A sick bay is a
compartment
Compartment may refer to:
Biology
* Compartment (anatomy), a space of connective tissue between muscles
* Compartment (chemistry), in which different parts of the same protein serves different functions
* Compartment (development), fields of cells ...
in a
ship
A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...
, or a section of another organisation, such as a school or college, used for medical purposes.
The sick bay contains the ship's
medicine chest, which may be divided into separate cabinets, such as a
refrigerator for medicines requiring cold storage and a locked cabinet for
controlled substance
A controlled substance is generally a drug or chemical whose manufacture, possession and use is regulated by a government, such as illicitly used drugs or prescription medications that are designated by law. Some treaties, notably the Single ...
s such as
morphine
Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a pain medication, and is also commonly used recreationally, or to make other illicit opioids. T ...
. The sick bay and the medicine chest should be kept locked, with the keys only being available to the
medical officer
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
and the
ship's master
The master, or sailing master, is a historical rank for a naval officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing vessel. The rank can be equated to a professional seaman and specialist in navigation, rather than as a military ...
.
The term is also applied ashore by the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and
Marine Corps
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...
to
treatment clinics on
naval stations and
Marine bases.
Sick bays appear in popular science fiction franchises, such as ''
Battlestar Galactica'' and ''
Star Trek'', as the medical facility on board a
starship.
See also
*
First aid room
A first aid room or medical room, also known as an infirmary, is a room in an establishment (e.g., a school, factory, sports venue, or airport) to which someone who is injured or taken ill on the premises can be taken for first aid and to await t ...
References
{{Authority control
Types of health care facilities
Ship compartments