1,587 Volunteer roles

Volunteer Opportunity - 3 months min commitment - more if possible !!! 

• Ward Nurse (Pediatric ICU) - Adult ICU also needed !!
• Flights paid for
• food and accommodation all on ship provided free of charge.

Mercy Ships operates two hospital ships that serve communities across sub-Saharan Africa, providing life-changing surgery and healthcare completely free of charge. Each ship spends around 10 months in a country, delivering essential surgeries, post-operative care and training for local healthcare professionals. Our aim is to leave a lasting legacy by strengthening local healthcare systems and increasing medical capacity long after we have departed.

• Administer holistic patient care to critically ill pediatric patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/High Dependency Unit when ICU patients available. Most often, Pediatric ICU nurses are working on a mulit-bed open ward with a multiple patient assignment of both children and adults.
• Employ recent surgical experience in providing pre- and post-operative care to patients receiving maxillofacial, reconstructive plastic, general, pediatric, women’s health or orthopedic surgery. Experience in one of these surgical specialties preferred
• Partner with local Day Crew translators to provide culturally sensitive and compassionate care to patients
• Coordinate patient care with the specialty Team Leaders, Charge Nurses, Hospitalist Physicians and Surgeons

What You Will Need

• Registered Nurse with active license in home country; a minimum two years’ experience needed after licensure
• Recent PICU/NICU experience of at least one year full-time or three years part-time in the past 5 years AND at the point of application can show working 30 hours or more per week in an acute inpatient surgical/medical/Emergency Room or ICU setting within the past 12 months
• Current Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or Basic Life Support (BLS) certification with theory test and hands-on skills assessment is required; PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) preferred and ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) optional
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with fluency in English
• An ability to effectively work with others in a cross-cultural environment
• Completion of Mercy Ships On Boarding program for commitments 12 months or more

About the team:

You’ll be part of the Hospital Wards Team, caring for critically ill and post-op patients onboard our modern, fully equipped hospital ships. You’ll work closely with surgeons, anaesthetists, local Day Crew, and international volunteers united by a shared mission.