Offshore medics hold a pivotal responsibility in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of offshore crews in their care. As well as having the skills and knowledge to provide primary and emergency care, it is also of vital importance that medics offshore are properly equipped and prepared to be able to respond in the event of any incident.
To provide an effective service, offshore medics need access to the right equipment and medicines. Ensuring an offshore clinic is fully prepared and well- equipped prior to mobilising to a project will enable a medic to be able to respond promptly and effectively to injuries, illnesses and accidents that may occur on board. Moreover, it allows them to provide the essential day to day care needed to maintain the overall health and wellbeing of the crew.
Benefits of a Well Prepared and Properly Equipped Sickbay:
1. Immediate Medical Response
In the offshore environment, medical emergencies can happen unexpectedly which means it is vital for the medic and first aid team to have immediate access to lifesaving equipment and medicines. This immediate response can make a life-or-death difference, especially when medical facilities onshore are often far away.
Procuring and maintaining essential medical equipment, including defibrillators, oxygen tanks, diagnostic tools and first aid supplies as well as ensuring adequate stocks of medications with strict control over storage, dispensing and administration are essential elements of ensuring an immediate and effective medical response.
2. Effective Day-to-Day Health Maintenance
Preparing an offshore clinic for day-to-day health maintenance of offshore crews is crucial to ensure their well-being. This includes maintaining a well-organised pharmacy with a good stock of common over-the-counter medications and first aid supplies for minor ailments.
3. Handling Project/Location Specific Health Concerns
Different offshore projects and project locations come with unique risks to health. These risks should be understood prior to project mobilisation and the clinic prepared and equipped accordingly.
4. Reducing the Need for Costly Evacuations
An offshore medic with the correct skills, expertise and experience, coupled with a well-equipped, well prepared and functioning offshore clinic, ensures that a wide range of medical issues can be managed on site, thus reducing the need for costly medical evacuations.
5. Compliance with Regulatory Requirements
A properly equipped sickbay ensures compliance with maritime regulations and guidelines, avoiding potential legal issues and interruptions to operations.
Being prepared is essential to be able to effectively respond to emergency situations and deliver a first-class healthcare service at remote worksites. Having access to the correct medical equipment and supplies ensures that offshore medics and first aid teams can respond effectively to a multitude of situations and deliver the very best healthcare for our offshore workers.
We would love to hear from any medical professionals who would be interested in joining the EMS Assist team. Pease contact recruitment@ems-assist.com for more information.
Thank you!
The EMS Team
