NIMASA STCW EFA exam-day guide
NIMASA STCW EFA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid government-issued photo ID (passport or national ID)
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. The name must match the name on your registration and on your STCW certificate application. If your ID is expired or the name differs (for example after marriage), confirm with the training provider before exam day which additional document they accept.
Examination/admission slip or registration confirmation
Print or download the confirmation the provider sent you. It usually carries your candidate number and the session time. If you never received one, contact the provider's office before the exam; do not assume you can be admitted without it.
Passport-style photographs
Some providers collect photographs at the centre for the certificate record. Bring two recent colour photographs to the size the provider specifies; confirm the exact size and number with the provider, as requirements differ between centres.
Medical fitness certificate or seafarer medical (if required)
STCW training is normally tied to a valid medical examination certificate for seafarers. Carry the original and a copy. Confirm with the provider whether the medical must be presented before the practical assessment or only before certificate issue.
Proof of sea service or prerequisite certificates (if applicable)
For advanced or refresher courses the provider may require evidence of basic training, sea time, or a previous certificate. Check your course joining instructions and confirm the exact documents with the provider.
Appropriate practical clothing and footwear
Emergency first aid and fire-fighting related practicals often require you to kneel, move casualties, and work on the floor. Wear trousers or coveralls and closed, flat, non-slip shoes. Avoid loose jewellery and long unrestrained hair near training equipment.
Any personal medication and a water bottle
Practical sessions can be physically demanding and run for several hours. Bring prescribed medication and drinking water. Tell the assessor privately and in advance about any condition that affects your ability to kneel, lift, or perform CPR, so a safe adjustment can be arranged.
Know the location, access route, and arrival time
Visit or map the training centre in advance and allow extra time for port or campus security checks. Arrive at the reporting time stated in your joining instructions, not the scheduled start of the assessment. Confirm the reporting time with the provider.
Review the EFA practical skill sequence, not just theory
Be able to demonstrate, in order: scene safety and initial assessment, checking responsiveness and breathing, calling for help, recovery position, adult CPR with correct hand placement, rate and depth, rescue breathing with a bag-valve mask, choking management, bleeding control and bandaging, and casualty handling. Practise each on a manikin or with a partner until the sequence is automatic.
Rehearse verbalising your actions
Assessors mark what they can see and hear. Practise saying aloud what you are checking and why, for example stating that the scene is safe, that the casualty is unresponsive, and that you are calling for help and an AED. Silent correct actions can lose marks if the assessor cannot confirm your reasoning.
Confirm what the provider supplies versus what you must bring
Manikins, masks, bandages, and gloves are normally supplied. Confirm with the provider whether you need your own resuscitation barrier device, notebook, or calculator, and whether mobile phones must be switched off and stored.
Arrange transport and a backup plan
Late arrival can mean exclusion from a practical session because sessions are run in groups with fixed equipment ratios. Identify a backup route and a contact number for the centre in case of delay, and confirm the provider's late-arrival policy in advance.
Plan the day
Re-read the course joining instructions line by line and list every document, photograph, and item the provider requires. Check that your ID is valid and that the name matches your registration. If anything is missing or inconsistent, contact the provider now rather than on the day, because replacement documents and name corrections take time.
Run through the full EFA practical sequence at least twice, ideally with a partner. Time your CPR cycles, check that you can find the correct hand position and compression landmarks on a manikin, and practise assembling and using a bag-valve mask and applying a pressure bandage. Note the steps you forget and drill only those on the second run.
Confirm the practical details with the provider: reporting time, address and building entrance, what equipment is supplied, whether a medical certificate must be shown, and the policy on late arrival and on missed sessions. Get the answers in writing, such as an email, so there is no dispute on the day.
Pack your bag: original photo ID, admission confirmation, photographs, medical certificate if required, prerequisite certificates, water, any prescribed medication, and suitable clothing and footwear. Lay the clothes out. Charge your phone and save the centre's contact number and the address.
Do a light final review of the key numbers and safety points you will be asked to state, such as compression rate and depth for an adult, the ratio of compressions to rescue breaths, and when to move a casualty into the recovery position. Stop studying early, eat properly, and get a full night's sleep; fatigue visibly degrades practical performance.
Eat a normal meal and hydrate, because practical sessions are physical. Dress in the clothing and footwear you prepared. Leave earlier than the map suggests to absorb security checks and traffic, and arrive at the reporting time in your instructions.
On arrival, present your documents when requested, switch your phone off and store it as directed, and listen carefully to the safety briefing for the training area. If you have an injury or condition that limits kneeling, lifting, or sustained compressions, tell the assessor privately before the session begins so a safe arrangement can be made.
Before each scenario, take a moment to identify the scene hazards and state them aloud. Follow the assessor's instructions exactly, ask for clarification if a instruction is unclear, and work at a steady, safe pace rather than rushing. Correct technique and clear verbalisation score better than speed.
If you make a mistake, do not stop or apologise repeatedly. State the correction, for example that your hand position was too low, reposition, and continue. Assessors generally credit a candidate who recognises and corrects an error over one who repeats it silently.
Ask the provider when and how results are issued and what the procedure is if you are referred or need to resit a component. Confirm how the certificate is issued and how long it takes, and keep your copies of all documents in case of later verification.
Rules to check
Bring original identification. Photocopies and digital images on a phone are commonly refused. The name on your ID must match your registration; if it does not, the provider may refuse admission, so resolve any discrepancy before exam day and confirm the accepted alternative documents with the provider.
Follow the centre's safety instructions at all times. Practical first aid training involves manikins, bandages, and sometimes simulated casualties on the floor. Do not move equipment, operate training devices, or improvise scenarios without the assessor's direction, and report any damaged equipment immediately.
Mobile phones and smart devices must be switched off and stored as directed during the assessment. Recording or photographing assessment materials, manikins, or other candidates is normally prohibited. Confirm the provider's exact policy on devices and personal belongings before the session.
Treat assessors and other candidates with professional conduct. STCW training is built around crew cooperation, so disruptive behaviour, arguing with instructions, or interfering with another candidate's scenario can lead to removal from the session. Raise any concern calmly with the assessor or the centre's administration.
Do not coach or prompt another candidate during their practical. Even well-intentioned help can invalidate their assessment and yours. Wait quietly in the designated area until the assessor calls you.
If you must leave during a session, for example for a medical or personal reason, tell the assessor before leaving. Do not simply walk out, because the provider may treat an unexplained absence as a missed assessment. Confirm the provider's policy on breaks and absences before the day.
Assessment is normally by continuous practical observation plus any written or oral component the provider sets. You must usually demonstrate each required skill safely and in the correct sequence to pass. Confirm with the provider the pass criteria, the number of attempts allowed, and the resit procedure, as these are set by the provider and not by the candidate.
If you believe an assessment decision was unfair or an error was made, do not argue during the session. Note the details and raise it afterwards through the provider's stated appeals or review process. Ask the provider for that process in writing before exam day.