Tour of the Global Mercy

Here is a very brief tour of the vessel that I have called home for the past 3 weeks and that I will be leaving entirely too soon.  

First things first, where I work.  The primary mission of the GLM is surgical care.  We have 6 operating rooms, full radiology including CT, a 4 bed PACU, 4 bed holding area, 5 nursing wards, and a low care unit for those needing a little more time before they go home.  

OR Hallway

PACU

The cabins on the GLM are significantly larger than the sister ship, Africa Mercy.  I have one cabinmate and we each have our own section of the room and we share a bathroom and small area with a mini fridge.  

My cabin is on Deck 6 which is one of the few places where you can see the entire length of the ship.  The photos doesn't do the size justice.  The ship is enormous

With 12 decks come a LOT of stairs.  

There are a few recreational areas including a the Cafe which is a common area to socialize, play games, and rest.  Outside on the upper deck is a court that can be used for basketball, pickle ball, badminton, or whatever you can think of, a play ground, a pool, and a large open area for children to ride scooters and ride on toys.  There are over 70 children on the ship so having a place for them to be children is such a wonderful inclusion.

There is also a school onboard called "The Academy"with fully qualified teachers and staff to ensure that the children accompanying their parents are being prepared for life off the ship.

The dining room serves all of the crew, families, and day crew aboard full meals several times a day.  It is also a place to gather, chat, rest, and enjoy the company of your crewmates.

The ship is a fully functioning operation with a Crew Bank, Ship Shop for incidentals and items made by local artisans to purchase, meeting rooms, chaplaincy, and even a coffee shop.  This is a photo of Deck 8 where most of those area located (many to the back of this photo)

With the constant turnover of staff, good signage is very helpful to find your way.  It is very easy to get turned around or end up somewhere you didn't intend.

The crew on board are an amazing, selfless, and devoted group of people from all over the world.  I am honored to serve beside them. (OR crew below)