Why a hospital ship rarely needs nuclear power

Would nuclear propulsion be useful for a hospital ship?

Usually no. It adds port-access, crewing, and equipment costs when a normal hospital ship does not need reactor-scale power.

Hospital ships need access to many ports, some of which will not accept a nuclear-powered vessel. Their medical equipment does not require reactor-scale generation, while a reactor introduces shielding concerns alongside the imaging equipment. In the US auxiliary fleet, civilian nuclear operators would have to be recruited against well-paid shore jobs and compensated for months away at sea. An icebreaking hospital ship for the high north is suggested as a possible niche, though a separate nuclear icebreaker could support a conventional hospital ship. Several general-purpose hospital ships would also avoid dependence on the availability of one specialized vessel. Fast vertical-takeoff aircraft could reduce the importance of the hospital ship's cruising speed, and carriers and other warships already have medical facilities for some immediate treatment.