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• Maritime transport in Central Baltic area creates an international cross-border labor market both ashore and at sea, where
internationally mandatory training in emergency readiness is required for a person’s employment. Currently, the variation in
results and lack of harmonized access to emergency skills training in Central Baltic area is a cross-border challenge not only to
employment, but also to safety.
• The project OnBoard-Med - Harmonization of on Board Medical Treatment, Occupational Safety and Emergency Skills in Baltic Sea
Shipping aims at developing more aligned vocational education programmes in the Central Baltic area. The shipping industry has
become multinational, therefore recognizing problems in education cannot easily be solved on a national level. A cross-border
approach is needed to tackle the issue. The project develops study courses in maritime emergency management, medical
treatment and occupational safety. The courses are targeted at maritime (seaman, deck officer, maritime engineer) and nursing
(registered nurse, emergency care nurse and public health nurse) education institutions.
• The project will result in harmonized and improved education and skills. The expected improvements in education and safety are
significant, and will hopefully became the standard in the field. Participants will get excellent professional skills, and when
applicable, will also be able to receive international certification from the courses. Further, the results will help local employees to
enter the European and international labor market.
• The project is a joint cooperation venture of Turku University of Applied Sciences (Finland), Åland University of Applied Sciences
(Finland), Estonian Nautical School (Estonia), Rīga Stradinš University (Latvia) andLatvian Maritime Academy (Latvia). The project is
funded by the EU Interreg Central Baltic programme 2014-2020.
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• The OnBoard-Med project is organized in three implementation work
packages for developing 9 courses. For each, contents, learning
materials and distance learning tools are formed and improved
cyclically by course piloting. All the learning materials are available
online in this website during and after the project.
• The educational materials can be further used in Universities of
Applied Sciences in nursing and emergency nursing programs and in
vocational level education. In addition, the contents can be used in
update training and online materials can be easily used for self-
studying onboard or at shore.
Emergency Management
• Certified emergency skills are needed for efficient interventions in
maritime accidents.
• Four related courses are developed:
• Crowd and Crisis Management
• Fast Rescue Boat Operations
• Effects of Ship Stability in Emergencies and Evacuations
• Patient Transfer and Evacuation Onboard
Crowd and Crisis Management
• In maritime emergencies, especially onboard passenger vessels,
behavior of people onboard is important for safety. The crew needs to
understand the behavioral patterns and have practices that aid in
reducing panic and in minimizing the risks. Learning objectives of the
course: the skills of management and organization of large
accumulations of persons in an emergency, including accident
potential, safety plan, safety organization, management of crowds,
catering for persons who need special assistance, stress management,
human behavior in emergencies, and efficient management of
emergency situations.
Fast Rescue Boat Operations
• In Fast Rescue Boat Operations course, the target is to provide
specific knowledge and practical experience in operation with Fast
Rescue Boat (FRB) in extreme situations. Learning objectives of the
course: skills needed for launching and operating of a Fast Rescue
Boat in an emergencies, knowledge on technology of FRB’s, safety
issues, search tactics, environmental limitations, as well as engine
repair and operation. The content is compliant with the IMO
regulations.
Effects of Ship Stability in Emergencies and
Evacuations
• In maritime emergencies, often the stability of the vessel is at risk. Heeling
and trimming of the vessel have a profound effect on evacuations. For
managing the risks of flooding, sinking and capsizing, sophisticated
equipment have been introduced in shipping. The proper use of the new
equipment requires that the crew has solid background of the principles
and the necessary practical skills. Learning objectives of the course: the
participants are expected to master the background theory of intact and
damaged ship stability, ship motions in seaway, effects of flooding,
grounding and shifting of cargo, perform necessary operations with a
loading computer, and be able to execute ballast water tank operations in
emergencies. The content of the course is compliant with the IMO
regulations, and is available for mariners for self-study.
Patient Transfer and Evacuation Onboard

