NIMASA STCW PST study plan
NIMASA STCW PST · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Survival at sea: cold water immersion, hypothermia and drowning & Abandonment of ship and survival craft boarding
List the four stages of cold water immersion (cold shock, cold incapacitation, hypothermia, circum-rescue collapse) and state the typical time window and physiological sign of each from memory.
Explain the mammalian diving reflex and the heat-escape-lessening posture, and describe when each applies during an abandonment.
Sequence the abandon-ship decision chain from master's order through muster, head count, and boarding, and identify who gives the order to abandon.
Describe how to enter the water from height and how to board an inflatable liferaft from the water without assistance.
Calculate approximate survival time for three water temperatures using the 1-10-1 principle and justify each answer.
Your checkpoint
A one-page handwritten cold-water and abandonment timeline card, self-tested to 90% accuracy on a 20-item recall quiz you write yourself.
Survival at sea: cold water immersion, hypothermia and drowning & Survival techniques and immediate first aid actions
Identify the signs and correct field treatment of mild, moderate, and severe hypothermia, including which patients must not be actively rewarmed in the water.
Describe the drowning process and the immediate actions for a rescued near-drowning casualty, including when to start rescue breathing.
Demonstrate the sequence for checking responsiveness, opening the airway, and delivering rescue breaths on a manikin or pillow, in the correct order.
Explain the recovery position and state when it is and is not appropriate for a hypothermic casualty.
Your checkpoint
A written casualty card for hypothermia and near-drowning with decision points, reviewed against your own notes and scored by a peer or instructor.
Survival techniques and immediate first aid actions & Types and use of personal life-saving appliances
List the contents of a standard first aid kit and state the use of each item.
Describe how to control severe bleeding, immobilise a suspected fracture, and treat a burn using only materials found in a ship's first aid kit.
Explain the immediate first aid for a casualty with a suspected spinal injury after a fall or a lifeboat accident.
Match each personal life-saving appliance (lifebuoy, lifejacket, immersion suit, thermal protective aid, life float) to its purpose and typical stowage location.
Your checkpoint
A completed first aid scenario sheet covering three injuries with step-by-step actions and the equipment used for each.
Types and use of personal life-saving appliances & Inflatable liferaft and rigid lifeboat familiarisation
Don a lifejacket correctly, including securing all straps, and state the differences between inflatable and inherently buoyant types.
Describe how to don an immersion suit, including the buddy check, and list the checks before entering the water.
Identify the main parts of an inflatable liferaft (canopy, inflation cylinder, sea anchor, boarding ramp, painter, weak link) and state the function of each.
Explain the inflation sequence of a liferaft after the painter is pulled and describe what to do if it inflates upside down.
State the capacity markings, stowage, and inspection requirements for liferafts on your vessel type.
Your checkpoint
A labelled diagram of an inflatable liferaft and a lifejacket with all parts named, plus a 10-question self-quiz scored at 80% or higher.
Emergency situations and mustering procedures & Personal protective equipment and safety during drills
State the correct response to each of the seven emergency alarms (general, fire, abandon ship, man overboard, collision, grounding, pollution) and the associated muster signal.
Describe the duties of each muster station team and the head count procedure, including what to do if a person is missing.
List the PPE required for drills and emergencies and describe pre-use checks for a lifejacket and immersion suit.
Explain the safety rules for conducting a drill, including hazards during lifeboat launching and recovery.
Your checkpoint
A personal muster card listing your assigned duties and station for each alarm type, written from memory and verified against the vessel's muster list.
Emergency situations and mustering procedures & Location and use of life-saving equipment and communication devices
Locate and describe the operation of the emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), search and rescue transponder (SART), and two-way VHF radiotelephone.
Explain the correct distress transmission on VHF channel 16, including MAYDAY, MAYDAY RELAY, and the information required.
Describe how to activate and use a pyrotechnic (hand flare, parachute flare, smoke signal) safely, including expiry checks and firing angles.
State the location and purpose of the emergency lighting, alarm points, and life-saving equipment on your vessel.
Your checkpoint
A location map of emergency and communication equipment with a scripted MAYDAY call, both reproduced from memory.
Abandonment of ship and survival craft boarding & Inflatable liferaft and rigid lifeboat familiarisation & Location and use of life-saving equipment and communication devices
Describe the correct procedure for boarding a lifeboat and a liferaft from the deck and from the water, including the command sequence.
Explain the actions after boarding: head count, closing hatches, taking anti-seasickness medication, and maintaining a lookout.
Describe the use of the sea anchor, the canopy, and the survival kit, and the actions to take on sighting a rescue vessel.
Explain how to use a SART and an EPIRB from a survival craft to aid location.
Your checkpoint
A timed 30-question practice test across the covered domains, scored at 80% or higher, with every wrong answer corrected in writing.
Emergency situations and mustering procedures & Types and use of personal life-saving appliances & Survival at sea: cold water immersion, hypothermia and drowning & Abandonment of ship and survival craft boarding & Inflatable liferaft and rigid lifeboat familiarisation & Survival techniques and immediate first aid actions & Location and use of life-saving equipment and communication devices & Personal protective equipment and safety during drills
Review all eight domains using the corrected practice test and your own notes, focusing on the weakest three areas.
Recite the cold water immersion stages, survival time rule, and hypothermia treatment from memory.
Recite the abandon-ship sequence and the contents of a liferaft from memory.
Complete a full-length timed mock examination and review every error.
Your checkpoint
A full-length timed mock examination scored at 85% or higher, with a one-page summary of the three weakest topics and the corrective action for each.
Milestones
Week 2: You can explain the four stages of cold water immersion and the treatment for moderate and severe hypothermia without notes, and you have completed the hypothermia and near-drowning casualty card.
Week 4: You can don a lifejacket and immersion suit correctly and name all main parts of an inflatable liferaft from a blank diagram, scoring 80% or higher on your self-quiz.
Week 6: You can state your muster duties for each alarm type and demonstrate the correct MAYDAY call structure from memory.
Week 8: You score 85% or higher on a full-length timed mock examination and can recite the cold water survival rule and abandon-ship sequence without notes.