Hospital internships temporarily suspended /
9 February 2009
As a consequence of changes in the staffing level the organisation and assessment of hospital internships will be temporarily suspended.

Seafarers have long been offered the opportunity to gain practical experience in a hospital as part of their training. Around 65 hospitals in the Netherlands participate in this scheme - generally free of charge. 
 
The main purpose of this practical training is to introduce trainees to methods of dealing with people with injuries and cases of acute illness. The trainees usually help out in the Emergency Department, where they learn about various forms of diagnostics and initial care. Sometimes they are also permitted to have a look round on the nursing wards, to gain insight into the treatment of certain disorders. Although attending surgical operations often appeals to the imagination, this has to be kept to a minimum. Seafarers who are offered the opportunity to tag along with an ambulance crew should certainly accept this invitation, as administering First Aid in public and in people's homes is comparable to the situation aboard ship. 
 
Practical training was previously attended on a voluntary basis, but is obligatory since 1995. 
The duration of the practical training is three consecutive weeks (15 working days), followed by a five-day refresher every five years. 
Please note! Seafarers must complete both the five-day practical refresher course and the two-day theory of Medical First Aid and Basic Medical care EU/STCW refresher course for renewal of the Unlimited Medical Training-I Certificate!
 
Arrangement of hospital training
The medical advisor's office coordinates and mediates in arranging practical training in a hospital. Candidates should submit a written application, stating their preferred period and region of training. Once a suitable place has been found, the hospital and candidate are supplied with contact details. The hospital will make specific arrangements with the candidate. Trainees should bear in mind that, barring exceptional circumstances, arrangements concerning hospital training are binding.  
 
Candidates may also personally arrange the hospital training, for instance, via a relative who works in a particular hospital. However, the medical advisor's secretary must be notified of these arrangements before training begins, so that additional information and training forms can be supplied. 
 
Hospitals sometimes set their own conditions for practical training. These vary from additional insurance cover to a Hepatitis B vaccination. Candidates should bear in mind that such formalities may prove time-consuming. For example, Hepatitis B vaccination comprises a course of three injections, administered over a six-month period, unless one already has a valid vaccination certificate. 
 
Hospital training form 
Once the practical training in a hospital has been scheduled, the seafarer will receive a hospital training form. This form lists activities that are considered worthy of inclusion in the training. However, this list serves solely as a guideline. The duration of the training is simply too short to cover everything. Furthermore, the scope of the training depends on the actual cases admitted to the Emergency Department. 
 
Report
On completion of the training, the seafarer must give a (brief) account of the practical experience gained, with the aid of the hospital training form. Both the form and the report require the Medical Advisor's signature. Once it has been established that the candidate also complies with the further requirements, the Unlimited Medical Training Certificate SGZ-O is issued. 
 
Warning
During hospital training, the trainee will be in direct contact with sick and injured patients. As we all know, one cannot tell from a person's appearance whether he or she is a carrier of a virus such as HIV or Hepatitis B. The trainee should therefore take whatever precautions are necessary and should meticulously follow the hospital's instructions to avoid infection. We advise trainees to discuss mutual responsibilities with the hospital prior to commencing training. The Netherlands Shipping Inspectorate accepts no liability whatsoever for injuries or damages incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of completing practical training in a hospital.