• Ships are difficult environments for rescue personnel. Ship motions,

evacuation upwards instead of down, watertight compartments,
obstacles by technical equipment, compact corridors and steep stairs
may pose challenges, especially for the land-based emergency crews
who do not visit ships regularly. Learning objectives of the course: the
participants achieve a good theoretical and practical view of ships as
rescue environments, and they should be able to safely support,
transfer and transport patients in various ship emergency evacuation
scenarios.
Maritime Medical Treatment Onboard
• The pilot courses are implemented in nursing degree programme. Some of
the pilot courses are organized together with maritime and nursing
institutions. The content is compliant with Nursing Degree Program and
relevant maritime regulations.
• Four related courses are developed:
• Patient examination and medical equipment onboard
• Medical Communication Onboard and Ship to Shore
• Advanced Emergency Care
• Medical Training for Mariners
Patient examination and medical equipment
onboard
• Opportunities in new technology for responding to the emergencies,
such as intelligent medical equipment, have become available. These
can be used to counteract the challenges. The continuous
technological change requires new structures to curricula, practices of
lifelong learning and continuous medical education for the personnel.
Learning objectives of this course are related to patient examination
as well as monitoring and treating patients with medical equipment.
Medical Communication Onboard and Ship to
Shore
• Communication in medical emergency cases is important, as patients
onboard may be assisted only people who have minimal medical
training. Multinational crews and reduced manning are increasing the
challenges. Fortunately, telemedicine is providing new possibilities.
Learning objectives of the course relate to communication in
emergency. Participants learn about telemedicine systems onboard
and roles of personnel in emergency situations. On telemedicine and
telehealth, participants learn of consultation for the crew members
on board, and of consultation of the doctor out of the ship (ship to
shore).
Advanced Emergency Care
• Topics of the course are diseases and injuries, emergency first aid,
ship pharmacy and nursing process documentation and reporting by
ISBAR. Learning objectives of the course are related to independent
work in emergency care situations and co-operation with authorities
in treatments, making working diagnosis and an emergency care plan,
based on patient history, observations, symptoms and findings in
collaboration with a physician.
Medical Training for Mariners
• IMO (International Maritime Organization) has set minimum requirements
of on board medical first aid and medical care for seafaring personnel. The
content of education is well defined, and mostly the development is
directed to teaching methods and materials. Learning objectives of the
course are medical first aid for seafarers and medical care and medical first
aid for ship officers. After attending the courses, the participants have good
competence about the subjects and first aid in emergency situations on
board. They are able to recognize the immediate need for help of an
emergency patient, and to identify the urgency of care, on the basis of
symptoms. Participants know how to examine and treat emergency
patients, in order to support and assess the sufficiency of the patient's vital
functions. Further, the participants learn the basics of patient transfer and
evacuation, as well as radio medical advice.
Occupational Safety Onboard

• Occupational safety issues are important to all members of the crew. Further, if there is a nurse
on board, occupational health care is an important part of his/her work. Working environment on
board is more demanding than on land.
First, the crew is often working long hours in confined space, where the persons are exposed to
variety of occupational risks including physical risks (e.g. noise, vibration), chemical risks
(exhausts, lubricants, paints, solvents etc.), accidents (equipment, slips/trips and falls etc.) and
biological (viruses, bacteria etc.). Second, occupational environment on board of ship is particular
in terms of psychoemotional risks and other workplace issues (shiftwork, night work, sleep
disorders etc.). Further, emergencies in working environment such as epidemics, and extreme
weather conditions increase the occupational risks.
• One related course is developed:
• Occupational Safety and Risk Assessment

-> tähän linkki kurssin sivulle, jonne sitten aukeaa esittelyteksti ja kurssimateriaalit/tulokset
Occupational Safety and Risk Assessment
• The course is related to management of occupational risks on board.
Topics of the course are occupational safety, occupational risks on
board, radiation, preventive risk assessment on board, health
examinations, early observation and mini-interventions, nursing the
crew on board, consulting a doctor on board and ashore and
wellbeing of the crew on board. The learning objectives of the course:
the participants learn what is occupational safety, what are the
occupational risks on board, the factors and situations that expose
persons to accidents and the ways of preventing them.
Contact
Find out more:
• Project manager Suvi Kivelä, Turku University of Applied Sciences:
suvi.kivela@turkuamk.fi, +358 40 355 0525
• Communication manager Vaiva Ostrovska, Latvian Maritime Academy:
vaiva.ostrovska@gmail.com
• Content leader in Emergency management Laura Nieminen, Högskolan på Åland:
laura.nieminen@ha.ax
• Content leader in Maritime Medical Treatment and Occupational Safety Onboard
Nina Rantalaiho-Kulo, Turku University of Applied Sciences: nina.rantalaiho-
kulo@turkuamk.fi

• Högskolan på Åland, Finland: Linda Eriksson linda.eriksson@ha.ax

• Estonian Nautical School, Estonia: Raivo Portsmuth, raivo.portsmuth@merekool.ee
• Riga Stradins University, Latvia: Liana Deklava, liana.deklava@rsu.lv
• Latvian Maritime Academy, Latvia: Arnis Bankovičs, arnis.bankovics@latja.lv