Proficiency in Medical First Aid (A-VI/4 1-3)

About the course

This course is designed for attendees to learn and understand how to participate in the coordinated provision of medical care to a person on board a ship. You will learn to assess and provide care to an ill person on board and also learn to assess and provide care to an injured casualty on board. The level of knowledge gained will be sufficient to enable the seafarer to take immediate action in the case of injury or illness.

What you will learn

Describe body structure and functions relating to immediate first aid.

List the contents of the first aid kit and demonstrate use of the equipment.

Describe use of the Medical First Aid Guide, including treatment required as a result of accidents involving dangerous goods.

Identify the immediate measures to be taken when accidents, medical emergencies or illnesses occur, including prioritising actions to be taken and minimising risk of harm to self and casualty.

Describe how to manage illness on board.

Describe the procedures for maintaining hygiene when undertaking first aid, and demonstrate correct hand washing techniques.

Demonstrate maintenance of airway, breathing and circulation in a casualty requiring resuscitation, and an unconscious or choking casualty – including carrying out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

Demonstrate how to give appropriate first aid in accordance with recognised principles for illnesses related to chest pain, breathing problems, hypoglycaemia and poisoning.

Explain the procedures for getting radio medical advice and identify the information that needs to be provided to enable the most appropriate advice to be given.

Describe cause and recognition of shock and demonstrate its management.

Describe external and internal types of bleeding and demonstrate their control and management.

Describe how to identify the causes and severity of common types of burns and demonstrate their immediate management.

Describe the effect of extremes of heat and cold and demonstrate the management of related conditions, including heat exhaustion, heat stroke and hypothermia.

Describe types of spinal and muscular-skeletal injuries and demonstrate their immediate management.

Describe types of injury related to the head, chest and abdomen and demonstrate their management.

Demonstrate methods of caring for and monitoring ill persons.

Identify casualty rescue requirements and demonstrate appropriate transportation techniques.

This course contains physical demonstration exercises such as leaning over casualties. Students should be physically fit to participate.

Prerequisites

You must be aged 16 years or over.