FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION AND HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

TOPIC I: LIFE THREATENING SITUATION MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 1. Life threatening emergencies

• Assessment of life threatening situation
• Assess consciousness level
• Check breathing and pulse
• Open airway
• Clear airway
• Restore breathing (mouth to mouth)
• Removal of foreign bodies (choking)
• Restore circulation (cardiac massage)
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• Stop haemorrhage
• Place in lateral recumbent position

CHAPTER 2. Urgent situations

• Shock
• Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
• Heart attack
• Stroke (paralysis)
• Burns (heat, chemical, electric)
• Head, neck and back injuries
• Transport of victim
• Thorax and abdomen injuries
• Fractures and dislocations
• Intoxication by ingestion (by mouth)
• Intoxication by inhalation (by airway)
• Accidents due to cold: hypothermia
• Heat accidents: heat stroke
• Serious diving accident

TOPIC II: MEDICAL CONSULTATION VIA RADIO

CHAPTER 3. Patient examination

• Clinical interview
• Physical examination:
  • Monitoring of essential life processes
  • By body areas. Examination manoeuvres

CHAPTER 4. Long distance medical assistance

• How to contact with the Spanish Medical Radio Centre
• Rules to make a medical consultation via radio
• Instructions to follow for noting down information and the patient's symptoms
• Pictures for the location of symptoms or lesions

CHAPTER 5. Medical kit

• Content and periodical check-up of first aid kits
• Contraindications, side effects and interactions of medication
• Maintenance and stocking of first aid kits
• Appendixes:
  • Ship categories and kinds of first aid kits
  • Kinds of first aid kits that should be carried by ships according to their activity
  • Listing of dangerous substances

CHAPTER 6. General nursing care

• Nursing
• Checklist for patient care
• Care of the bed bound patient
• Medication administration
• Heat and cold therapy
• Blood extraction for laboratory tests
• Urine tests
• Other nursing procedures (oxygen therapy)

TOPIC III: FIRST AID ON BOARD

CHAPTER 7. Assistance to the accident victim

• Wounds (including those caused by fish-hook)
• Haemorrhages
• Burns
• Fractures
• Joint lesions
• Immobilizations and bandages
  • Immobilizations according to body area
• Internal injuries
• Transport of accident victims
• Foreign bodies
• Lesions caused by animals
• Lesions caused by heat or cold
• Assistance to shipwrecked and rescued victims
• Intoxications and poisonings
• Minor diving accidents
  • Minor decompression disease or type 1
  • Ear lesions (otic baric trauma)
  • Para nasal sinuses lesions (sinusitis)
  • Toothache
  • Abdominal pain

CHAPTER 8. Patient assistance

• Heartburn
• Alcohol, abuse and abstinence syndrome
• Allergic, reaction
• Piles (haemorrhoids)
• Muscle cramps
• Fits
• Diarrhoea
• Respiratory difficulty
• Abdominal pain
• Joint pain (rheumatism)
• Headache
• Toothache
• Backache
• Sore throat
• Earache
• Chest pain ( thoracic)
• Testicle pain
• Drug, abuse
• Constipation
• Fever
• Furuncle
• Nodes (lymphatic inflammation)
• Gases (bloating)
• Flu
• Hernia
• Jaundice (yellow skin and mucosa)
• Indigestion
• Prepuce inflammation (paraphimosis)
• Insomnia
• Worms
• Dizziness (sea sickness)
• Red eye
• Urinary, discomfort
• Palpitations
• Paralysis (stroke)
• Skin parasites (scabies, lice)
• Momentary loss of conscousness (syncope)
• Itching (pruritus)
• Skin changes
• Cold
• Hoarse voice
• Cough
• Varicose veins
• Vertigo
• Vomiting

CHAPTER 9. Psychiatric attention

• Suicidal personality
• Suicide attempt
• Depression
• Violent patients
• Delirium and hallucinations (acute psychosis)
• Anxiety attacks

CHAPTER 10. Women's illnesses and childbirth

• Painful menstruation
• Vaginal haemorrhage
• Lower abdominal pain
• Vulvovaginitis
• Childbirth
• Miscarriage

TOPIC IV: PREVENTION, HYGIENE AND DEATH AT SEA

CHAPTER 11. Prevention of contagious and chronic illnesses

• Contagious diseases:
  • Isolation
  • Vaccinations
  • Sexually transmitted diseases
  • AIDS
  • Illnesses transmitted by arthropods. Malaria
• Chronic and metabolic illnesses:
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Cancer
  • Chronic respiratory illnesses
  • Diabetes
  • Chronic rheumatic illnesses

CHAPTER 12. Accident and professional illness prevention

• Accidents in the workplace
• Professional illness
• Occupational risk factors on board
• Maritime professional illnesses
• Techniques for the prevention of professional accidents and illnesses
• Workers rights and obligations

CHAPTER 13. Crew hygiene

• Personal hygiene
• Climate related hygiene:
  • Hygiene in tropical climates
  • Hygiene in cold climates
• Balanced diet
• Alcohol, tobacco and drugs

CHAPTER 14. On board hygiene

• General living conditions
  • Order and cleanliness
  • Ventilation
  • Lighting
• Disposal of residues on board
• On board water
• Food hygiene
  • Non-refrigerated foods
  • Refrigerated foods
• Sanitation techniques
  • Disinfection
  • Clearing of insects
  • Clearing of rodents
• Animals on board

CHAPTER 15. Death at sea

• Signs due to the cessation of essential life processes
• Signs due to the establishment of cadaveric phenomena
• What to do a after death is diagnosed
  • Preservation of the body

APPENDIXES