interior workload while acting as the yacht's onboard medical lead, so guests and crew have trained clinical care on hand miles from the nearest hospital.
- Department
- Dual roles
- Reports to
- Chief Steward / Chief Stewardess, and the Captain on medical matters
- Yacht size
- 40m to 100m
- Contract
- Seasonal or permanent
- Starting pay
- €4,200 per month
What the job is
You are a working member of the interior team first. That means guest service, cabin turnarounds, laundry, table setting and the evening turndown, on the same rota as the other stewards. The difference is that you hold a current nursing registration, and the Captain has named you as the person who handles medical care on board. Owners with young children, older guests or health conditions often ask for this role by name.
The medical side is constant but quiet. You keep the ship's medical chest and controlled drugs logged and in date, check the AED and oxygen, and brief crew on first aid. You treat cuts, burns, seasickness, sunstroke, jellyfish stings and the odd broken toe from the water toys. When something is serious you assess, stabilise, call telemedical advice through the yacht's provider and help the Captain arrange evacuation or a shore clinic.
Most yachts that hire this role sit between 40m and 100m, where a full time nurse is hard to justify but owners still want clinical cover. Bigger yachts tend to hire a dedicated Yacht Nurse. You need to switch gear fast, from polishing glassware to taking a guest's blood pressure, and keep medical information private. Clinical skill gets you noticed, but your service standard keeps you on the crew.
What makes a good one
- Emergency and acute care
- Discreet guest service
- Medical stock control
- Calm under pressure
- Housekeeping to a five star standard
A day in the life
- 06:30Quick check of the medical room and fridge temperature log, then into uniform and setting up the aft deck for breakfast.
- 07:30Breakfast service for ten guests. You note that one guest looks pale and quietly ask how they slept.
- 09:00Cabin turnarounds with the third stew. Beds, bathrooms and wardrobes, plus a check that a diabetic guest's insulin is stored correctly in their cabin fridge.
- 11:30A deckhand comes in with a rope burn from the tender line. You clean and dress it, log the treatment and tell the Bosun he should wear gloves.
- 13:00Lunch service on the sundeck. Plenty of water rounds and a word with the Chief Stew about shade, as it is 34 degrees.
- 15:30A child is stung by a jellyfish off the swim platform. You treat the sting, monitor for a reaction and reassure the parents.
- 17:00Laundry shift and a restock of the guest first aid kits in the tenders and beach bag.
- 19:30Dinner service and evening drinks, then turndowns with seasickness tablets left for the guests on tomorrow's crossing.
- 23:00Write up the day's medical log, hand over to the night stew and stay on call overnight.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for a Steward / Nurse on a 40m to 100m yacht, usually paid in EUR or USD whatever the flag. Charter yachts add tips, often €1,500 – 4,000 a month in a busy season. Rotation is more common on larger yachts.
- France and Monaco
- €4,200 – 5,500
- Spain
- €4,200 – 5,500
- Italy
- €4,200 – 5,500
- United Kingdom
- £3,600 – 4,700
- USA (Florida)
- US$4,500 – 6,000
- Caribbean
- US$4,500 – 6,000
- UAE
- AED 16,500 – 22,000
- Australia
- A$7,000 – 9,000
- New Zealand
- NZ$7,500 – 10,000
Required
- Current nursing registration (RN or equivalent)
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
Recommended
- Medical Care (STCW)
- Advanced Life Support (ALS)
- PYA GUEST interior courses
- Food Safety Level 2
- WSET Level 2 Award in Wines
- Paediatric life support
Visas
- Schengen visa
- US B1/B2 (or C1/D) for US and Caribbean seasons
- Australian Maritime Crew Visa (MCV) for Australian cruising
Where it leads
Steward / Nurse jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need yacht experience, or is my nursing background enough?
Nursing gets you shortlisted, but most captains still want some interior experience or a PYA GUEST course. A season as a steward or daywork in a busy port makes a big difference.
Which nursing registrations are accepted?
Most yachts accept a current registration from the UK NMC, Australia's AHPRA, New Zealand, South Africa, the US or an EU country. Keep it active and keep your revalidation hours up while at sea.
How much of the job is actually nursing?
On a typical day perhaps 10 to 20 percent, mostly minor injuries, seasickness and stock checks. You are still expected to pull your full weight as a steward.