Over the next few months, I would like to share with you interviews with crew members who have responded to medical incidents on board luxury yachts.
These true life stories are of course a good reminder of the challenges of maritime medical care. From casualties on board for hours or even days, to potentially complex medical care carried out by non-medical professional crew – and on a heavily moving platform. However, they also highlight the benefits of preparation and good simulation training. Also, the difference this can make to the first response to an incident and the longer-term recovery and effect on the rescuers themselves.
All interviews have the full permission of the persons involved to share their stories and experiences.
BRADLEY WOLSTENHOLME
‘WHEN THE CAPTAIN IS THE CASUALTY’
Bradley, thank you for your time today. Please tell me about yourself and your time in the yachting industry…
I am 34 years old, born in Manchester and have lived in Mallorca for the past 25 years. I have been working in the yachting industry for over 10 years, mainly on motor yachts of various sizes, and I have cruised worldwide during my time in the industry
So I am speaking to a veteran..
Well, a young one!
You were involved in a serious medical incident onboard a yacht. Bradley, can you describe the events to me as you remember them?
I was working on a motor yacht on a short crossing from Mahon to Palma, and we had to urgently evacuate the captain, with the assistance of Coastguard Search and Rescue. We had eight crew on board, all fairly new, and the sea was calm, as I remember.
It was early evening, dark already, I was on the bridge with the captain, when he suddenly complained of severe pain in his chest and abdomen. I immediately asked a crew member to contact a telemedical ‘call the doctor’ service. Once on the line, a doctor supported me through the immediate medical first response. The doctor made a full assessment of the captain and then proceeded to make the decision to call for evacuation. From callout to point of evacuation took five hours, meaning we had to care for the captain onboard for an extended period.
What treatment did you need to provide and what actions did you take while he was onboard?
He remained conscious at all times, and in a lot of pain. We administered pain relief under the doctor’s instruction, monitored vitals, and made a full medical history report including symptoms in the lead-up to the pain, which was vital information for the telemed doctor to assess the severity of the situation. For the next few hours, we maintained a close eye on him until the coastguard arrived. We kept him warm and were advised to raise his legs in a shock position to assist with circulation and reduce the chest, leg and back pain.
What was the most challenging part of this situation?
I was the mate at the time and I had never driven the yacht alone before, so I had to take responsibility for the care of the casualty as highest in command, prepare the crew for the evacuation, and safely navigate the vessel into port. So it became a huge responsibility very suddenly!
This situation pushed me to my absolute limits. It felt overwhelming because the captain was also a close friend, and the situation could have resulted in a very bad consequence.
But as I understand Bradley, you kept a cool, calm head, put your training into motion and handled the situation quite heroically, leading to a positive outcome.
Well, I handled things to the best of my ability. We carried out regular medical drills and annual training with a medical professional, so I think that made me more prepared in the moment.
A few hours after the captain reached the hospital, I spoke with his medical team and they said that he was suffering from an inflamed aorta, (this is the largest artery running through the central core of the body). Without urgent evacuation to the right facility, there was a risk of a serious stroke or heart attack, or the aorta could have ruptured, which would have likely been unsurvivable.
So your actions truly were life-saving for the captain – and everyone onboard in keeping them safe. Can you tell me a bit more about how the casualty was transferred from the vessel? Was it on a stretcher, and do you remember any challenges with the evacuation procedure?
It was quite a simple procedure because it was planned and controlled and not an emergency maneuver. We all assisted to help them transport him from the bridge to the side birding access where the coastguard had come to transport him. We had to be careful to plan our route, remove obstacles and ensure the vessel was as steady as possible, and it all went smoothly.
You mentioned earlier that you put great importance on training regularly. Do you feel this was of benefit in the real scenario?
I believe so. Most crew are not medical professionals, and as you have told me before in training, even the best medical team does not work well together without any prior training and simulations. Crew always need a regular reminder of how to quickly assess a casualty so they can respond quickly and efficiently.
And did you receive any emotional support after the incident?
I am still in touch with my ex-captain. We have a close relationship as he lives in Mallorca with his family. I think having this friendship helped me as we could talk about the incident afterwards. I think it would be important to talk to someone if you could not talk to the casualty after the incident or if you need further support.
What did you take away from this experience, Bradley?
A medical incident can go from a small concern to a serious situation very quickly. Being reminded of how to act quickly as a team in this situation with regular thorough medical training is key.
Thank you for your time, Bradley.
