Medical Training for Health

One of the most worrying prospects for those leaving for a long voyage as a crew is to be reduced due to an illness or worse, an accident, with a crew that needs urgent medical treatment for several days navigation from the nearest port.
The two crossings require longer than 20 days, and unless they started from a few days back sailing upwind is not a realistic option, and there is no possibility to change course and head toward an intermediate port.

Even when one is closer to a port, this does not automatically mean that medical care of an acceptable level are readily available, as well as health facilities of the place can be dramatically short of medicines.

You must have a degree of self-sufficiency, therefore, both in terms of ability to provide basic medical care and in terms of availability of medicines and equipment on board to deal with all eventualities, including any medicines that could be used by a local doctor or in extreme emergency, on the advice of a physician consulted by radio or satellite phone.

Check-up and prophylaxis, pre-departure:
Every year you hear of boats that have had medical problems on board as a result of problems pre-existing (and often known). I do not want the moralist, but a pre-departure check-up to all crew members is a precaution absolutely elementary! This does not mean that a person with a known problem and can not appropriately managed to leave, but it should be taken seriously with your doctor.

Another aspect to be considered seriously is that of prophylaxis against diseases endemic in many of the areas affected by the trip: there are special offices of the ASL, which may indicate (and give) the necessary vaccinations. And ‘well activate several months before departure, because many vaccines require multiple doses and / or can not be administered at the same time than others.

MEDICAL BOARD KIT:
The chart in pdf format downloadable from our website at: http://www.webalice.it/gianfranco.balducci/Shaula/images/ … was developed by doctors who participated in the rally and can serve as a good starting point.

A note: many of the medicines listed are available only on prescription or, but only by firms specialized in shipping medical supplies, being in possession of driving license “Medical Care aboard Ships” (see below).

Second Note: this list have not been included powerful painkillers (eg morphine) because they are considered drugs and in many countries their possession without being doctors (or in the possession of the license referred to above) can cause big trouble with the law. Nevertheless, some of the medicines in the list are to be retained “in the safe of the Captain” and in some countries may not be viewed favorably.

DRILLS:
The courses of “first aid” available generally a bit ‘all over the world are completely useless, as they are in fact first aid courses, designed to “keep alive the victim” (of an accident or an illness) and possibly “do no harm “pending the arrival of the ambulance. These skills are useful, but not enough when you’re in the ocean!

What we need is a course to provide “medical emergency” FOR A LONG PERIOD, and since no one becomes a doctor in a week, this is further proceedings with the aid of a manual (the “Ship Captain’s Medical Guide”) and may visit a doctor at a distance: in essence, you learn to read the symptoms, then look in the manual or refer them to the doctor far away, and carrying out treatment or administer medicines as indicated.

All this is taught in courses on “Medical Care aboard Ships”, which are frequented by sailors by profession and at the end of which he obtained a license mentioned earlier. On ships is required to have on board a person driving license (only if the number of passengers is high becomes mandatory doctor).
Unfortunately, I am not aware that these courses are available to individuals here in Italy, while they are in England I went to Southampton to attend it, and I must say I found it difficult to withstand the bombardment of information, despite a passable English.

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