The Federal Ministry of Transport has released an app that makes the entire Medical Handbook for Seafarers available in digital form. MediSee is designed for commercial shipping, but can just as easily be used on board a motorboat – covering everything from respiratory conditions to dental treatment, with videos, audio guidance and an offline function. Free of charge.
Immediate measures first
When you open the new “MediSee” app, you’re taken straight to the life-saving emergency procedures: CPR, severe bleeding, foreign objects in the airways, anaphylactic shock and chemical burns to the eyes. Each section provides a spoken guide through the necessary steps. This leaves your hands free to administer first aid.
Life-saving first-aid procedures can be accessed at any time and from anywhere, supplemented by audio and video instructions as well as direct links to sub-chapters of the Medical Handbook for Seafarers. An intelligent keyword search helps you navigate quickly to the relevant content, even in stressful situations.
From respiratory care to dental treatment
The treatment measures described range from wound care and injection techniques, through pain management and oxygen therapy, to dealing with blocked airways and dental treatment.
This guide to medical conditions is based on the *Medical Handbook for Seafarers* – a standard reference work of over 500 pages published by the Maritime Medical Service of the BG Verkehr, which is part of the compulsory equipment on German seagoing vessels. It is written specifically for the layperson, without technical jargon, and is systematically organised: Causes – Symptoms – Treatment – Medicines. From the cardiovascular and nervous systems, through seasickness and tropical diseases, to poisoning and death on board.
In addition, there is information on the compulsory medical equipment for commercially operated boats, some of which is likely to be useful for recreational boaters as well.
Videos for emergencies
The video library includes demonstrations of resuscitation techniques, the setting of fractures, the reduction of a dislocated shoulder, transport using a vacuum mattress, and dental treatment on board. Once you’ve seen how something is done, you’re less likely to make mistakes in an emergency.
Offline, bilingual, free of charge
The app is bilingual (German/English) and – a key requirement on board – works even without an internet connection. You can save personal notes.
MediSee is available free of charge on the App Store and Google Play:
Ursula Meer
Redakteurin Panorama und Reise
